PHA-Exchange> 6thfebupdate_NEPAL

[Claudio]

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. 

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. 

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

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.


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. 
More arrests and intimidation 

Nanda Bhandari, Indu Sharma, 
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. 

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). 

Pro-democracy and anti-monarchy demonstrations start

The Nepal Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre Mashal) held a surprise torch rally. 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. 

The students inside the Padma Kanya College wrote large graffiti-style slogans. 

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." 

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.   

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. 

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. 

Tourism industry suffering 

Tourism related businesses including the travel agencies and hotels have reported extremely high number of cancellations of bookings. 

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. 
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