From: Michael Hutt [mailto:Mh8@soas.ac.uk] Sent: 06 February 2005 11:12 To: mh8@soas.ac.uk Subject: Dear everyone, The latest update from Kathmandu... This email has come to me today. Location: Kathmandu Nepal Date: Saturday, February 6, 2005 [This information was compiled by a consortium of individuals concerned about the turn of events in Nepal. Due to the continuing communication problems this information cannot be fully verified, but it is based on reliable sources.] Arrests of Student Leaders as of February 5: * Kalyan Gurung * Rajendra Rai * Kundun Kafle * Roop Narayan Shrestha * Guru Ghimire * These individuals are presumed to be in detention centers in or on the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley *** Arrests of Civil Society and Media Representatives: * Kathmandu - Sindhu Nath Pyakurel, Former President of the Nepal Bar Association, arrested from his home on February 1. He is in Halchowk in Armed Police Headquarters. He has a heart condition and it unknown whether he is receiving treatment. * Kathmandu - Tara Nath Dahal, President of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), arrested while exiting the United Nations Building. The army had raided his home earlier that morning (February 4). * Kathmandu - Mukunda Banskota, General Secretary of Nepal Bar Association. Rumors of arrest, but not confirmed. * Kathmandu - Bishnu Nisthuri, General Secretary of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), arrested. * Biratnagar - One human rights attorney who works with Advocacy Forum as been arrested (source: Advocacy Forum). *** Searches of Civil Society and Media Representatives: * Kathmandu - Krishna Pahadi, Society of Human Rights and Peace - being hunted. * Kathmandu - Shyam Shrestha, Secretary of Civic Solidarity for Peace - Police / RNA came to his home to arrest him, he escaped through back door, authorities forced his wife to give them a photograph of Shrestha so that they could search for and arrest him. * Nepalganj - Netra K.C., BBC Nepal - Crossed border from India into Nepalganj and was either arrested, harassed, or closely followed and not permitted to conduct any journalistic investigations (February 4). Other news: * Pokhara - Rubber bullets fired into student protest on college campus 58 students were arrested and tortured. Their hands were tied, they were blindfolded, and held in the army detention center. One girl received a bullet in her leg and was injured. They have most likely since been released. All details still unknown, but it does not appear that any fatalities occurred (source: Advocacy Forum). The RNA outright denied that any students were injured in today's (Feb. 6) Kathmandu Post. * Kirtipur - Maoists faxed noted to bus transport office demanding bandha and closure of public tansport system from Saturday (Feb 5) onwards. * Kathmandu - British Ambassador refused permission to visit political leader Pashupati S.J.B. Rana (RPP), who is under house arrest. * Kathmandu - Daughter of Girija Koirala (Nepali Congress), Sujata Koirala, went to visit her father under house arrest and was detained along with her father, held under house arrest (she has since been released) * Kathmandu / Patan / Bhaktapur- Communist Party of Nepal - Unity Center Masal pamphleting and torchlight parade in protest. * Baglung - Protests, arrests * Nepalganj - Protests, arrests. Reports of several protestors being injured on February 5, but these remain unconfirmed * Syangja - Protests * Chitwan - Protests * Morang - Arrests * Outside Nepalganj (location NOT verified) - One helicopter went down. Unconfirmed. February 4. *** Nepali Congress Statement: Spokesman Arjun Narasingha KC issued a statement on February 5th. In addition to condemning the King's move and demanding the immediate release of detained political leaders, he asked all members of the Nepali Congress who might have joined splinter factions to rejoin the "mother party" in order to effectively rally against the palace. *** Human Rights Community Statement: Kathmandu - 14 key civil society members met to make a statement on Feb 1 2005. The statement said that after King Gyanendra's speech he dismissed the cabinet, took all power, and established his own government. This action is directly in opposition to the basic values and norms of democracy. From today's meeting by human rights activists and the people from civil society, we condemn these steps by the king After the king has taken power in Nepal, he has issued a declaration of emergency. This is a direct threat and violation of human rights. This declaration is in violation of numerous international accords that Nepal is a signatory to and accountable for. In this serious and sensitive situation, we are assembling this meeting in order to request to the national and international community to secure and restore all human rights codes and accords. 1) Condemning the arrest of the political leaders and human rights defenders and demanding that their locations be revealed. 2) The RNA must immediately stop closely directly and indirectly monitoring all media, human rights defenders, and outspoken individuals. We are specially requesting the diplomatic community to assist with arrange security within Nepal and outside Nepal for all these individuals. 3) Without any reason, the mass communication and media have been shut down. This irresponsible act will create significant obstacles for the general people. This is why we are asking the international community to arrange a systematic mass communication for the people of Nepal. 4) We are requesting an independent and sovereign human rights commission. This commission is unable to do work properly right now. We are requesting a guarantee of proper work environment for the commission.