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puszysty at 11:54am on 06/02/2005
puszysty at 11:54am on 06/02/2005From BBC News
Nepal rights groups plea for help
Policemen are on the streets to prevent protests
Human rights groups in Nepal have appealed to the international community to press the authorities to reverse harsh emergency measures.
They say the government headed by King Gyanendra who has taken direct power is spreading terror and panic.
The king sacked the government on Tuesday, saying it had failed to tackle the Maoist rebel uprising.
Journalists as well as political figures have been detained following the introduction of emergency measures.
Harassment alleged
The 25 human rights groups have sent a message to some of the world's top leaders, including the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, President George W Bush and many other heads of state and government.
They say the Nepalese people are now living under what they call an illegal military rule headed by the king and that the monarch's actions violate international practices and legal standards.
They say human rights activists are being increasingly monitored and harassed.
NEPAL IN CRISIS
June 2001 - Gyanendra is crowned king following royal massacre
July 2001 - Sher Bahadur Deuba becomes prime minister following Maoist violence
Oct 2002 - King Gyanendra sacks Deuba and assumes executive power
June 2004 - Deuba reappointed prime minister in place of Surya Bahadur Thapa
Feb 2005 - Deuba sacked, king assumes direct power
Emerging from house arrest, Arjun Narasingha K.C., spokesman for the country's biggest party, the Nepali Congress, said many of its members were in detention.
"Altogether maybe it is more than 500, but we don't know where they are, how they are treated. It is not yet clear," he said.
"We are serious about their safety and security and they must be treated under the law of the land."
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Kathmandu said the general-secretary of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists had also been detained.
The rights groups are urging the international leaders to end military support for the new government, press it to say where detainees are, and refrain from torture.
It asks them to use diplomacy to make the king lift censorship and restore the cut telephone lines and, more broadly, to urge the restoration of democracy.
The armed forces said this week that detentions and the suspension of liberties were necessary to let the security forces concentrate on fighting the Maoist rebels.
At least five ex-prime ministers and many other politicians are said to be under house arrest.
News has been hard to come by in the last few days
The daily newspaper, quoting a "highly placed security source", said on Saturday that some of the arrested leaders might be released.
But they would first have to promise not to pose a "threat" to the security situation.
Political parties have said they plan to hold peaceful protests against the king's moves.
Some 11,000 people have died since the Maoists began their insurgency in 1996.
The rebels have turned down several calls to resume peace talks that were abandoned in late 2003.
from the Times of India
Rattled Nepal King unleashes peace offensive
RAJAT PANDIT
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 06, 2005 10:36:22 AM ]
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KATHMANDU: Battling criticism from overseas and growing dissent within, King Gyanendra has launched a three-pronged strategy to ensure Nepal’s threatened monarchy survives the gamble it has undertaken by dismissing the Deuba government.
First, the palace announced wide-ranging populist measures to sway public opinion in the King’s favour.
Second, the King directed the Royal Nepal Army to intensify its campaign against Maoists and finally, he launched a campaign to build bridges with the international community.
Measures to battle corruption, improve governance and strengthen development in Nepal were announced on Saturday even as the police continued its crackdown on political activities, arrested four ministers of the ousted Sher Bahadur Deuba cabinet, PTI reported.
Those arrested include former Works and Physical Planning Ministers Prakash Man Singh, Agriculture Minister Homnath Dahal, Education Minister Bimalendra Nidhi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Prakash Mahat and spokesman of Nepali Congress (Democratic) Minendra Rijal.
Central members of Deuba's Nepali Congress (Democratic) party were arrested on Friday while they were holding a meeting at the party office in Maharajgunj area of the capital, party sources said.
Agencies also reported that Nepali soldiers arrested two leaders of a media rights group, after authorities warned it would take action against those who criticise the King. Taranath Dahal, president of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, was detained on Saturday and Bishnu Nisthuri, the group’s general secretary on Friday.
The two had been critical of the King for dismissing Deuba’s government.
As for the Maoist insurgency, the Royal Nepal Army has been mobilised to launch a concerted operation against the rebels.
The RNA says that disruption in telecommunications will help it in tackling the insurgents since they depend largely on pre-paid mobile phones to coordinate their strikes.
"Despite talk of a tacit understanding between the Palace and the rebels, I think the Palace and the rebels cannot co-exist. The Maoists have demanded a republic government with no role for the King," said a diplomat.
Denied the opportunity to claim legitimacy in the now cancelled Saarc summit, the King is now trying to mend fences with other countries.
Foreign minister, Ramelsh Nath Pandey, has met envoys from India, US, UK and Japan, among others.
India and Britain are among countries who condemned the coup strongly and dubbed it as a blow to Nepal’s move towards democracy.
You make think a bit obscure that I'm posting news about Nepal on my board, but there are a couple people from that country in my dorm and needless to say, they're worried. I just found out about this last night- apparently it started Tuesday. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to my friends yet. If you caught it in the article- all the phone lines are down so there is no way to check to see if their family is ok. Keep the citizens of this country in your thoughts- that's all I ask.
Nepal rights groups plea for help
Policemen are on the streets to prevent protests
Human rights groups in Nepal have appealed to the international community to press the authorities to reverse harsh emergency measures.
They say the government headed by King Gyanendra who has taken direct power is spreading terror and panic.
The king sacked the government on Tuesday, saying it had failed to tackle the Maoist rebel uprising.
Journalists as well as political figures have been detained following the introduction of emergency measures.
Harassment alleged
The 25 human rights groups have sent a message to some of the world's top leaders, including the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, President George W Bush and many other heads of state and government.
They say the Nepalese people are now living under what they call an illegal military rule headed by the king and that the monarch's actions violate international practices and legal standards.
They say human rights activists are being increasingly monitored and harassed.
NEPAL IN CRISIS
June 2001 - Gyanendra is crowned king following royal massacre
July 2001 - Sher Bahadur Deuba becomes prime minister following Maoist violence
Oct 2002 - King Gyanendra sacks Deuba and assumes executive power
June 2004 - Deuba reappointed prime minister in place of Surya Bahadur Thapa
Feb 2005 - Deuba sacked, king assumes direct power
Emerging from house arrest, Arjun Narasingha K.C., spokesman for the country's biggest party, the Nepali Congress, said many of its members were in detention.
"Altogether maybe it is more than 500, but we don't know where they are, how they are treated. It is not yet clear," he said.
"We are serious about their safety and security and they must be treated under the law of the land."
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Kathmandu said the general-secretary of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists had also been detained.
The rights groups are urging the international leaders to end military support for the new government, press it to say where detainees are, and refrain from torture.
It asks them to use diplomacy to make the king lift censorship and restore the cut telephone lines and, more broadly, to urge the restoration of democracy.
The armed forces said this week that detentions and the suspension of liberties were necessary to let the security forces concentrate on fighting the Maoist rebels.
At least five ex-prime ministers and many other politicians are said to be under house arrest.
News has been hard to come by in the last few days
The daily newspaper, quoting a "highly placed security source", said on Saturday that some of the arrested leaders might be released.
But they would first have to promise not to pose a "threat" to the security situation.
Political parties have said they plan to hold peaceful protests against the king's moves.
Some 11,000 people have died since the Maoists began their insurgency in 1996.
The rebels have turned down several calls to resume peace talks that were abandoned in late 2003.
from the Times of India
Rattled Nepal King unleashes peace offensive
RAJAT PANDIT
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 06, 2005 10:36:22 AM ]
Sign into earnIndiatimes points
KATHMANDU: Battling criticism from overseas and growing dissent within, King Gyanendra has launched a three-pronged strategy to ensure Nepal’s threatened monarchy survives the gamble it has undertaken by dismissing the Deuba government.
First, the palace announced wide-ranging populist measures to sway public opinion in the King’s favour.
Second, the King directed the Royal Nepal Army to intensify its campaign against Maoists and finally, he launched a campaign to build bridges with the international community.
Measures to battle corruption, improve governance and strengthen development in Nepal were announced on Saturday even as the police continued its crackdown on political activities, arrested four ministers of the ousted Sher Bahadur Deuba cabinet, PTI reported.
Those arrested include former Works and Physical Planning Ministers Prakash Man Singh, Agriculture Minister Homnath Dahal, Education Minister Bimalendra Nidhi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Prakash Mahat and spokesman of Nepali Congress (Democratic) Minendra Rijal.
Central members of Deuba's Nepali Congress (Democratic) party were arrested on Friday while they were holding a meeting at the party office in Maharajgunj area of the capital, party sources said.
Agencies also reported that Nepali soldiers arrested two leaders of a media rights group, after authorities warned it would take action against those who criticise the King. Taranath Dahal, president of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, was detained on Saturday and Bishnu Nisthuri, the group’s general secretary on Friday.
The two had been critical of the King for dismissing Deuba’s government.
As for the Maoist insurgency, the Royal Nepal Army has been mobilised to launch a concerted operation against the rebels.
The RNA says that disruption in telecommunications will help it in tackling the insurgents since they depend largely on pre-paid mobile phones to coordinate their strikes.
"Despite talk of a tacit understanding between the Palace and the rebels, I think the Palace and the rebels cannot co-exist. The Maoists have demanded a republic government with no role for the King," said a diplomat.
Denied the opportunity to claim legitimacy in the now cancelled Saarc summit, the King is now trying to mend fences with other countries.
Foreign minister, Ramelsh Nath Pandey, has met envoys from India, US, UK and Japan, among others.
India and Britain are among countries who condemned the coup strongly and dubbed it as a blow to Nepal’s move towards democracy.
You make think a bit obscure that I'm posting news about Nepal on my board, but there are a couple people from that country in my dorm and needless to say, they're worried. I just found out about this last night- apparently it started Tuesday. I haven't gotten a chance to talk to my friends yet. If you caught it in the article- all the phone lines are down so there is no way to check to see if their family is ok. Keep the citizens of this country in your thoughts- that's all I ask.