April 13, 2006: Demonstrations against the king continue. So far, four people have been killed, over 600 injured and some 1,500 arrested. The demonstrations contain from a few hundred to a thousand people. The struggle for control of the country is between the royalists (who control the army and police, and the loyalty of most of the rural population), the political parties (backed by most of the urban population) and Maoists (backed by their own guns and terror tactics), and it is still unresolved. The political parties continue to cooperate with the Maoists, to topple the king. Once that is accomplished, the Maoists, who have more guns than the political parties, believe they will be able to take over, and abolish political parties, as well as the monarchy. The Maoists want to establish a communist dictatorship.
The political parties represent the middle and upper class Hindus of Indian origin, that have long dominated the country. The Maoist rebels are also led by middle and upper class Hindus, related to those that dominate the country. The king, also a Hindu, has the support of most of the tribal and rural peoples, who comprise most of the population. While the political parties speak of reform (of the Hindu dominated oligarchy), and the Maoists demand a communist dictatorship, the king offers the status quo and tradition. Political parties were only allowed beginning in 1990. This was to accommodate the growing middle class and address growing calls for reforms. But the political parties eventually became deadlocked over what to do, and how to do it.
Everyone believes they are right.
April 12, 2006: The daytime curfew in the capital was lifted, demonstrations against the king continue.
April 11, 2006: For the first time, troops fired on demonstrators in the capital, for violating the curfew. Several dozen people were wounded, and several were killed.
April 8, 2006: The government declared a daytime curfew, in an attempt to stop increasingly violent demonstrations. This did prevent the political parties from staging a major rally.
April 7, 2006: Anti-king demonstrations continued in the capital and other cities. Several hundred more people were arrested. So far this month, nearly 800 people have been arrested, and most of them released.
April 6, 2006: Anti-monarchy protestors turned violent in the capital. Nearly 200 people were arrested. This was the first day of a general strike called by the political parties and the Maoist rebels. Meanwhile, in southern Nepal, some 2,000 Maoist rebels attacked a town, and killed 22 soldiers.
