Police Beat Protesters at Nepal Rally

Police beat several protesters and arrested nearly 100 as a coalition of Nepal’s seven largest political parties tried to rally for democratic change.

King Gyanendra repeated a pledge to hold elections in 2007 and claimed success in fighting communist rebels, despite an overnight attack that killed at least 20 members of security forces in western Nepal.

Scores of police officers were reported missing after the rebel assault on the town of Tansen, a Royal Nepalese Army spokesman said Wednesday.

Gyanendra seized control of the government Feb. 1, 2005. He announced in an address marking the anniversary that parliamentary elections would be held within 15 months.

“All the positions held by people’s representatives will be filled” by mid-April 2007, Gyanendra said.

But the address failed to satisfy political leaders, who said the speech did not appear to signal any softening of the king’s authoritarian rule. They vowed to continue protests.

When he seized power, Gyanendra said he was taking action to quell the country’s communist rebellion and end corruption.

Hours before he spoke, rebels attacked an army camp, police station, jail and government buildings in Tansen, killing at least 17 policemen and three soldiers, the army spokesman said.

At least 143 policemen and the chief district officer were also missing in the town, about 110 miles west of Katmandu, he said.

Communications in the area were severed and the only road was blocked by downed trees.