By Suman Pradhan

“The state of our union is strong.” No prizes for guessing who said that. In the off-chance that you didn’t know, here’s a helpful hint: the guy who has occupied the White House right from the days of George Washington to George W Bush. (Ok Ok, there was no White House in Washington’s days).

Today was one such day when the US president had to make that statement. Interestingly, at just about the time Mr Bush was rounding up his speech, King Gyanendra of Nepal was about to make one of his own.

But the monarch couldn’t possibly say “the state of our union is strong.” Again, no prizes for guessing why. He couldn’t say that because it would not be true. And it would not be ture because Nepal is not a union in the political sense. Secondly, the state of the Nepali state is not strong. Political parties are agitating loudly. Maoists are inflicting heavy damage. But the most damage is being inflicted by the Palace itself. So Nepal is in a state of disunion, which has turned it weak. Read the rest of this entry »

Nepal’s royal government is inviting confrontation by forcing through, amidst a new crackdown on civil liberties, municipal elections on 8 February 2006 which will not be free, fair or credible. Filling local posts with palace placemen will neither restart the national democratic process, nor bring a peace process closer. The conflict remains soluble: although the palace has refused to reciprocate a four-month Maoist ceasefire and the rebels have resumed their armed campaign, mainstream parties and the Maoists have agreed a roadmap which permits compromise with the monarchy. But after one year of royal rule and ten years of insurgency, the priority should be that peace process, not polls for offices with little power that all mainstream parties are boycotting.

Full report on the ICG site:

King Gyanendra is all set to make another proclamation on Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. to mark the completion of his one-year of direct rule.

His address will surely be aired on the state-run television and Radio Nepal.

It might be difficult for us to make any comment on his speech tomorrow, as the situation could be like that of Feb.1 last year, when the king had made his proclamation. Read the rest of this entry »

Noting the one-year anniversary since King Gyanendra seized governmental power in Nepal, the U.S. State Department issued this statement today:

Statement by Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman
One Year Anniversary of the Royal Takeover in Nepal

The United States remains troubled by developments in Nepal, one year after the King seized power on February 1, 2005. Twelve months of palace rule have only made the security situation more precarious, emboldened the Maoist insurgents, and widened the division between the country’s political parties and the King.

The United States remains particularly concerned by the Maoist insurgency, which presents the most immediate threat to a peaceful and prosperous Nepal. We urge the King to return to democracy by initiating a dialogue with the country’s political parties. After one year of unsuccessful authoritarian rule, this is the best way to address the Maoist insurgency and to build a brighter future for Nepal’s people.

February 1, 2006
Nepal under Royal Regime
One year of dictatorial rule deepening the national crisis
We, the undersigned members of NGOs, civil society organizations and trade unions around the world are deeply concerned over the Royal crackdown on democracy and gross violations of human rights, as well as continued conflict with the Maoists (Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist) in Nepal. Despite the lifting of the state of emergency on April 29, 2005, King Gyanendra has continuously curtailed civil society. More than 6,500 political activists, human rights defenders including journalists, lawyers, trade unionists, women rights activists and students were arrested and detained, since February 1, 2005. Read the rest of this entry »

UNITED NATIONS
OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER
FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN NEPAL

Press Release - 31 January 2006

OHCHR-Nepal repeated today its call to the leadership of the CPN(Maoist) to state publicly and to all its cadres that it is against its policy to harm unarmed civilians, including electoral candidates, in violation of their right to life and physical integrity.

Ian Martin, Representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal, said: Read the rest of this entry »

Although Mamata Burma, 15, (not shown in the picture ) was reported killed in a “crossfire” between Maoist rebels and security forces in Nepalgunj, she was actually shot dead by the police, who fired indiscriminately inside her  house. Read the rest of this entry »

While 22 municipalities got the mayors without even holding elections, the official campaign for the polls begun Monday. Until 3 in the afternoon, Kathmandu did not see any campaigns for the polls, except for Rajaram Shrestha, who represents Home Minister Kamal Thapa’s Rastriya Prajatantra Party and is contesting for the mayor of Kathmandu Metropolis. Read the rest of this entry »

By Suman Pradhan

Beware what you wish for. Judging by the debate going on here in the wake of last week’s elections in the Palestinian territories, US policymakers got what they asked for. It was US policy to support democratization and elections in the territories. Too bad that the party which won is not the preferred one.

To recap, Palestinian voters overwhelmingly supported the militant (some would say terrorist) organization Hamas, voting out the late Yasser Arafat’s Fatah faction of the PLO. This is big news in the western world and in Israel because Hamas, founded in 1987, has an avowed public goal: to wipe out the state of Israel from the face of this earth. What this means is that western powers will be dealing with an organization that has used terrorist means against a long-time ally Israel. Even after the elections results, Hamas has refused to rescind that goal.

Read the rest of this entry »

Marking One Year of Royal Takeover in Nepal

PRESS RELEASE

We, the members of civil society organizations in Thailand, express our deep concern over the Royal crackdown on democracy and gross violations of human rights, as well as continued conflict with the Maoists (Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist) in Nepal. On February 1, 2006, through the Royal Nepalese Embassy in Bangkok, we have scheduled a programme to submit a letter to His Majesty the King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and the Joint Appeal to the King and the Maoists, endorsed by more than 40 civil society organizations around the world. To mark the day, representatives from various civil society organizations in Thailand will take part in a peaceful demonstration in front of the Royal Nepalese Embassy in Bangkok.

Programme:
Date: February 1, 2006
Time: 10:30 am
Place:  In front of the Royal Nepalese Embassy in Thailand
189 Soi 71, Sukumvit Road
Prakanong Bangkok 10110 Read the rest of this entry »

The pictures speak for themselves. Click on each picture to enlarge

Surkhet Rakaam VDC-6, Praja Gaun: Sixty-three year old Toj Bir Sunar and his wife sit in the sun in front of their house wrecked by a clash between the Maoists and the security forces. On the attack launched by the Army from Salyan’s Devasthal targeting the rebels who had come to the village on Poush 8, 2060, twenty-seven houses belonging to 19 families were destroyed. The victims have all but given up hope of receiving any compensation from the government after repeated pleas for help fell on deaf ears. Though the government and some international donor agencies have said that the compensation has reached the victims, seven “dalit” (lower caste) households in dire conditions have been left to fend for themselves.
Photo: Sailednra Kharel via Kantipur daily