eDemocracy, 4S Campaign, 24/7 Vigil For Democracy: Take Over Tundikhel

I think it is high time the democrats acted in ways that are effective. This is the proposal I would like to submit.

The common minimum program has to be 4S: Sarbadaliya Sarkar, Sambidhan Sabha (all-party government, elections to a constituent assembly). The more time the democrats take to come around to this, more time we are allowing for the escalating army-Maoist violence, and more the common Nepali people lose. So the democrats do not have the option to act like people with all the time in the world. We are under tremendous time pressure.

I believe the common minimum program is simple enough for all to understand, and comprehensive enough to bring together all the political forces in the country, including the monarchists.

And the action in the field I would like to call Take Over Tundikhel.

ANY AND ALL ELEMENTS OF THE STATE - THE POLICE, THE ARMY AND THE BUREAUCRACY AS WELL AS THE POLITICAL APPOINTEES - THAT MIGHT SUBJECT PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS TO PHYSICAL ABUSE WILL BE SUBJECT TO INVESTIGATION AND PUNISHMENT BY THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT ONCE IT TAKES OVER POWER.

Over email organize a critical mass of peaceful demonstrators in every city, town and village in the country, starting with Kathmandu and the major cities. What is a critical mass? Take Janakpur. If there are 2,000 police, and 2,000 army in the area equipped with 30 vans, and a capacity for 2,000 detainees at any one time, do not go out into the streets unless you know beforehand that you have at least 10 times as many people, preferably many more. Why email? Because it is the safest, especially for the key leaders. But all other forms of communication may also be used, to be decided locally. And, of course, email is not an option in the villages.

During the early stages of organzing, I suggest the leaders do not reveal their identities in their emails. So you could have "Eklabya" eklabya@yahoo.com for real name Gagan Thapa. Everybody who needs to know knows who Eklabya is, but even if the mass emails get infiltrated by the police, they can not determine such identities. That is the idea.

The idea is to overwhelm the police and the army to render them ineffective. Going out in small numbers, as has been the rule so far, results in arrests and brings down morale and hence is not effective.

1. Attain a critical mass in all 30 or so towns and cities.
   
2. Go out all at once in each place. Say, April 25, 11 AM. The date and time to be decided through e-collaboration by leaders in all cities. The point is it can not be different dates and different times for different cities. The police and the army should not be given the option to bring in reinforcements from other cities. And they should not know in advance what the date and time are.
   
3. Go and occupy the most public, open place in your town/city. Tundikhel in Kathmandu, Barah Bigha in Janakpur. And so on. For Tundikhel I would like to suggest a crowd that starts at 100,000 and goes on to 500,000, possibly beyond. The crowd should coalesce at the open ground in ways that the police do not get to stop them even before groups get there. Make use of every road that leads to the grounds, all gates.
4. Start and maintain a 24/7 Vigil For Democracy.
5. Do 8 or 12 hour shifts such that the critical mass is always maintained in the public place. Never leave the grounds unless your replacement has arrived.
   
6. Make maximum possible use of equipments like digital cameras so as to get the widest possible audience for the events as they unfold at the grounds. Arrange to post the photos online. Launch as many blogs as possible so as to post accounts of all that happens, in as close to real time as possible. In short, maximum possible coverage for the global audience.
   
7. Keep it non-violent at all times.
   
8. Get creative with skits, songs and dances, with posters, flyers, stickers, pins.
   

Please forward this message to every Nepali democrat anywhere in the world, but especially to those inside Nepal, especially to the student leaders.

How to visit blocked sites

March 20th, 2005

As some websites have been blocked by the authorities in Nepal, please learn the way to visit a blocked site:

1. Browse the site http://proxy.guardster.com
2. At “Free Anonymous Surfing” type the address you want to visit in the text box after “http://”.
3. Click “Surf”
4. After clicking you will see next page with terms and conditions. Go down of that page.
5. Click “Surf Anonymous”

Now you can see the site you want to visit, below the advertisement. Please write these directions.

Source: http://www.insn.org/

In The News

• Indian envoy in Nepal briefs Natwar The Tribune, India Gyanendra does not seem to be in a hurry to blink first vis-a-vis the political parties and Maoists .... Kathmandu’s strong desire for resumption of Indian arms supplies ..... the King is fast running out of options in view of recent informal contacts between Nepal’s Opposition parties and Maoists ..... the logjam between Nepal’s political parties and the Maoists were to be broken, it would send danger signals to the King and the situation would become virtually irretrievable for him ...... The Maoists’ stand is that it would be up to the Constituent Assembly to decide on the fate of monarchy in the country...... As Nepal’s political parties and the Maoists inch closer
• King to lose rights shield Calcutta Telegraph ...Unlike in the past, India will not use its influence to persuade the UN Human Rights Commission to tone down a possible censure of King Gyanendra for the coup in Nepal..... foreign donors, who are sensitive to human rights concerns, can push the king harder to restore democracy through a carrot-and-stick policy ...... So far, Gyanendra has not paid much heed to threats by India and other countries ...... Kathmandu has allowed United Telecom Limited (UTL), an Indo-Nepal joint venture, to resume its wireless telephone services ...... Cellphone services, however, remained blocked ....
  
• US, India tell Pak, China not to go to King’s aid Indian Express 19: United States and India have decided to call King Gyanendra’s bluff of seeking military aid from China and Pakistan by asking both Beijing and Islamabad not to fish in troubled waters ...... message is being replayed by visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Beijing and Islamabad...... New Delhi sought cooperation from Beijing and Islamabad .... China and Pakistan have responded positively ...... make it clear to the King that the international community’s resolve is one .... US, UK and India have taken note of King advisor Tulsi alias Peter Giri’s statement. The gist of it was that the King was Nepal’s boss and major international players had very few options except to come out in his support...... the international community will not blink on Nepal even if the ‘‘bogey’’ of China and Pakistan is raised
  
• Aid cut by nations won’t affect Nepal, say ex-envoys Himalayan Times, Nepal .... former ambassador to Burma and former Chief of the Army Staff, Sachit SJB Rana said today ..... “Why are those countries keen on pressurising Nepal for the sake of a set of people in the name of democracy and human rights.” “We cannot simply kneel down before terrorism just because one country stops military aid to us. There are others who have assured to supply arms.” ...... Former ambassador to China, Yuwaraj Singh Pradhan, came down heavily on some of the foreign envoys in Kathmandu for “crossing their limit by interfering in Nepal’s internal matter ...... “They are doing something which they don’t expect the Nepali envoys to do in their countries,” Pradhan said, labelling their activities as “against the UN Charter”. He accused them of maintaining double standards by using “the buzz words of democracy and human rights at a time when the humanity is at stake.” ..... a way to hide their undemocratic activities in the name of democracy ..... Former envoy to India, Brinda Shah, said Nepali envoys abroad should convince the respective countries and their people ...... since civil rights did not come overnight in their countries, democratic culture in Nepal, too, has to be developed over years ......Former envoy to the UK, Surya Prasad Shrestha, emphasised on “convincing” international ‘friends’ ......diplomatic activism starts growing when a country is in crisis. Former ambassador to the United States, Basudev Dhungana, laid emphasis on the need to “convince” other countries
• New political move: Patience, rationality needed Gorkhapatra Democracy is a much maligned word, here in Nepal and outside as well....... King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was forced to take a bold decision on February 1, 2005 through a historic Royal Proclamation. Things have started to improve on all fronts after that day ...... It is worthy of mentioning the conclave of the Rastriya Swayemsevak Sangh or RSS of India, which is a powerful group with close ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which criticised the Indian government’s decision to stop supply of “essential goods” to Nepal.
  
• Artistes hail royal move Gorkhapatra
• Nepal's media warned against publishing anti-government news: New Kerala, India The government has prohibited until six months from February 2, publication of interviews, articles, information or news that directly or indirectly goes against the Royal Proclamation ..... police interrogated the editor of Nepalese language 'Kantipur' daily for publishing a news report detailing the arrests made during anti-government demonstrations
• Police question editor for publishing 'objectionable' news in ... Press Trust of India .....police today interrogated the editor of the nation's leading daily for publishing a news report detailing arrests made during the countrywide anti-monarchy demonstrations ..... editor of its sister publication 'The Kathmandu Post' was twice summoned
  
• Humanitarian crisis looming in Nepal: UN Peninsula On-line, Qatar The power grab, which has been widely condemned internationally, spurred the rebels into intensifying their activities.
• Post Royal coup, hordes of Nepalese turn to Indian cities in ... New Kerala, India India has always been the most preferred destination for the Nepalese searching for work. And, now with the last month's royal coup, around 10,000 Nepalese have migrated ...... About 185 people had died in violence in the Himalayan Kingdom since King Gyanendra's Feb.1 power grab ..... It is only Kathmandu which is peaceful but other areas near border, the situation is very bad. The situation is getting worse day by day though it was not better earlier ..... From children to young men to elderly people, uneducated Nepalese take advantage of an open border and on account of their honesty and sincerity are preferred as domestic helps, cooks and helpers in restaurants and roadside eateries and as security guards and night watchmen. ......
  
• India-Nepal telecom venture resumes service: New Kerala, India Pressure on Nepal by India, the media and consumers finally bore fruit ..... "We will resume services within an hour," a jubilant N.R. Mokhariwale, CEO of UTL, told IANS...... UTL phones operate on the wireless technology used in mobile telephones and have limited mobility and were available within an hour of applying.... The closure had been causing UTL a daily loss of over Nepalese Rs.1.5 million. ..... an investment of over Rs.300 million ..... a violation of the Geneva Convention to which Nepal is a signatory. According to the convention, Nepal has to allow accredited diplomats in the kingdom full access to communication lines...... Indian TV channels continue to remain off the air
• Nepal's tough talk sign of despair: experts: New Kerala, India A senior Nepalese official's diatribe against India, accusing it of practising double standards, is being seen as a sign of Kathmandu's despair that would impair traditional ties.....The king will be much weaker after the crisis. The monarchy can vanish for all you know ......Maj. Gen (retd.) Ashok Mehta, a strategic expert on South Asia, read it as a sign of a "tottering monarchy" trying to talk tough. ...... "This shows the frustration and desperation of the current dispensation. His statements show how badly out of sync he is with real-politick on the international stage" ..... The king is holding on to his absolute powers despite unprecedented international condemnation ..... By his ill-advised action, the king may have given the country's fractious political parties a chance to get their act together and democracy a big chance to stage a comeback ..... "We are on the right track. We should wait and watch for the restoration of democracy in Nepal. More and more are getting involved in the democracy movement."
• Chinese minister’s trip may redefine India-Nepal ties Navhind Times, India

Baburam Bhattarai On A Democratic Republic

The Royal Regression And The Question Of A Democratic Republic

..... the episode of June 1, 2001, when the relatively more weak or liberal King Birendra, along with his entire family, was butchered and a new dynasty ushered in by Gyanendra ...... he has sought to project himself as the true follower of the US President George W. Bush in the international crusade against ‘terrorism’ ...... he has a tainted image as the hardliner autocrat even within the palace since his father’s and bother’s days and is particularly hated among the public .... his induction of the old palace stooges of known anti-democratic persuasions like Tulsi Giri and Kirti Nidhi Bista ...... the essential nature of his despotic military rule has been thoroughly unmasked ...... the supine parliamentary democratic system has been snuffed out and the autocratic monarchy restored in the country ...... one has to grasp the laws of social development in a scientific and objective manner and to correctly evaluate the weaknesses and limitations of the chronically infirm parliamentary system after 1990 ...... The traditionally dominant feudal class has the comprador and bureaucratic bourgeoisie with it; the small and weak bourgeois class has a section of the rural and urban petty-bourgeois class with it; and the proletariat has the vast number of poor peasants and semi-proletariat with it. ...... the monarchy representing the feudal and comprador and bureaucratic bourgeois classes is historically the strongest representative of the reactionary classes in Nepal ...... the inherent defects and weaknesses of the bourgeois parliamentary democracy established after 1990 and the general infirmity and incapacity of the middle strata and forces ...... the political change and the Constitution of 1990 did not properly settle the question of ’state sovereignty’ traditionally claimed by the monarchy and left the final ’state authority’ and strategic control over the RNA in the hands of the monarchy ..... the parliamentary forces during their twelve years long rule in between did nothing to bring about a progressive transformation in the traditionally feudal and increasingly comprador and bureaucratic capitalist socio-economic and cultural base of the society ...... Com. Prachanda’s recent People’s War Anniversary statement thus: “Ultimately, the so-called royal proclamation of February 1 has not only exposed the irrelevance of reformism in the Nepalese politics, but also shattered the collective lethargy of the parliamentary political forces.” ...... an attempt of the moribund reactionary classes to wage a final battle with the revolutionary forces ..... the pathetic showing of the RNA in almost every real battle with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) ..... the super military ambitions of Gyanendra ..... as any common student of military science would know, the victory or defeat of a particular army ultimately depends more on its social class base and the political goal rather than on the leadership prowess of its commander ...... In the present day world of imperialist globalization any internal political event has more international ramifications than ever before. ...... the autocratic royal regime has been totally isolated from the international community so far, which is a good omen for the democratic movement. ..... The first is the ‘anti-terrorism’ card, and the second, the ‘geo-political’ card. ..... given the extremely shaky position and uncertain future of Gyanendra himself, it is hard to believe that any of the neighbours will go beyond diplomatic niceties to extend him any substantial material help ...... on the part of the proletarian revolutionaries they should be prudent enough to practice strategic firmness and tactical flexibility in the matters of diplomatic relations particularly with the immediate neighbours ..... the new objective reality of the country is that the new ‘two pillars’ of parliamentary and revolutionary democratic forces join hands to uproot the outdated and rotten third ‘pillar’ of monarchy. The CPN(Maoist) has already made a policy decision to this effect ..... earlier the national politics was divided into three streams of monarchy, parliamentary democracy and revolutionary people’s democracy, now it is gradually getting polarized into two broad streams of monarchy and democracy ...... it is a matter of serious concern that even after more than a mouth since the coup the democratic forces have not been able to come up with an effective & coordinated plan, programme or mechanism of resistance against the autocratic monarchy....... planning further mass-mobilization and military-action programmes ...... the desired sharp attacks against the monarchy in a unified manner, firstly, amongst the parliamentary forces and, secondly, between the parliamentary and revolutionary democratic forces, has not materialized so far ...... even if a few Rayamajhis from the left camp and a few Tulsi Giris from the Nepali Congress camp may arise ..... with the presence of the revolutionary PLA to take on the monarchist RNA, and the more favourable international situation than ever to fight against the absolute monarchy, a new objective ground is prepared for the democratic political forces to mount a unified assault against the monarchy so as to sweep it away for ever ...... the question of anti-monarchy common minimum programme and slogan acceptable to all the democratic forces, including the parliamentary and revolutionary democratic forces and the international community, has become pertinent ...... It has been the considered view of the CPN(Maoist) that the programme of election to a representative Constituent Assembly and institutionalization of the democratic republic is best suited for the purpose. .... any attempt on the part of the parliamentary political parties and the international forces to preserve the thoroughly rotten and discredited institution of monarchy, in this or that pretext, does not correspond with the historical necessity and ground reality of balance of forces in the country, and the agenda of ‘democratic republic’ has entered the Nepalese politics ..... As for as the sincere commitment of the revolutionary democratic forces, who aspire to reach socialism and communism via a new democratic republic, towards a bourgeois democratic republic is concerned, the CPN(Maoist) has time and again clarified its principled position towards the historical necessity of passing through a sub-stage of democratic republic in the specificities of Nepal. ..... The fact that the democratic republic is envisaged to be institutionalized through a freely elected Constituent Assembly, should cast away any illusions about the democratic credentials of the revolutionary forces. Further concrete issues like the creation of a new national army after the dissolution of the royal mercenary RNA can be discussed during the process of negotiations. ...... The need of the hour is unity of all democratic forces of the country on the common minimum programme of a democratic republic. ..... If anything is lacking so far it is the real democratic vision and will power on the part of the leadership of major political parties. ...... it is the time to win confidence of the masses of the people through a correct projection of the democratic credentials of political parties, and for this the correct practice of inner-party democracy would be a significant component.

I notice a few things:

1. This is a well-written article by a well-read person with a sound mind.
   
2. The democrats can do business with him.
3. All parties need to come together under the umbrella of a Democratic Republic. After 2/1, there are no options left.
   
4. The CPNM is ideologically for a Democratic Republic. It is not their compromise position. That is what they want with or without the democrats.
   
5. I am not alarmed with their long term socialist utopian vision. As long as they diarm, and participate in a multi-party democratic framework, I look forward to seeing what they will have to say over the next few decades.
   
6. It is the "democrats" whose commitment to democracy is cloudy, he says. He cites the utter lack of intra-party democracy in the parties as an example. And I agree. He has hit the nail.
   
7. He is also right in his criticism of the lack of an organized, effective response on the part of the democrats since 2/1.
   
8. Despite his ideological assurances, I would be leery at the stage of dissolving the army. The Maoists themselves will have to totally disarm long before that. And the RNA could then be dissolved, and the country could do without one after that.
   
9. If the democrats feel for the common Nepali people caught in the crossfires, they need to do their homework and take up the offer and coalesce around the two-word mantra of a Democratic Republic.
   
10. Well, what are we waiting for?

Ideological Overture To The Nepali Maoists (2)

Time For The Nepali Congress To Take A Stand On The Constituent Assembly Question

I am of the opinion the Constituent Assembly is the only way out. Not only that, I feel no person or organization against the idea can claim to be a democrat in the current situation after 2/1. But the Congress has been dillydallying. That might cause serious fissures in the democratic coalition.

There was Shaha Rule, then Rana Rule, then Shaha Rule, then Koirala Rule, now Shaha Rule again. That chain has to be broken.

It is for the people themselves to decide on the constitution. Why be afraid to go to the people?

The issue here is one of a common minimum program. To have something simple and basic around which all democrats can gather.

And I propose a 4S Campaign.

Sarbadaliya Sarkar
Sambidhan Sabha

(All-party government
Constituent Assembly)

Prime Minister: Girija Koirala
Deputy Prime Minister: Madhav Nepal
Deputy Prime Minister: Hridayesh Tripathy
Ministers: Sher Deuba, Pashupati Rana, Prakash Lohani, Badri Mandal, Baburam Bhattarai, Amik Sherchan, and about five others to reflect the gender, ethnic, region and caste diversity in the country.

It is important to include all parties, including the break-up factions. There is a Koirala Congress, and a Deuba Congress, two factions of the Sadbhavana, two of the RPP now. All those factions need to be represented. Those democrats who might engage in thread-splitting on the issue will be harming the common minimum program.

The mandate would be to hold unconditional peace talks with the Maoists that is preceded by an announcement to hold elections to a Constituent Assembly within six months of taking over power. If the Maoists do not lay arms, conduct surgical operations against its leadership, and conduct elections anyways. But I think they will come around with the Assembly call.

In The News

• Seven political activists arrested in Nepal Hindustan Times, India ......for conducting an interaction programme opposing the February 1 royal takeover
• Nepali parties to work for a new Consitution Press Trust of India Sujata Koirala ..... "We can either adopt a new constitution or reform the existing one. However, it is for the people of Nepal to decide through a referendum" ..... Hrithesh Tripathi, leader of the Sadbhavana Party, was of the opinion that Nepal could be compared to a "mother in her labour pain" and a new constitution to "an able nurse" that can help in the birth of a "new Nepal with total democracy." "The earlier Constitution was granted by the King. We want a Constitution that would be framed by the people," Tripathi said, adding that this was the most oppurtune time for a "united, do or die struggle for restoration of democracy."
  
• Rise in extra judicial killings in Nepal: rights group: New Kerala, India .... security forces on an average have been killing eight people a day ...... The Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR), based in New Delhi, has urged for the freezing of assets of the royal family as well as senior officials and army top brass.... The 50-page report, "The case for intervention in Nepal" ..... "A total of 227 persons, that is 8.41 persons per day were killed in February 2005. The RNA has been given a carte blanche to perpetrate atrocities ...... the armed vigilante-ism being encouraged by the new regime..... "The lynching of 22 alleged Maoists and burning down of about 700 houses of the alleged Maoists symphatisers in Kapilabastu district from 17 to 23 February 2005 by the RNA and vigilante groups must be investigated by an international commission of inquiry" ...... "The only law enforcement personnel to have been punished since the conflict began in 1996 is Major Ram Mani Pokhrel who has recently been dismissed from service and sentenced to two years imprisonment for cold-blooded massacre of 17 Maoist cadres and two civilians at Doramba on 17 August 2003" ....... "The sentence for cold blooded murder of 19 persons which has been described by the National Human Rights Commission as violations of 'the International Humanitarian Law and, and especially, the Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions..., the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, the Army Act, the Police Act and the Armed Police Act' is inappropriately lenient by any yardstick." ...... also asked for visa restrictions on Nepal's ministers and army top brass ..... asked UN Secretary general Kofi Annan to stop the deployment of Nepalese army men in UN peacekeeping forces, a matter of national pride for Nepal, and appoint a special envoy or finding a peaceful solution to the Maoist insurgency..... establishing an international commission of inquiry into the violations of the provisions of the Rome Statute on International Criminal Court both by the security forces and the Maoists
• Letter from Nepal: King's makeover BBC News King Gyanendra appears to have lost weight since seizing absolute power ...... the normally corpulent monarch was almost unrecognisable ...... the Royal Nepalese Army, which since a state of emergency was declared on 1 February has fast become the main instrument of his absolute power......a special "guest event", where the military attaches from America, Britain and India, dressed in full ceremonial regalia, raced against each over a course the length of a cricket pitch carrying words which spelt out the slogan: "May Peace Prevail in Nepal"..... Asked to explain if the soldiers taking part in a firing display, or feu de joie, were using real bullets, he deadpanned: "Not since Britain and America suspended our military aid. We can't afford to waste bullets" ..... At the sight of teams of special forces soldiers, dressed in full combat fatigue, he laughingly asked: "What are they doing here? Why aren't they fighting the Maoists?" ......so complete was the military band's repertoire, that the only composition missing seemed a medley of Beatles favourites ........... a country whose 14-year experiment with democracy has been fraught with problems and where the Maoist insurgency seems as ferocious as ever...... Gyanendra levered his body into his stretch V8 Daimler limousine, with its personalised regal number-plate showing his plumed emerald crown, and set off for the Royal Palace in the middle of a 10-vehicle convoy headed by outriders wearing smart, claret tunics and spotless white crash helmets. The king left looking in rude health. The problem is, his nation is in a state of perpetual malady.
• Between the King and the Maoists International Herald Tribune In Nepal, there appears to have been generations of ignorance, still reflected in comments from the Kathmandu powerful such as "our soldiers behave badly sometimes, but that is because they have no airconditioning in the barracks!" The Maoist insurgency has forced the ruling elite to finally take notice of its "invisible" poor. .... Now, instead of focusing on socio-economic improvement, many of Nepal's rich take notice of the poor only by regarding their servants with suspicion, or wondering if the gardener is an informer or the waiter at their table is a Maoist leader. Instead of sympathising with their plight, many of Nepal's wealthy have actually begun to despise and fear the poor...... Predictably, he even found some support from Kathmandu's comfortable rich. Without any attempt at understanding why the Maoists may have flourished in the first place, the feudal elite is trying once again to force Nepal's people — most of them extremely poor — back into invisibility..... Given its record, the prospect of an unleashed Army is frightening...... the King has given the Army a free hand to counter the Maoists — and commit unspeakable crimes in the process..... Just recently, there were reports that nearly a hundred Maoists had been killed in clashes with the Army. .... The Maoists have also become increasingly brutal...... As a political entity, the Maoists cannot hope to achieve international legitimacy, as long as they commit acts of terror, threaten and kill civilians, forcibly recruit fighters, many of them children, and torture and murder their opponents...... Political activists and human rights defenders have already started leaving Nepal, fearing for their safety.......The King gambled that the international community would acquiesce, preferring an authoritarian but friendly regime to a Maoist victory. .....Nepal's political party leaders may be as inept and corrupt as the King says they are. But they were accountable to the people.........In 1990, Nepal won its democracy by protesting on the streets, courting arrest, and bearing police abuse. However flawed, that process has to continue.
  
• Chinese minister's trip could redefine India-Nepal ties: New Kerala, India .....the first official visit by a foreign government representative after the royal coup..... Diplomatically and socially, the visit is a pat on the back of Nepal that has been in the doghouse of the international community......China ... is expected to defend Nepal at the annual session of the UN Human Rights Commission going on in Geneva. ......India had been providing the Royal Nepalese Army with its indigenously manufactured INSAS firearms at 70 percent subsidy...... "if push comes to shove" and the Indian embargo continues, eventually Nepal might turn to Chinese weapons......Nepal's army also regards the Chinese pistols and self-loading rifles as being lighter, cheaper and of better quality than INSAS products. Three more members in the SAARC grouping - Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - are already using Chinese manufactured arms...... Beijing can also provide landmine-protected vehicles like India. When late Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi imposed a blockade on Nepal in the late 1980s, Nepal started procuring the vehicles from China......"Economically, it makes better sense to get arms and equipment from China" ..... the Indian decision was prompted by "revulsion to shake the dirty hands of a dictator" ......
  
• Int'l screw tightens on Kathmandu Times of India Britain has said it will no longer pay for Nepal's police, prison services and the office of its royalist prime minister .... is expected to hit Nepalese budget-keeping hard. ... it might help concentrate the mind of King Gyanendra, who remains defiant ..... quickening pace of international censure of Kathmandu ....... the mountainous kingdom as "a void in human rights monitoring and protection." ..... "inappropriate" to pay for a political and security system which caused "deep concern about human rights". ...... human rights defenders face a suffocating atmosphere of intimidation and control ...... "Newspapers are censored or closed down; peaceful protestors immediately arrested. The independence of the judiciary is under intense pressure." ... the King .. had "abandoned the rule of law"
• Nepal's govt, Maoist fire verbal salvos at each other: New Kerala, India have been fighting each other with bullets and landmines, have now unleashed a war of words .... Days after Maoist spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara refuted news reports of expulsion of their politburo member Baburam Bhattarai and his wife Hisila Yami quoting the Army, the government today reiterated the claim saying that the Communist Party of Nepal was "covering up the facts"...... The government also claimed that both Bhattarai and Yami have been prohibited to issue any statement regarding peace, by keeping them under tight security of the militants.
• Terror by any other colour Indian Express ... called a ‘‘Maoists resistance movement’’. ... In truth, lynch mobs are taking over sections of Nepal. Some 26 people accused of being Maoists have been killed.... A police officer admits that ‘‘unruly elements’’ have taken over the movement, but it still suits the government to lionise those fighting the Maoists...... at its peak the movement saw some 25,000 people actively hunting down the Maoists. The movement has spread to 21 other villages in a 50-km radius of Ganeshpur...... Its leaders now issue Maoist-type diktats. Some people have been told to join the movement or face a fine of 5,000 Nepalese rupees. Three resistance movement members tried to rape an 11-year-old girl..... To complete the misery for the villagers, the Maoists, who remain strong as ever, beheaded some members of this movement. ..... The villagers have nowhere to run, except India. Kala Hussein Siddiqui, a 30-year-old from Labani, has fled from Labani to the Indian town of Kakrahawa. ‘‘Even if you pay me Rs 50,000, I won’t return,’’ he swears.
• Major parties reject Nepal govt's offer of talks Press Trust of India, India "Much of the issues raised by Giri on Thursday, including controlling corruption and curbing Maoist terror have already been taken up by us long before Giri landed here."
• Nepal reconnects 23,000 phones severed after king's power grab? ... China Post, Taiwan About 23,000 wireless phone lines were reconnected Saturday, about seven weeks after.... give personnel details, photographs and fingerprints to reapply for connections
• Nepal among nations with refugee problem: UN Himalayan Times, Nepal About 25 million “internally displaced” people forced from their homes by conflict or abuse make up one of the world’s most neglected, vulnerable groups.. Refugees who flee across an international border can claim protection under a global treaty signed in 1951 — but no such system exists for the people who are displaced within their own country..... Colombia, Ivory Coast, Congo, Indonesia, Iraq, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda...... “The overwhelming majority, some 22 million people, have been displaced for more than a year,” the study said. “The average length of the conflicts that caused displacement and prevented return was 14 years.” Colombia comes next, with 290,000 newly displaced last year, followed by Iraq, 200,000; Somalia, 100,000; and Nepal, 50,000
• World’s forgotten millions — the internally displaced Daily Times There are twice as many internally displaced as refugees who flee their countries. But unlike refugees, the internally displaced cannot count on a functioning international system of protection and assistance ..... In 14 countries they were ignored even by the United Nations. Nor can they count on often indifferent governments to protect them. In fact, in 13 countries, including Myanmar, Nepal, Sudan and Colombia, authorities were responsible for the displacement either directly or through militias..... The overwhelming majority of the internally displaced people, some 22 million, have been homless for more than a year, and many of them for a decade or even longer ..... “The act of displacement itself often is accompanied by violence and the most serious human rights violations such as arbitrary killings, torture, kidnappings and rape” .... Traumatised and fearing for their lives ..... In Asia, the outbreak or intensification of conflicts led to new displacements, in particular in Nepal, Indonesia, Pakistan and Myanmar.
  
  
  

Response To The Panchayati Ghost Tulsi Giri

"India is aware of the presence of Maoists (Nepalese) on its territory ..... We need not talk to it about them. The Maoists have links with the LTTE, People's War and Naxalites. How can India be oblivious of this and talk about the political system here? "

"(Bhutanese King Jigme Singhe Wangchuck), "the greatest democrat," also asked for measures to stop the Maoists who have posed a threat to neighbouring countries from Indian soil."

"Indian leaders did not mind shaking hands with him and making him their chief guest on Republic Day, but they refused to go to the Saarc."

Giri also took a dig at friendly nations which called for a "representative government" in Nepal. "It's natural to react to something that you don't like, but you cannot impose your idea on anyone," he said. "It is up to the Nepalese to decide what they want… the king has repeatedly pledged his commitment to multi-party democracy… he has taken this step (the February 1 takeover) only to re-energise this system."

Giri criticised multi-party leaders for allowing themselves to be "remote-controlled" by others. "Diplomats host dinners for them, but they don't call us," he said. When asked to name the countries that were backing the politicians, Giri replied, "It's up to you to guess."

"The present government is not in favor of talking to the Maoists. Talks in the past were just a show."

"You cannot negotiate with ghosts that need to be dealt with the stick."

"I don't agree to sit across the negotiating table with the Maoists unless they lay down their arms and stop the violence."

"The Maoists were accorded a heroic welcome and the PM shook hands and sat with them at functions. But the rebels at the end suddenly backed out of the negotiating table."

“Only time will tell whether the Royal Proclamation was ill-advised or well-advised, but it was constitutionally advised.”

“So, it is also the responsibility of the political parties to help root out terrorism.”

“After their initial reactions, some foreign governments have even started commenting which shows they have begun to understand the situation.”

Talking about the rumours of the suspension of foreign assistance, Dr. Giri said if foreign aid was meant for Nepal or for the multi-party system. “If it is for the latter, it is not fair.”

“The multi-party system will not come to an end, rather it will come up in a re-energized form.”

“Therefore, it is the demand of time to shut our eyes to the areas of disagreement and work on areas of agreement.”

“I ask them to come together for peace instead of wasting their energy by shouting in the streets.”

“Let’s do homework at our level first, form a political package and then go to the King.”

"If the political parties are averse to sit down with me, they can always talk to Bista."

“His Majesty the King had only tried to shake (the parties) up from their deep sleep.”

“I can assure you that we are fully equipped to sanitize the areas infested with this dirty thing.”

“If the terrorists succeed, the political leaders will be the first ones to receive the terrorists’ bullets on their head.”

"The political parties now could not claim to be the representatives of the people. There can only be the government comprising the representatives of the political parties."

"Call them what you will. People's War, Maoist Communist Centre, Maoists or even the Al Qaeda - terrorism is terrorism whatever names you give it."

"The leftist government of West Bengal was in no mood to hold unconditional talks with the Naxalites (an ultra left group that staged an armed uprising in the 1970s). The terrorists hide in jungles from where they attack people and grab headlines. That is not the way to resolve problems."

"The defence forces were demoralised by the previous governments. Now they are ready to sanitise areas infected by these people smelling of dirty things and eradicate them. If they don't respond to words, they will be made to respond to kicks."

"The media raised a "hue and cry" when the army killed people but made tame noises when the Maoists violated human rights."

"Girija (Prasad Koirala, Nepalese opposition leader) and Madhav Kumar Nepal (leader of the biggest Communist party) will get the first bullet from their terrorist friends."

"They have been issuing statements from India and Bangkok, dreaming of taking the king's place."

"The Indian dailies have been writing about Maoists receiving medical treatment in Uttar Pradesh and Patna (in Bihar). The Indian government is also reported to be concerned and has stepped up security along the border."

"We want them to come to terms with reality. They must feel sorry for what they did."

"The prime minister refuses to go to Dhaka saying he does not want to shake dirty hands (after the royal coup in Nepal) whereas the greatest democratic king in Asia, the king of Bhutan, is invited as a guest of honour during India's Republic Day and shakes hands with the Indian leadership."

"They (referring to the US and India) are “policing” in the name of democracy."

He was of the view that the United States, India and other nations are trying to influence the internal affairs by demanding the restoration of multi-party democracy. He also lambasted the diplomats in the capital for holding dinner parties with leaders of various political parties. “I am never invited to these dinner parties.”

How can the international community say that it would continue support only if there is multi-party democracy, questioned Giri, saying that the donors care more about multi-party democracy than the country itself. “Otherwise, why can’t they provide assistance to Nepal which has a multi-party democracy?” He accused the parties of being “remote-controlled” by countries “policing” in the name of democracy. He used the term “remote control” several times during his first-ever press conference to indicate the “influence” of other countries on parties.

"Emergency rule at a time when anarchy is at its peak is not a matter of great wonder."

Giri said Gyanendra's actions had not been understood by the international community, which has sharply condemned the power grab.

"The US and EU countries reacted quickly to the king's action without correctly understanding the fundamental reality of Nepal's major problems."

"The Maoist terrorism and the maintenance of peace and security are the major problems facing the country."

"If the donor countries don't understand our real problems ... there is little we can do."

"We need foreign aid for our development," he said. "(But) if they insist on stopping their aid on the grounds of democracy we cannot touch their feet and beg for alms ... and economic cooperation.

"It will be unfortunate for us if they think a poor and underdeveloped country like Nepal should go unaided. (Aid is necessary) for the progress and prosperity of its people, its fight against terrorism and it attemps to alleviate poverty," Giri said.

The king was "totally committed to the functioning of democracy", he added.

"This is only a temporary measure because the biggest issue in the country now is the maintenance of law and order. The King enforced emergency in the country for some time to control terrorism.

"If the people's fundamental rights are suspended for some time it cannot be called an undemocratic step," Giri said.

"All fundamental rights are intact as laid down in the country's constitution," he said.

Referring to an ongoing transport blockade in the world's only Hindu kingdom which has been imposed by the rebels since the weekend and which has reduced transport to a trickle, Giri said: "We cannot stop them everywhere altogether and for that matter, no country in the world has succeeded in totally stopping such activities.

"Our security is trying to strike them down and stop their activities soon," Giri said.

"The national economy and tourism have gravely suffered because of the Maoist menace."

Dr Tulsi Giri said the Ministry of Land Reform and Management has a very important role in cooling down the present state of conflict and directed all employees of the Ministry to work with full commitment in the land reform and management sector.

"Unfortunately, friends have not understood the King's motive and created fear psychosis for the Nepalese people by talking in terms of suspension of aid after the February one royal takeover."

"A military solution to the problem is achievable, and we can do it by ourselves."

About the political leaders who were under house arrest, Giri said they would be released soon but added that whether or not they would face corruption charges in the future would be an altogether different matter.

Giri said the political leaders were continued to be detained for fears that with their release they would start civil movement to divert the government's attention away from battling the Maoist insurgency.

"I don't agree to sit across the negotiating table with the Maoists unless they lay down their arms and stop the violence."

"The Maoists were accorded a heroic welcome and the prime minister shook hands and sat together with them at public functions but the rebels at the end suddenly backed out of the negotiating table."

"In over the past one decade, none of the multi-party governments was able to stop the Maoists killing innocent villagers and expelling them from their native villages."

"The army and the police were humiliated by the governments that failed to stop the rebels from committing heinous crimes."

"If polite talks cannot resolve the Maoist problem, the solution to it should be sought by crushing them militarily."

He said the state of emergency would not last more than three months provided the political parties which support democracy and the constitutional monarchy cooperated with the king to normalize the chaotic situation.

Giri also ruled out the possibility of Gyanendra inviting party leaders for a dialogue on political prospects unless they jointly come forward with a concrete proposal to solve the country's problems.

"The king's declaration of emergency is directed against the terrorists but not against democracy."

To: Tulsi Giri.

I don't know if I should start out by greeting a fellow Janakpuriya, but I believe I will follow my hunch and skip that for now. I am taking my cue from Ganeshmanji. He came to Janakpur in 1990 after the successful movement to address a mass meeting. Girija was on the dais. Ganeshmanji was sitting on a chair, Laloo-style, as he addressed the large crowd. And for most of the speech, he raved and ranted against your character, or lack thereof. That is the first I ever heard of you.

If democracy is a deficient system, that it is incapable of producing the best leaders, that one has to do what the king did on 2/1 to give the country the very best it deserves, I am to believe you personally are more qualified than any of the names associated with the country's political parties. But I distinctly remember some of the things Ganeshmanji had to say about you. And if I am to go by his words, as I am inclined to, I do not get the impression you are particularly qualified to lead the country in any capacity.

Mahendra's greatest crime was that he deprived the country of someone like BP Koirala and foisted a lowlife like you on the country. Who is to say where Nepal would be today in terms of economic development if 1960 had not happened? But do not mistake 2005 for 1960. Your days are numbered. The days of this junta are numbered. We the democrats expect to be confronting the Chinese authorities in less than 10 years. Who are you?

You and all the elements of the junta all the way to the very top remind me of Trent Lott, the disgraced Senator from Mississippi. The guy made a racist comment, and lost his job as Senate Majority Leader, but he never came around to seeing he had made a racist comment. He just never "got it." You do not "get" democracy. It might not be in your DNA to get it. And the Nepali democrats are not trying to change your heart and mind. That would be a waste. We are just trying to push you out and return you back to your irrelevance. The king might have resurrected ghosts like you and Bishta, but the people will send you back to your political coffins.

Say, do you think this king never got over the fact that he got dethroned at the age of four? Because ever since he got back onto the throne, he has been inducting all the Prime Ministers he misssed in between. Like Chand and Thapa, and now Bishta and you. To me it looks like he were trying to reclaim those 50 years in between. But that is just a thought.

You say, it is for the Nepali people to decide what they want (not the foreign powers). That is exactly what the foreign powers are saying. That is what we democrats are saying. But the difference is we "get" it, you don't. An unelected junta does not speak for the people, and is not the guardian of the country's sovereignty.

The junta says it started out by inviting the Maoists for talks. What is there to talk about? They want an all-party government and elections to a Constituent Assembly. So do the democrats. The new democrat-Maoist alliance is for a multi-party democratic republican framework. But you Monarchists are anathema to the idea that monarchy could come as a gift from the people to this royal family, instead you would like to keep the veneer that "democracy" is going to be a gift from the monarch to the people.

You will go down in history as the guy who finally helped bring the monarchy down. How do you feel about that?

So if India, Europe and the US do not support the junta, it is because they do not "understand!" Keep deluding yourself.

You say the emergency might last three months, but then it might last longer, proving the 1990 constitution does not exist anymore, has not for some time now, that Girija and the like might be released, but there is no telling they might not face corruption charges, which I am reading as code for saying they might be shifted from their house arrests to "proper" jails. You and the coterie are trying to do a replay of 1960, not because that is what the country needs, but because you lowlives do not know how to do anything else. Because you have only 10 fingers, you can not count up to the number 11. That happens to be your limitation.

The army was not demoralized by the democrats. The democrats never had the army, thanks to the pseudo democracy earned in 1990. But that mistake is not to be repeated.

Your newfound power must be intoxicating, because in one breath you manage to challenge major world powers like India and the US. Very few officials in the world give themselves that honor. I guess you are special, after all.

So you want Moriarty to invite you over for dinner? Why? The dinners at Narayanhiti do not cut it for you, or what?

You can not even stop a Maoist nationwide blockade, but you are going to go village after village and "crush" them militarily. I guess it is not your sons who are the foot soldiers in the Nepali army. This shows your total disregard for the hapless Nepali people who are getting "crushed." But then what can one expect from someone who does not "get" democracy! You do not get it that what the country needs is a political solution.

You are against talking to the Maoists. You are against talking to the democrats. I am not surprised. You come across as someone who spends most of his waking hours talking to himself.

My message to you is rather short. Restore all fundamental rights of the Nepali people, because those rights do not belong to you, they are the Nepali people's birth rights. Or face consequences. That light you see at the end of your tunnel is the train of democracy speeding towards you.

• Nepal strikes back Hindustan Times
  
• India, US get a tongue-lashing Himalayan Times, Nepal
  
• Nepal Not in Favor of Peace Talks with Rebels ABC News
• No talks with Maoists: Govt Times of India, India
• Giri: All sides should identify areas of consensus by discarding ... Gorkhapatra, Nepal
• Nepal king's deputy rules out talks with Maoists Netindia123.com
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• Don't abandon Nepal, king's deputy tells foreign governments Designerz.com, GA
• Have confidence, serve people, Dr. Giri tells civil servants Gorkhapatra, Nepal
• Nepal urges intl community to reassess security situation: New Kerala, India

Indo-US-EU Alliance Needs To Do A US-In-Haiti In Nepal

A forging of a Indo-US-EU alliance for democracy might be a "gift" of Nepal's 2/1. Let's face it, ultimately the alliance will have to face China itself. I don't know if it will be 10 or 20 years from now, but that time will come. It will not be more than a generation. And Nepal is no Taiwan. China will not go to war with the Indo-US-EU alliance just because the alliance might end up opting for miltary action. The best thing about publicly putting the military option on the table might be that force might not have to be used. The threat will be enough.

China, Pakistan, Russia, Cuba. When they say 2/1 is Nepal's internal matter, they are not saying they support it. They are definitely not saying they will fight for the junta should the need arise.

Unilateral disarmament is ineffective politics. When the junta keeps its "emergency" in place with threat of force, and you demand that it restore all fundamental rights, but you do not back that demand with possible use of force, then you are disarming unilterally. It will not work.

A junta that has taken away the fundamental rights of the Nepali people is not the representative of the sovereignty of the country.

Step 1: Cut military aid.
Step 2: Cut all aid.
Step 3: Economic sanctions and blockade.
Step 4: Seize all property held by the junta outside the country.
Step 5: Threaten to come in.

Of course, the better option would be for the three powers to fund the Nepali democrats in India and elsewhere to organize in a massive way while also keeping steps 1-5 on the table. How about the three powers pumping in $1 million each to start with? I call this the Ukraine option.

The Ukraine option is my preferred one.

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Revolution .....a series of protests and political events that took place throughout the country ..... the capital city of Ukraine and center of the revolution where a large 24-hour tent city was set up ..... series of nationwide protests, sit-ins, and planned general strikes .....the Orange Revolution reached its successful and peaceful conclusion ..... massive protests began in cities across Ukraine: the major one in Kiev's Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) attracted an estimated 500,000 participants ..... The demonstrations in Kiev were of an unheard-of scale. By many estimates, on some days they drew over 1 million people to the streets, in freezing weather...... though apparently spontaneous, was the result of extensive grassroots campaigning and coalition building among the opposition ...... extensive work by student activists ......
  
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Sharp .... Sharp's key insight is that power is not monolithic. According to Sharp, as a dictator continues to discredit himself or herself, more and more police officers and soldiers will do things other than follow the dictator's orders, and once a critical mass is reached, will openly disobey. The activists need to have a positive program, he argues.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonviolent_resistance Gene Sharp has identified 198 methods of nonviolent action which may be used to defend countries from invasion, undermine dictatorships, block coups d'etat or challenge unjust social systems. They include:
• symbolic protests
• hunger strike
• paralysis of transportation
• social boycotts
• specific and general strikes
• civil disobedience
• economic shutdowns
• political noncooperation
• "disappearance" under false identity
• economic boycotts
• public demonstrations
• slow-downs
• publication of banned newspapers
• deliberate inefficiencies
• assistance to persecuted people
• broadcasts about resistance on radio and television
• judicial resistance
• defiance by the government
• denial of legitimacy to the usurpers
• non-cooperation of civil servants
• legislative procrastination and delays
• declaration of defiance
• persistent continuation of old policies and laws
• student defiance
• children's demonstrations
• individual and mass resignations
• refusal of collaboration
• maintenance of autonomy of independent organizations and institutions
• subversion of the usurpers' troops, and incitement to them to mutiny

• Orange Ukraine - Journal of Ukrainian Current Events
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• Build Ukraine
• EGO: THE ORANGE / CHESTNUT REVOLUTION
• BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Revolutions: What's in a name?
• Orange Revolution: Information From Answers.com .....a series of nationwide protests, sit-ins, and planned general strikes .....massive protests began in cities across Ukraine ..... A path to a compromise through people demonstrating their will is the only path that will help us find a way out of this conflict. Therefore, the committee of national salvation declares a nationwide political strike. ..... extensive work by student activists ..... Activists in each of these movements were funded and trained in tactics of political organization and nonviolent resistance by a coalition of Western pollsters and professional consultants funded by a range of Western government and non-government agencies....... Writings on nonviolent struggle by Gene Sharp formed the strategic basis of these student campaigns. .....
  

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• Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | US campaign behind the ... ....With their websites and stickers, their pranks and slogans aimed at banishing widespread fear of a corrupt regime, the democracy guerrillas of the Ukrainian Pora youth movement .....while the gains of the orange-bedecked "chestnut revolution" are Ukraine's, the campaign is an American creation, a sophisticated and brilliantly conceived exercise in western branding and mass marketing that, in four countries in four years, has been used to try to salvage rigged elections and topple unsavoury regimes ...."chestnut revolution".... consultancies, pollsters, diplomats ...... experience gained in Serbia, Georgia and Belarus has been invaluable in plotting to beat the regime of Leonid Kuchma in Kiev...... The operation - engineering democracy through the ballot box and civil disobedience - is now so slick that the methods have matured into a template ..... If you want to know how to beat a regime that controls the mass media, the judges, the courts, the security apparatus and the voting stations, the young Belgrade activists are for hire. ..... Stickers, spray paint and websites are the young activists' weapons. Irony and street comedy mocking the regime have been hugely successful in puncturing public fear and enraging the powerful....... the techniques of mass defiance ...... pollsters and professional consultants are hired to organise focus groups and use psephological data to plot strategy ..... The usually fractious oppositions have to be united behind a single candidate if there is to be any chance of unseating the regime. That leader is selected on pragmatic and objective grounds ..... Officially, the US government spent $41m (£21.7m) organising and funding the year-long operation to get rid of Milosevic from October 1999. In Ukraine, the figure is said to be around $14m...... the "parallel vote tabulation", a counter to the election-rigging tricks beloved of disreputable regimes ...... stay cool but determined and to organise mass displays of civil disobedience, which must remain peaceful but risk provoking the regime into violent suppression .... the events in Kiev vindicate the US in its strategies for helping other people win elections and take power from anti-democratic regimes
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• Operation Uphold Democracy ....the UN imposed an oil and arms embargo, bringing the Haitian military to the negotiating table ..... The military derailed the process and the UN reimposed economic sanctions. The political and human rights climate continued to deteriorate as the military and the de facto government sanctioned repression, assassination, torture, and rape in open defiance of the international community's condemnation. ..... the UN adopted Resolution 940 authorizing member states to use all necessary means to facilitate the departure of Haiti's military leadership and restore constitutional rule ..... the United States took the lead in forming a multinational force (MNF) to carry out the UN's mandate by means of a military intervention ...... the regime did not relinquish authority but became increasingly repressive and presided over a deteriorating economy ...... the concept of Operations Plan (OPLAN) 2370 was offensive violence inflicted suddenly, from air and sea, with overwhelming but appropriate force ...... OPLAN 2380 was developed for a permissive entry but still sought to land large numbers of well-armed troops in an offensive, combat-ready posture ...... For the invasion, an airdrop was planned involving 3,900 paratroopers. Most of this force was airborne when Haitian officials agreed to a peaceful transition of government and permissive entry of American forces...... the MNF deployed peacefully, Cedras and other top military leaders left Haiti, and restoration of the legitimate government began ...... The credible threat of overwhelming force--combined with skillful, eleventh-hour diplomacy--enabled U.S. forces to land unopposed
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In The News

• STARK WARNING ON NEPAL Special Broadcasting Service, Australia
• UN and donors say Nepal is close to humanitarian crisis Channel News Asia .... The joint statement was issued by 11 foreign missions and donor agencies including the Canadian International Development Agency, Danish International Development Agency, Britain's Department for International Development, the UN in Nepal, German Technical Cooperation, USAID/Nepal and the Finnish and Norwegian embassies.
  
• Nepal 'near humanitarian abyss' BBC News ....Children are among the worst affected, it says, with many suffering from a lack of vitamins and essential dugs...... Credible reports have emerged in recent weeks that some women died in childbirth because they were unable to reach medical help, the statement adds...... There is also concern for the fate of 100,000 Bhutanese refugees in eastern Nepal, who are dependent on relief but find the flow of aid regularly blocked.
  
• Students protest for democracy in Nepal Seattle Post Intelligencer .....detained dozens of students protesting ..... Hundreds of police dragged demonstrators from the main market in Katmandu. .... The protests were organized by 10 different student groups linked to the main political parties. They are urging colleagues to join banned street protests ..... "Our only goal is restoration of full democracy and we will battle to the end. This is the beginning of our decisive battle against the autocratic regime," student leader Gagan Thapa said in a telephone interview..... Police have been hunting down student activists, jailing them and harassing their families .... the government has strictly censored the media and sought to justify strict crackdowns on rallies by citing intelligence that they were being infiltrated by communist rebels ....
  
• Protests erupt in Nepal NEWS.com.au "I was told the news report in my paper which said around 750 protesters across the country had been nabbed for holding anti-king protests on Monday, had gone against the spirit and norms of the royal proclamation of February 1," Wagle told reporters.