Mayoral candidate shot, student protest, human rights group comment

(30 Jan 2006) AP Television Patan Hospital, Katmandu - 30 January 2006 1. Wide of hospital 2. Mid of the hospital with crowd outside 3. Security at hospital 4. Mid shot of minister arriving 5. SOUNDBITE: (Nepali) Tanka Dhakal, local development minister: "It is a very ordinary matter, please do not blow this matter out of proportion, as the elections are imminent, we should not discourage the election process." 6. Mid shot of crowd 7. Injured candidate Dal Bahadur Rai's son arriving, Kamal Jung Rai. 8. SOUNDBITE: (Nepali) Kamal Jung Rai, son of injured candidate Dal Bahadur Rai: "I don't agree with the minister's remark, its not ordinary thing, my father is no ordinary person." 9. Kamal Jung Rai going inside the hospital 10. Wide of the hospital AP Television News Samkhushi, Katmandu - 30 January 2006 11. Tilt down of student setting alight to torches, students picking up torches and running up the street 12. SOUNDBITE: (Nepali) Rozan Raj Banya, student: "This protest is against the autocratic monarchy and our aim is to restore democracy." 14. Various of torches burning on the street New Delhi - January 30, 2006 15. Wide of news conference 16. Cutaway reporters 17. SOUNDBITE: (English) Suhas Chakma, Director, Asian Centre for Human Rights: "(The) International community must boycott or disengage with the administration of King Gyanendra. It basically means imposing visa restrictions on King Gyanendra, the royal family, Cabinet ministers, people who are the head of the state-owned companies, etc. People who are part of the administration including the RNA (Royal Nepal Army) they should not be allowed officially to meet with any of the international agencies." 18. Close up of report reading: "Nepal: One year of royal anarchy" STORYLINE: Suspected Maoist rebels shot and critically wounded a mayoral candidate after bursting into his home on Monday, police said, amid threats by the insurgents to harm candidates in forthcoming local elections. Dal Bahadur Rai, a candidate for mayor in a suburb of Katmandu, Nepal's capital, was in a critical condition after he was shot twice by suspected rebels who opened fire after breaking into his house, police said. Officials said, Rai did not hire bodyguards for protection during the campaign. The Maoist rebels have threatened "severe action" against candidates, and have already been accused of killing one office hopeful and abducting another in recent days. Maoist rebels have demanded that all candidates withdraw from the race by Wednesday and threatened harm to anyone who is involved in the elections. Few candidates have dared to announce their candidacy for the municipal election being held in 58 cities and towns across this Himalayan kingdom. Elsewhere in Nepal on Monday, candidates backed by the country's royal government braved the threats by launching their first campaign rally in Katmandu. The rebels and the country's seven largest political parties are boycotting the municipal elections, arguing that they would legitimise King Gyanendra's seizure of absolute power a year ago. Students set alight to torches and ran through the streets of Katmandu in protest. One student activist said: "This protest is against the autocratic monarchy and our aim is to restore democracy." On the eve of the anniversary of King Gyanendra's takeover of power, Delhi-based Asian Centre for Human Rights has demanded a boycott of the King's administration. The director of the agency, Suhas Chakma said the "international community must boycott or disengage with the administration of King Gyanendra." Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...