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Bulletin #4: Update from the Nepal Democracy Desk

(On February 5, 2005, dozens of pro-democracy activists in Kathmandu started an e-update to inform the world about the crisis in Nepal following the imposition of military rule by King Gyanendra on February 1, 2005)

1. Press Statement signed by Girija Koirala, President of Nepali Congress, smuggled out of his residence

The press statement signed by G.P. Koirala on 2 February 2005 was smuggled out and is being circulated clandestinely. He termed the royal address as a coup d'etat, and denounced it strongly. He has stated, "The King's unconstitutional moves from the day one have been opposed by all of us."

He has further stated that "In this grave political situation, when hundreds of political leaders and party workers, including myself, are under house arrests, I appeal all democratic forces to join hands and move ahead collectively against the royal coup d'etat in order to restore the sovereignty on the people again and protect the 1990 democratic constitution".

2. Statement by Nepali Congress Spokesperson: "An all out rejection of the royal takeover"

Arjun Narsing K.C., the Spokesperson and Central Committee Member of Nepali Congress (NC), issued a strong statement against the royal takeover on 5 February 2005, titled, "Saddened and Outraged: An All Out Rejection of the Royal Take Over".

The statement states that, "Nepali Congress, a democratic party that fought several times for the establishment and restoration of Democracy in the country since the last 60 years or so, is deeply troubled by the royal takeover of February 1, 2005. Ever since the restoration of democracy in 1990, extreme rightists and reactionary elements were working in secret to defame and destroy the multi-party system and the democratic institutions".

In the three-page long release, K.C. has warned, "Despotic rule of monarchs and feudal lords and authoritarian regime rampant till 18th and early 19th century is an out-modeled concept, rejected by modern day man. Revival of such model of political dispensation is not sustainable and bound to fail." The statement states that the "NC urges all the democratic forces to set aside their differences and spearhead toward establishing a full-fledged democracy in the country."

Nepali Congress has expressed "its sincere thanks to our well-wishing nations India, United Kingdom, the United States of America, the European Union, and to those human rights organizations dedicated for the cause of democracy, all of whom immediately condemned the royal takeover and requested the monarch to restore multi-party system and democratic dispensation as enshrined in the 1990 constitution".

3. More draconian directives from the king on 6th February 2005 (from The Kathmandu Post)

His Majesty the king in accordance with Clause 7 of Article 115 of the Constitution of Nepal 1990 has issued various orders.

According to a notice published today by His Majesty’s Press Secretariat, travel, buying and selling of assets and stay in the country are allowed but that should not disturb the sovereignty, integrity, peace and security and should not have adverse impact on the state of emergency. The order has also mentioned that the local administration can prohibit the aforementioned activities if needed.

According to the order, if His Majesty’s Government feels it necessary then the regional administrator, chief district officer or any assigned official can temporarily or permanently transfer ownership of any tangible and intangible asset after due compensation.

The order has also mentioned that activities like seminars, gatherings, meetings and interactions, which do not affect the sovereignty , integrity, peace and security of the Kingdom of Nepal and do not go against the state of emergency, can be organized in a predetermined venue, after receiving prior permission from the regional administrator, chief district officer or any assigned official.

According to the order, His Majesty’s Government can appoint, transfer, depute, delegate authority or place appointments in vacant posts, temporarily to government employees for the period of the state of emergency.

The employees of the Secretariat of His Majesty’s government, Ministries or the departments under it, and other offices or the offices under His Majesty’s Government are prohibited from setting up any kind of organization having political affiliation, and any such existing organization should stop all activities, that affect the sovereignty, integrity or peace and security of the Kingdom of Nepal, the order says.

The order also prohibits making any direct or indirect public comment regarding the work of the security agencies that could affect the morale of the security agencies.

During the state of emergency, if the security personnel, security official or any assigned official feels it necessary, then he can monitor or ban the use of telephone, radio, fax, television, email or any other form of electronic media.

According to the notice, anyone violating the aforementioned points, disobeying orders, or non-compliance to the same thereof, can be immediately put under house arrest and action may be initiated against such persons. The notice has also stated that whatever is mentioned in the order will be as per the order and points not covered by the order will be as per existing laws.

4. More arrests and intimidation

Nanda Bhandari, Secretary of Nepal Bar Association, Appelate Court Unit, Dang, and Lok Prasad Pant, President of Civic Society, Dang were arrested by security personnel on 4th February 2005.

Indu Sharma, a student leader of the Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Student Union was arrested from inside the Saraswoti Campus, Sorakhutte, Kathmandu on 6th February 2005.

Meanwhile, the Nepali BBC Service reported that the President of Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Taranath Dahal has not been arrested. Netra KC of BBC Nepali service, was arrested and detained for three hours in an army barrack in Nepalgunj and then released.

There are reports from around the country, including from Biratnagar and Nepalgunj that the local administration and Royal Nepal Army are calling the journalists to their offices and warning them not to publish any news or views against the king's directive.

5. Army personnel "visit" human rights organization

The army has apparently continued their attempts to track and arrest human rights defenders. Army personnel visited the office of the peace and human rights network, Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP), at Anamnagar, Kathmandu on Friday, 4 February, at 5:30 pm and on Sunday, 5 February, at 9:00 am. They were asking the whereabouts of the coordinator of COCAP.

6. Pro-democracy and anti-monarchy demonstrations start

The Nepal Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre Mashal) held a surprise torch rally from Bhotahity, Kathmandu yesterday evening against the military coup by the king. They also distributed pamphlets denouncing the coup and declaring the start of their movement for Democratic Republic of Nepal.

There were reports that surprise protest rallies against the king's coup were held on 6 February in Ilam, Jhapa and Sunsari districts in east Nepal.

Students in various campuses in Kathmandu have started putting up black flags to oppose the king's coup. For instance, such black flags were put up in the women's college of Kathmandu, Padmakanya College, and the Saraswoti Campus, Kathmandu. They were subsequently removed by the security personnel, who warned the college administration that they would face stern action if such scenes were repeated in the campus premises.

The students inside the Padma Kanya College wrote large graffiti-style slogans on the ground of Padma Kanya College: "Republic Area: Strictly Out of Bounds for Gyanendra".

7. Political weeklies among the first to resist dictatorship

Deshantar, a weekly newspaper close to Nepali Congress, carried news related to the royal takeover. It published the list of leaders arrested and detained. It left the whole second page, the editorial and opinion page, blank, with only one quote at the top by the Abraham Lincoln, "The gun can never be more powerful than people's opinion."

Another political weekly, Bimarsha, also close to the Nepali Congress, had adopted a similar strategy of protest and defiance on Friday, 4 February. The Deshantar today also carried the details of the international condemnations against the king's coup. A poem calling for the poets to write more for the people and country was also published, which at this juncture may be interpreted as a call for resistance against the anti-people move by the king.

The Deshantar weekly has claimed that the king has a list of about 1000 pro-democracy political and civil society leaders he wants arrested.

8. Journalists being laid-off by private media houses

There are credible reports that private FM radio stations, television channels and the newspapers are laying off many of their journalists.

9. No political editorials

Some of the major papers including the Kathmandu Post did not carry any editorial today. Those which did were related to non-political issues. The editorial by Kantipur daily complained about the inconvenience caused by the continued cut off of phone lines.

10. Human rights organizations continue their demands for restoration of democracy and human rights

Human rights organizations continued condemning the royal takeover and demanding restoration of democracy and human rights. The first joint statement was issued on Thursday, 3 February, by representatives of 14 human rights organizations, and the second was issued on Friday, 4 February, by 25 human rights organizations.

Krishna Pahadi, the leading human rights activist of Nepal issued another strong statement yesterday. It is to be noted that the government announced on 2 February that any criticism of the king's move would result in serious consequences.

11. Tourism industry suffering

Tourism related businesses including the travel agencies and hotels have reported extremely high number of cancellations of bookings. After the cold and snowy winter, this is the period when the tourist season starts. Businessmen blamed the international publicity related to the king's coup and especially the closure of telephone and internet services for the sharp rise in such cancellation of bookings.

12. Human rights worker felicitated by the new minister

One of the human rights workers, president of Nepal Human Rights Organization, Sudeep Pathak, was felicitated this afternoon by the newly appointed Minster for Education and Sports, Radha Krishna Mainali, for his contribution to the cause of human rights and peace.

13. Indications towards formation of a negotiation committee by the government

There were reports that the government has indicated that it might form a Negotiation Committee soon to attempt to start talks with the Maoists. The former Chairman of the Royal Council Standing Committee, Kesharjung Rayamajhi and the Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Buddhi Raj Bajracharya hinted that in a talk program at Reporter's Club this afternoon.

The Maoists have however stated that they will not negotiate with king Gyanendra whom they termed "national betrayer". They have instead announced that they will strive for the establishment of a people's republic of Nepal.

INSN is the International Nepal Solidarity Network, which has activists in over a dozen countries around the world who are working to bring democracy to Nepal. Visit their website for regular updates related to the Nepal crisis.