NEWS: Nepal on Brink of Humanitarian Crisis, page 1

posted on Mar, 18 2005 @ 03:27 AM

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United nation and humanitarian agencies have been warned that conflict between security forces and Maoist Guerilla's have put the country on the brink of a humanitarian crisis. The country's King Gyanendra placed emergency rule last month which has exposed refugees and left them without food supplies. Maoist roadblocks and increased attacks have left civilians and children without essential drugs and many women have died in childbirth because of the lack of medical aid.

news.bbc.co.uk
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Kathmandu says the statement is brief, almost terse, and reminds both the security forces and Maoist guerrillas that they should protect civilians and ensure free passage of relief.

But this is a conflict in which civilians are repeatedly victimised and the Geneva Conventions commonly violated, our correspondent adds.

A Maoist highway blockade
Highway blockades are hurting civilians, the groups warn
Separately, a report by the International Committee of Jurists, a human rights group, is heavily critical of King Gynanendra's declaration of a state of emergency.

Hundreds of political activists, journalists, students, human rights defenders and lawyers have been arrested since the king took power in February.

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Reports coming from the country speak of violated Geneva Conventions and civilians victimised by both sides of the conflict. Human rights defenders are facing intimidation and control. Civilians are believe to be pleading with the international community to help return the country to a state of peace and to have their human rights respected in an atmosphere where freedom of speech is not allowed.

[edit on 18-3-2005 by Mayet]

Nygdan

posted on Mar, 18 2005 @ 10:07 AM

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The UN should send troops to backup the government and help defeat the Maoist rebels then. No rebels, no emergency, no regal rule.

Silenus

posted on Mar, 18 2005 @ 10:20 AM

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Maybe we should ask the chinese to move in and restore order

worldwatcher

posted on Mar, 18 2005 @ 10:20 AM

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I don't know about that, the Maoists deserve a place in their country's government. Gyanendra imo has taken this too far, instead of helping he is instigating more uprisings among his people. You can deny people their civil rights and expect them to simply conform overnight to your demands, the UN really needs to get involved and bring back some semblance of a government back into the mix.

Nygdan

posted on Mar, 18 2005 @ 11:28 AM

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Originally posted by worldwatcher
I don't know about that, the Maoists deserve a place in their country's government.

They're rebels, not candidates. The country used to have a popular assembly. They could've participated in that.

Gyanendra imo has taken this too far, instead of helping he is instigating more uprisings among his people.

The maoists are the ones who are the uprising tho. If Gyanendra is 'unpopular' then so be it, he is still the King. He certianly can't be to blame for the rebellion existing or be responsible for its actions. They are the ones most directly controlling their own rebellion, they are the ones responsible for it.

the UN really needs to get involved and bring back some semblance of a government back into the mix.

The UN can't invade Nepal and force a peace government into existence, certainly not while the rebels are armed and killing people. The King certainly came to power under unsual circumstances and would do well to restor the popular assembly. But the UN certianly has bigger issues that its ignoring (darfur at the least), so why get invovled in nepal, and why especially get invovled and support the rebels that have created the emergency in the first place\?