NEPAL: Phone Lines in Nepal cut again

New regime in Nepal cuts phone lines across the nation to prevent protestors from organizing rallies

Times of India
Friday, February 18, 2005

Kathmandu --  In an apparent bid to prevent anti-government protestors from orchestrating their rallies, Nepal's new regime headed by King Gyanendra cut telephone lines nationwide on Friday once again.

Moods varied from incredulity to anger and outrage as people discovered in the morning the phones were no longer working.

Friday's fresh curb on communications comes in the wake of plans by Nepal's political parties to launch protest movements against the Feb 1 royal takeover.

The top leaders of the main political parties continue to remain incommunicado under detention, 18 days after the royal coup, with only the National Human Rights Commission having been allowed to meet some of them.

The international community has condemned the king's action and asked for immediate restoration of multiparty democracy and the release of detained politicians.

This is the second time that the new regime, formed after King Gyanendra dismissed the Sher Bahadur Deuba government on Feb 1 and imposed a state of emergency, has cut telephone connections nationwide.

On February 1, security forces disconnected communications services, including those at the various diplomatic missions based in Kathmandu, immediately after the king announced his takeover through a televised address in the morning.

After a week, phone and Internet connections resumed but mobile telephone services and landlines provided by a private operator on the principles of the wireless technology in mobile phones still continue to be inoperative.

As the security forces geared up to stop protest rallies in the capital, which included arresting an opposition leader beforehand, the king issued a message to the nation through the state media on the occasion of the 55th National Democracy Day Friday.

The short message, unlike the lengthy address of Feb 1, defended the royal takeover and blamed the political parties as well as the Maoist insurgents.

"Terrorist activities, coupled with politics far removed from the common man, gave a fillip to instability in the nation, putting democracy at risk," the message said.

"It is clear to our countrymen that we ourselves had to take steps to extricate the country and multiparty democracy from this morass... Politics in a democracy must be devoted to the welfare of the nation and people.

"Good policies lead to good governance; good governance makes democracy viable. Everybody is aware that politics bereft of democratic norms and values had caused despair and confusion to spread among the people, resulting in growing disillusionment with democracy itself."

India, the US, Norway and members of the European Union headed by Britain recalled their ambassadors for consultations this week. The envoys are yet to return to Kathmandu.

The protesting countries have stopped their assistance to Nepal since Feb 1 while reviewing the situation.

Earlier this month, members of the diplomatic community made several representations to the regime asking for restoration of communication links.

By snapping phone lines Nepal is violating the Vienna Convention that ensures unhindered communication facilities to representatives of authorised diplomatic missions.

Date Posted: 2/18/2005