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Nepalese HR groups send letters to SAARC leaders
11/9/2005
KATHMANDU, Nov 8 (BDNEWS): The leading human rights (HR) organisations in Nepal have urged the SAARC leaders for specific actions on the part of SAARC countries, including publicly condemning the royal takeover and declaring moral support for the establishment of a representative system in Nepal, media reports said Tuesday.
Over two dozen HR groups, affiliated to 'Defend Human Rights Movement - Nepal (DHRM-Nepal)', wrote separately to heads of state or government of the SAARC countries calling upon them to rally support to pro-democracy movement and exert pressure upon the royal government to return to constitutional fold.
They also called upon the SAARC leaders to denounce the royal government's what they called blatant disregard for the rule of law and steps to curtail the rights of the citizens.
The SAARC Charter, however, doesn't allow the member states to raise bilateral issues for discussions or comment on internal matters of other member states. The 13th summit of seven South Asian nations will take place in Dhaka on November 12-13.
Making the same appeal, they also wrote to US envoy in Kathmandu James F Moriarty and seven US Congressmen, media reports further said.
In the letter, the rights groups claimed that the royal move of February 1 this year and subsequent actions have a destabilising effect on Nepal and therefore threaten the stability of the region.
They said, "In Nepal's context, stability, and ultimately a sustainable peace, can only be achieved through a democratic system that represents the ambitions and interests of the people, thereby addressing the root causes -- social and economic injustice -- that have fuelled the armed conflict.
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