Source: Times of India

This is an open letter send by a journalist in Nepal who is currently in hiding. It is the first piece of communication from the totally cut-off Nepal. His identity has been kept secret since it's a highly sensitive issue.

Dear friends and well-wishers,

I am using email after three days, currently under cover in Nepal. As all the telephone lines, Internet and other communication facilities have been cut off, we are experiencing the Stone Age in the 21st century.

This has been a complete hell for journalists. We are not allowed to talk to anyone. Political leaders are either under house arrest or have been detained. There are Armymen patrolling the streets. Even if there is emergency situation in a house, there is no way of communicating with others.

In the eyes of a foreign journalist, everything would seem calm and normal on the streets. But the weight of the undercurrent is unfathomable.

Ours is one of the biggest media houses in Nepal. Since the king addressed the nation on Tuesday morning, dictatorial rule has been imposed on media as well.

The Army officers scan all the contents before it goes to the printing or on air.

I won't be able to check emails for the next several days or may be months. So don't reply.

Our life is in threat and an eerie silence is lingering in every corner of Nepal. Speaking anything against the monarch or the rulers is directly inviting death, or being behind the bars, not less.

I hope my friends outside Nepal help us in this hour of difficulty. Please circulate this email among your friends' circle, and please try to exert pressure on your government to bail my country out of the trouble and hardships we are going through.

Thank you.

Amid the e-mails from Nepal and other informations, coming directly from people in Nepal, i.e Kanak mani's email from ktm, this e-mail from ktm in times of india, I could not help but think HOW on earth did they send these e-mails when all the ISP providers in Nepal are unplugged the connection. Then how did tey get to send an e-mail?

Could these be a hoax e-mails, even though the contents might be true as it is not difficult to imagine what's going on in Nepal.

Just curious.

Indisguise:)

I HAVE HEARD SOME PEOPLE USING INTERNET THRU V SAT. I DONNO HOW THAT WORKS THO. BUT YEAH, THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS TO THINK THAT THIS IS A HOAX.

hoax email pathayer nepal baat bhaner duniya lai dhoka dine yi kaite opportunist manchhe ra journlist lai samtne bela aayeko chha...yini harulai ramrai sit chinnu parchha..pachhi yiniharuko naam ma tauko ko mol garyo bhane inaam payinchha :)

Indisguise,

Telecommunications in foreign embassies are fine and dandy -- I have been receiving updates on Nepal from friends who work in foreign embassies in KTM. Perhaps this journalist, provided that the email is authentic, got hold of such privileges through someone?

Indi,

Some people have been able to coneect fom KTM using something called VSAT.

my friend got a e-mail from ktm from his family.

The extent of the clamp down comes as no suprise to me. Also, I assume the border is open and plenty of border towns on the Indian side have internet access.

Embassies never allow to use their internet to others. So it is impossible from that channel. You could use vsat or other satellite means but that could only provide telephone line and you still need service provider. All service provider of Nepal are plugged off so it is not possible to sent internet or e-mail. Besides, we tried to talk people in Nepal who have those access and found very poor connection which also does not support internet or e-mail. The mail posted is by Chamchas from outside Nepal. We could see more such effort and also may be in different form in the days to come. But they should understand very clearly that now no one trust Currupt leaders game in the name of democracy and human rights. We want real democracy in which there will be free and fair election and the government formed from such clen process will have authority to rule the country but again they will not have authority of malpractice.

kulbahadur: I disagree with you.

We have received emails and a call from Nepal. Not through local ISPs I presume.

Sandman, did you receive any? He says they are all fine :).