DEMANDING DEMOCRACY IN NEPAL

Though you wouldn't know here in the states, the on going effort for human rights and democracy continues in Nepal. The Nepal News reports on activities which took place around the globe yesterday.

Pro-democracy demos in Hong Kong, Sydney, Brussels and London

Reports say expatriate Nepalis and friends of Nepal organized demonstrations in various cities around the world calling for restoration of peace and democracy in Nepal.

In Hong Kong, hundreds of people from various walks of life gathered at Kowloon Park gate on Wednesday (Feb. 1) and marched towards the Royal Nepalese consulate in Hong Kong. They carried placards, banners and posters denouncing what they called “autocratic regime” in Nepal and chanted slogans calling for restoration of democracy and human rights in Nepal.

At the premises of Nepal Consulate, leaders from various organisations in Hong Kong including Asian Migrant Coordinating body, Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants, Coalition for Migrant Right, and local student leaders expressed their solidarity towards the on-going people's democratic movement in Nepal.

Addressing the rally, Li Chock Yuen -- a veteran leader of Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Union and member of Legislative Council of Hong Kong-- said that all people across the world should be united to fight for democracy and human rights. Mr. Bruce Van Vhooris from Asian Human Rights Commission and Apo Leung from Asian Monitor and Research Centre said Nepali people were not alone in their fight for peace and democracy.

The rally was organized jointly by Far East Overseas Nepalese Association (FEONA Hong Kong), Asian Student Association (ASA) and Hong Kong Support Group for people's movement in Nepal.

In Sydney, hundreds of people took part in a rally and demonstration at Wynyard Park on Wednesday calling for restoration of peace, human rights and democracy in Nepal. The rally was organized by Nepalese Forum for Human Rights and People’s Democracy (NEHURIPD), Australia.

Addressing the rally, president of the Forum Ramesh Pandey and member Dhruba Subedi said expat Nepalis and friends of Nepal stood together in Nepali people’s fight for democracy.

In Brussels, members of Nepali diaspora and European civil society groups took part in a demonstration in front of the European Union headquarters calling for restoration of peace, democracy and human rights in Nepal. At the end of the demo, a declaration was read aloud and handed over to James Moran, acting director for Asia, European Commission.

Earlier in the day, a high-level panel discussion was held in Brussels involving senior EU officials on the Nepal situation. Presenting a report on behalf of Nepali civil society, president of NGO Federation of Nepal, Dr. Arjun Karki, called upon the international community including the EU to extend their support and cooperation for the cause of restoration of democracy and human rights in Nepal.

Rights groups, Forum-Asia and Asian Centre for Human Rights also presented their joint report on Nepal during the programme.

These and other demons in various cities coincided with the completion of the first year of the direct rule of King Gyanendra in Nepal.

Similarly, Nepalis based in the UK organized a demonstration in front of the Royal Nepalese embassy in London Wednesday calling for restoration of peace and democracy in Nepal.