The date today is 16 Bhadra 2068 according to Nepali calender and 2 September 2011 according to Gregorian Calender. This Day 16 Bhadra,it was 1 September on that day, is known as Black Day In Nepal. All Masjid areas were burning in this day 7 years ago. The story goes like this:
Wednesday September 1, 2004
16 Bhadra 2061
Protests broke out in Kathmandu on Wednesday over the killing of 12 Nepalese hostages by militants in Iraq with thousands of demonstrators setting a mosque on fire, vandalizing offices. Charging the government with not doing enough to secure the release of the hostages, the protesters stoned buildings and blocked traffic by burning tires on main roads.
"We want revenge," the demonstrators shouted as they stormed the Jame Masjid, the biggest mosque in the country located in the centre of Kathmandu, and near the Narayanhity Royal Palace.
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| Fire inside Kashmiri Jame Masjid |
Inside
the Kashmiri mosque and Nepali Jame Masjid, in the centre of town, the courtyard was strewn
with prayer mats, torn Quran and broken plant pots after more than 500 men stormed
the both buildings. The prayer hall had
been set on fire and the crescent on the mosque's dome had been bent.
The Imam sat quietly in a bare room in Kashmiri Masjid, locked in from the outside. The
window had been smashed.
They broke windows and set fire to carpets, furniture and parts of the mosque which was empty at the time.Riot police used batons to push the angry protesters back from the mosque and eventually sealed it. As the protests continued, the government imposed an indefinite curfew from 2 pm to maintain law and order and to protect life and property, Kathmandu district administration office said.The curfew was imposed after 6-7 hours the riot started.
The mosque's caretaker, a Hindu, stood in the Imam's destroyed office and told how the mob had broken down the door of a room where the imam had been sheltering and pulled him out. "The more sensitive students were saying, 'Don't touch him', and the others said 'Kill him'," he said. "In the end they left him alone. He can't go outside the Masjid without being beaten. The army came two hours later to help us."
Police fired
in the air and used tear gas to disperse mobs outside the Jame Masjid,
about 200 meters away. Crowds had begun storming the mosque at dawn. But
no police or army were present when demonstrators sacked the offices of
Kantipur Publications, a leading media organisation.
Curfew
Slapped After Mobs Set
Kathmandu
Jame Masjid Afire
Target Against Religious Harmony
Although other institutions including media houses were attacked apparently to divert the attention, the targets set by the demonstrators were directly related to the Muslim countries where a large numbers of Nepalese are employed.
The responses from political leaders, intellectuals and
common citizens have similar tones, as it seems that the mayhem and losses did
not make any difference to them. It reminds Francis Hamilton’s assessment of
Nepalese people.
“These mountain Hindus appear to me a deceitful and
treacherous people, cruel and arrogant towards those in their power, and
abjectly mean towards those from whom, they expect favor,” writes Francis
Buchanan Hamilton in his book “An Account of the Kingdom of Nepal: And of the
Territories Annexed to this Domain by the House of Gorkha.”
Although he had assessed Nepalese one and a half
century ago, it seems that the observation made by
Hamilton
is perhaps correct! Nepalese are yet to make efforts to disprove
Hamilton
’s assessment.
Following the brutal killing of 12 innocent Nepalese
hostages by Iraqi terrorist outfit on Tuesday (August 31) afternoon, the
reactions of two ministers and responses of the country’s main political
parties and their sister organizations hit the sentiments of the people. The
portrayal of cruel killing displayed in the media - state owned and private -
and their headlines gave enough fuel to make people senseless.
After the announcement of the killing by Nepalese media
and confirmed by the two ministers, demonstrators organized torch rally
demanding the resignation of Minister of Labor and Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs. Although media reports showed that demonstrations were spontaneous, the
nature of mob showed that it was well organized and planned.
According to Gorkhapatra, a government-owned newspaper,
the mysterious gathering of youths had organized rallies at Baneshwore, Ason,
Ratnapark, Putalisadak and other many important places obstructing the roads.
“The angry mob demanded actions against those manpower involved in sending
Nepalese to
Iraq
,” wrote Gorkhaptra on September 1.
Who is Behind the Riot?
There are contradictory reports coming out regarding
the riots. Some have pointed fingers towards external element behind the riot
but others see it otherwise. Nepali Congress (NC) leader Girija Prasad Koirala
in his recent statement with three other political parties accused the
Royal
Palace
, Army, police and intelligence for the riot.
Analysts hold the view that such mayhem against the
Nepalese interest is not possible without the backing of external element. “This
is a handiwork of foreign element which does not want to see flourishing
manpower industry in
Nepal
,” said advocate Bal Krishna Neupane, who has filed a number of public
litigation including those on famous Tanakpur and Citizenship. “Our leaders
cannot open mouth against their masters so they always blame others to protect
(their masters).”
“It is the determination of Nepalese people,
politicians and intellectuals to work together to save their own country. As a
friend, a neighboring and friendly country can materially as well as financially
support to make you country self-reliant. We believe that Nepalese are capable
of doing so,” said a diplomat on the condition of anonymity.
“It seems that the whole event was a stage-managed
show. From destruction and mayhem to the return of normalcy, it is systematic.
The houses the demonstrators hit were well defined and targeted as if the road
mapping were prepared many years before. The men sent to ransack the houses were
well informed,”
Still the criminals, who brought this Riot in Kathmandu in well planned manner are free and not punished by the Government. Since the Dawn on Wednesday people were attacking many Masjids in Kathmandu but the Government let them do so till 2 pm in the afternoon. Only after 2pm Government applied curfew for the security purpose. Before that time security was not concerned.
The riots of 9/1 resulted in
losses of properties worth around Rs 2 billion.
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