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The World Today - Human rights breached following Nepal coup

[This is the print version of story http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2005/s1297728.htm]
The World Today - Monday, 7 February , 2005 12:46:00
Reporter: Edmond Roy
ELEANOR HALL: A week after the royal coup in Nepal, reports of torture, systematic arrests and targeting of human rights activists are beginning to emerge from the landlocked mountain kingdom.

Communications with the outside world remain cut off and soldiers continue to patrol the streets keeping a lid on any form of agitation.

But the Nepalese Bar Association says several instances of human rights abuse have been reported from across the country. And human rights groups in Nepal are now appealing to the international community to pressure the monarchy to reverse the emergency measures, as Edmond Roy reports.

EDMOND ROY: In a message to the world's top leaders and the United Nations, 25 human rights groups say that the Nepalese people are living under illegal military rule headed by the king.

The say the new Government headed by King Gyandendra is spreading terror, by systematic arrests and the use of the military to threaten the people. The human rights groups also ask the international community to use pressure to make the king lift censorship, restore communications and reintroduce democracy.

So far, at least five ex-prime ministers, several politicians, some prominent journalists, student leaders and union leaders are said to be under house arrest. The military is out on the streets and protest rallies have been banned.

A day after the royal coup, large billboards bearing the portrait of King Gyandendra had appeared on the streets, proclaiming a new beginning for Nepal.

And in an attempt to sell its side of the story, the Government agreed to let Nepal's Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey speak to the media.

RAMESH NATH PANDEY: It's not a fight between the King or me or you, it is really a fight between democracy and terrorism, between democracy in one party (inaudible). Within three years the peace and security will be (inaudible) and there'll be elections and the people's elected representative will take charge of the nation.

EDMOND ROY: His comments echoed that of the country's military chiefs who maintained that an emergency was required in order for the army to win its war against maoist guerrillas.

But not everyone believes that is the best strategy. Kunda Dixit is Editor of the Nepali Times and he remembers earlier coups in which the media was targeted.

KUNDA DIXIT: The press was free 'til last week, Nepal's press was probably one of the freest in the world. And what a difference a week makes.

EDMOND ROY: In that week, Nepal has gone from an open democracy to a close society, something which ACTU President Sharan Burrow witnessed first hand.

She was caught up in Kathmandu and managed to get out on the weekend after watching the takeover of the country's democratic institutions by the military. Today she too is calling on the international community to intervene.

SHARAN BURROW: What we're saying is exactly that, in the sense that if you address trade union leaders in the country, if you actually arrest and detain the political leaders, then we have a situation that's quite like the Burmese environment where we can certainly put global pressure on, we can urge governments to intervene, but unless the King feels the weight of international governments and intergovernmental disapproval, unless we can make sure that international intervention is something that becomes a possibility, then the people of Nepal are helpless.

EDMOND ROY: Are you satisfied at what Australia's been doing thus far?

SHARAN BURROW: No, I need John Howard to understand that he's got to take a much stronger line. I fortunately ran into Alexander Downer yesterday morning and urged him to do the same thing.

But it's not good enough that Australia took days to respond and then when they did, it was from the point of view of, you know, some notion of terrorism.

The Maoists aren't the threat here. The immediate threat is the King who refuses to allow rights that are acceptable right around the world by international law, and has deemed fit to take upon himself total authority with a denial of multiparty democracy for three years. That's got to be turned around.

ELEANOR HALL: That's ACTU President Sharan Burrow who's just returned from Nepal speaking there to Edmond Roy.