On March 8, Bidya Devi Bhandari, chair of All Nepalese Women Association (ANWA), was one of the hundreds of women activists who went out on the streets of Nepal to celebrate the International Women’s Day. Along with the students, media and other human rights activists, they shouted anti-monarchy slogans, and called for democracy and human rights. Today, Bidya Devi Bhandari, is one of the 100 women activists from ANWA who are in detention, and among other 1,800 activists and leaders held in custody. Like the other detainees, Bidya Devi has not been allowed any visits or communication from the family, or comrades from ANWA.
As of March 24, ANWA reported that more than 500 activists including their leaders have prohibition to travel from their valleys to other districts.
With the climate of fear rising to a real high temperature, the numbers of people being tortured, harassed, arbitrarily arrested and made to disappear are feared to get higher, systematically, and with impunity. The international community may not get the real picture, with the national media being gagged, and those journalists brave enough to report have been arrested, while others continue to be subjects of harassment.
The situation in Nepal now since the Royal take over in 1 February 2005 brings d้jเ vu – when King Gyanendra declared a state of emergency in the country in 2001-2002. The King was not satisfied then with how the government was unable to contain the Maoist insurgency. At that time, reports would have it that Nepal experienced unprecedented human rights violations - there were reports of arbitrary arrests, torture, extrajudicial killings and disappearances of activists, journalists, human rights lawyers and Maoists sympathizers. There were numerous reports of women being raped. Thousands of people have disappeared.
And today, we hear the same song being sung by the King, and the people of Nepal feel the same chill in their bones. The democratic structure has been completely abolished in order to set up democracy. This is the royal promise – three years under his direct rule and he will bring peace and democracy to Nepal. But as history would teach us, state of emergency means state impunity for gross human rights violations and anti-democratic practices. Democratic structures built on deaths, arrests, tortures of the very people who genuinely struggle for democracy, will be very shaky, and will easily be toppled by masses of people.
And that is also one history lesson we should never forget – that People Power is strong enough to topple towers of power. In our region, we have the experience of the Filipino people power in 1986 when it brought down the 20 year-Marcos dictatorship; and in 2000, ousted the corrupt Estrada administration. The Indonesian people power put to an end to the 32 years of Suharto dictatorship in 1998.
Thus, Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) salutes the courage of women and men human rights defenders in Nepal. Their work in this dark moment offers light of hope for the thousands of masses living in fear and uncertainty. We express our solidarity with our sisters and comrades in All Nepalese Women Association (ANWA), member of APWLD.
Meanwhile, we urge the Commission on Human Rights in its 61st session, to pass a resolution –
- expressing serious concern on the deteriorating human rights situation in the Nepal; the massive arbitrary arrests, detention, restriction of movement, media censorship, torture and increasing cases of disappearances of human rights defenders; and the climate of impunity that these gross human rights violations are being committed.
- calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all human rights defenders, women human rights activists, student activists, and all political prisoners; and for the lifting of all restrictions to the fundamental rights of movement, speech and assembly.
- strongly urging the Royal Government to lift the state of emergency; restore democratic structure, particularly the Parliament, independent media and judiciary; and pursue peaceful dialogues and alternative processes in ending conflicts with Maoists, and bringing democracy to Nepal.
The international community should also make the governments supporting the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) through military aid accountable for their role in perpetuating its power and control. They, too, have blood in their hands.
India, which has supplied RNA helicopters, guns and other military equipment, has declared indefinite suspension of its military aid. And recently, so has UK, with its 12 million dollars support. The US, with its 1.5 million dollars defense assistance, has yet to do anything concrete apart from issuing rhetorical statement of concern over human rights in Nepal. What bloodied hands the US has.
Moreover, APWLD calls on the progressive forces of the international community to remain in solidarity with the peoples’ movement in Nepal, as well as in other countries, who continue their struggle for justice, peace and democracy.
April 4, 2005
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development
apwld@apwld.org / www.apwld.org
