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News :: Miscellaneous |
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Revolution in Nepal: eyewitness report |
Current rating: 0 |
by Amy Ross
Email: anarchfem (nospam) hotmail.com (unverified!) |
06 Jun 2001
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Members of environmental conference in Nepal send the world first hand account of Nepal revolution. The new assassin king has ordered martial law and the there is hand-to-hand combat in the streets... |
The following is email account from Amy Ross who is in Nepal for International Environmental Conference.
Subject: Revolution!!! a personal account of events in Nepal
> From: "Amy Ross" <anarchfem (at) hotmail.com>
The last two days have been some of the most amazing in my life. The news you are getting in NZ is probably CNN bullshit. The late King and family in Nepal have been a symbol for the people of being independent from imperialist rule for a start so that is partly why the grief is so immense. The kings brother has just now been crowned king and the people are uprising.
The kings brother is much hated by Nepalese people and activists alike. He was cast out from Nepal for corruption and went to live in India. The campaign against corruption is huge and the prime minister is also a target. So when the whole family (actually 13 people) were massacred the govt blamed the crown prince saying he shot everyone and then himself. No one believed this. Now the govt says it was an accident.
I am typing hard and fast - we are under threat from the army who are everywhere. So essentially the Dead kings brother arranged for his son (the dead kings nephew) to kill everyone so he could be king. The people are not accepting him and there are riots everywhere. Martial law has been impose and the conference is canceled pretty much.
A few of us are staying though and networking and supporting. The radical organizations that organized it have been outlawed under martial law and they fear arrest. A few of us have been caught up in demos on the street I think I have some good photos of the cops beating people with sticks but I was running as fast as I could at the time. 10 people have also been shot dead by the army. This is very important to get out as they are refusing to let people report it. Also the only witness alive to the massacre has just been poisoned by the govt so there is no witness apart from the new kings son who people believe did it. The investigation committee comprises of the ruling party only and is a farce. People are amazing here they have nothing but their bare hands and they are standing up to guns sticks knives I hope my photos are good.
About 10 of us are keen to support the Nepalese people and try and get the word back to our countries. We trekked into the peasant communities yesterday to share resources and food and they welcomed us like heroes it was incredible. They want our help. They want us to let the world know what is happening here. But then we got trapped because the army said they would shoot us if we came back to our base. Crazy.
We are reasonably safe because we are foreigners and we feel strongly about being part of making history. Nepal may face civil war and the end of monarchy at this rate and it is a privilege beyond belief to be here. we are a tight knit group and hope to make some difference. I have to run again they are imposing curfew in half an hour and if you are outside you are get shot.
I will try and email soon.
amy |
See also:
http://www.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=45240&group=webcast
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