PHA-Exchange> March to Nepal Embassy: Condemn King's repression:Release Dr. Mathura

[PHM Bangladesh]

Protect Peoples Rights, Save Democracy, 
 CONDEMN KING's REPRESSION IN NEPAL
March to Nepal Embassy 
from Muktangan, Dhaka
 
Bangladesh
16 February 2006 at 11 P.M.
 
The repression by king in Nepal is continuing. Dr. Mathura Prasad Shrestha, Former Health Minister of Nepal, who was also former professor of Community Health, Tribhuvan, University, Katamandhu, and many other human rights, trade union leaders and social activists were arrested and tortured by the king's military forces violating all democratic and human rights values and practices.

The king's such repression backed by military people will destabilize the democratic environment of the region and will influence to crop-up other unholy forces within the region to jeopardize democracy and peoples interest.

People's Health Movement (PHM) Bangladesh along with other social movements, Trade unions, Garments Federations, Health institutions, teachers unions, NGO's organizing a protest rally and marching towards Nepal Embassy at Dhaka, Bngladesh demainding immediate release of Dr. Mathura Shrestha and all human rights actvisist and trade union leaders detained in Nepal.

As regards Dr. Mathura Shrestha, please see a note below.

Sincerely,

A.F.M. Imam Uddin
PHM Bangladesh
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"People's Health Movement (www.phmovement.ort), is a worldwide organization having existence in more than 103 countries. PHM's concern is not health rights alone but fundamental human rights and their preservation. Any abuse of human rights deserves instant and massive protests, especially when it is done by a king with no legitimate authority and in the complete absence of democracy."

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Short note on the arrest of Dr. Mathura Shreshta:

Dr. Mathura Prasad Shrestha, former Minister for Health, Government of Nepal, former Professor of Community Health, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, current Head of Essential Health research, Nepal, head of Resource Centre for Primary Health Care and above everything else, an activist par excellence, who even as the Minister for Health, led a protest against his own government when an unjust law was about to be passed, was arrested in Kathmandu on 19th January morning. Police personnel broke down his door entered his house in Kathmandu without a warrant and took him away forcibly. This is obviously related to the massive protest planned for the 20th of January against the illegal and uncivilized rule of the king and for restoration of democracy. 

Dr. Shrestha has been a beacon of hope amidst the despair in the country and has played a crucial role in keeping the spirit alive, keeping the misrule of the king in the public eye and in the international media.

He is old and sick but that has not deterred him from openly and massively raising the consciousness among NGO's, activists and other civil society structures in Nepal. 

We demand his immediate release. 

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