On 18 May the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on the Nepalese government to “protect Tibetan refugees in transit to India, and end the suspension of exit permits without delay”.
The resolution, which focuses on recent political developments in Nepal, criticizes the Nepalese government’s decision to suspend issuing exit permits to Tibetan refugees for their onward travel to India since November 2005, stating that this has “left hundreds of Tibetans stranded in Nepal, and has exacerbated severe overcrowding” at the Refugee Reception Center in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu.
Texts adopted by Parliament
Thursday 18 May 2006 – Strasbourg
European Parliament resolution on Nepal
The European Parliament ,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on Nepal,
– having regard to the public hearing on the situation in Nepal held by the Subcommittee on Human Rights of its Committee on
Foreign Affairs held on 20 February 2006,
– having regard to the support of the Commission, as expressed on 3 January 2006, for the restoration of peace and
democracy in Nepal,
– having regard to the Declaration of 4 May 2006 by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union concerning developments
in Nepal,
– having regard to Rule 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas on 1 February 2005 King Gyanendra, in an unconstitutional act, dismissed the government, assumed direct power
and declared a state of emergency,
B. whereas violently repressed pro-democracy and peace rallies finally forced the King to abandon de facto military rule on 24
April 2006, to reinstate parliament, and to hand over the administration to a multi-party government formed by the seven-party
alliance,
C. whereas it is hoped that the return to democracy will mean the end of a civil war which has lasted for 10 years and has cost
over 13 000 lives,
D. whereas the excessive action of the security forces drew heavy criticism from the international community, including the EU
and the UN, since many people were killed during the protests and hundreds were injured and arrested,
E. whereas the new multi-party government of Nepal, chaired by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, has announced that it
will hold peace talks, thus responding positively to the ceasefire offer by the CPN-M (Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists), which
the King had earlier rejected,
F. whereas the reinstated House of Representatives has placed itself in line with the 12-point agreement reached between the
seven-party alliance and the Maoists in November 2005, including holding constituent assembly elections for drafting a new
constitution,
G. whereas the new government annulled the municipal elections conducted by the previous government on 8 February 2006,
arrested five former royal government ministers, including the home and foreign ministers and the government’s most visible
spokesman; whereas the new government has also appointed a judicial commission to investigate charges of excessive use of
force by State security forces against the demonstrators and suspended the heads of three security forces on charges of
excessive use of force and human rights violations in suppressing the pro-democracy movement in Nepal,
H. whereas the government has repealed 6 of 19 of the King’s laws on media freedom, land reform and aid groups,
I. whereas the most fundamental rights of children are being violated routinely in Nepal and the EU has condemned Nepal’s
Maoist rebels for using children as soldiers,
J. whereas the government’s decision from November 2005 to suspend issuing exit permits to Tibetan refugees for their
onward travel to India has left hundreds of Tibetans stranded in Nepal, and has exacerbated severe overcrowding at a shelter
for Tibetans in Kathmandu,
1. Strongly welcomes Nepal’s return to democratic rule, which was achieved thanks to the engagement of millions of citizens in
a people’s movement;
2. Conveys its deepest sympathy to the families of all who have lost their lives or have been seriously injured during the
protests;
3. Welcomes recent developments in Nepal encouraging a return to political stability, including:
– the restoration of parliament;
– the establishment of an interim government on 2 May 2006 and the initiative to set up a Constituent Assembly to draft a
new Constitution;
– the announcement of a unilateral three-month ceasefire;
– the reaffirmed commitment from the seven-party alliance and the Maoists to the 12-point peace agreement of November
2005;
4. Believes that the restoration of the sovereignty of the parliament’s democratic authorities is only a first step towards real
peace and a lasting democracy, and that substantial progress needs to be made in a number of areas in order to consolidate
the situation:
– democratic control of the Royal Nepalese Army and local militia to end the human rights abuses;
– addressing the root causes of the conflict and ensuring that there is greater economic prosperity and a better
redistribution of wealth for all throughout the country;
– respect for minority rights;
– the necessary devolution of power to the regional and local levels;
– a more representative electoral system;
5. Welcomes the three months’ ceasefire announced by the Maoists and encourages them to go further, to permanently
renounce violence and to return to the political arena;
6. Calls for parliamentary elections to be held at an early stage, and suggests an EU election observation mission; in the
meantime, calls for the sending of an ad hoc European Parliament delegation to assess the situation and to conduct talks with
all relevant forces;
7. Is deeply concerned about alleged extrajudicial killings, widespread torture, impunity and other human rights violations
committed by both sides; calls on the Nepalese government and other parties to the conflict to do all in their power to ensure full
and transparent investigations of human rights violations, including unresolved cases of forced disappearances, and insists that
adequate sentencing of those convicted will be essential for the re-establishment of social peace;
8. Stresses that all restrictions on media freedom should be lifted immediately, and that all political prisoners, including
journalists and human rights activists, should be released;
9. Welcomes the fact that the government has already repealed a number of controversial royal ordinances curbing press
freedom and controlling non-governmental organisations;
10. Reiterates its support for the UN Office of Human Rights in Nepal, established since April 2005, which must continue to
carefully monitor the human rights situation;
11. Supports Nepal’s new government’s decision to freeze the previous administration’s purchase of military planes and
weapons and the recruitment of soldiers, and calls on the Council and the Member States to continue the freeze on all military
aid;
12. Calls on the international community to establish a Contact Group, to be made up of Nepal’s key partners and international
organisations (the EU, the US, India and the UN), to provide coordinated international action with regard to Nepal; proposes that
the European Parliament appoint a special rapporteur to monitor the situation;
13. Calls on the Council, the Commission and the Member States to support the peace process by:
– assisting all armed groups to demobilise and disarm;
– using development and humanitarian assistance to consolidate peace and economic development;
– sending human rights observers;
– encouraging international financial institutions to give priority to macro-economic stability and transparency, rather than
forcing ambitious economic reform proposals on a fragile democracy;
14. Urges the Council and the Commission to work closely with the UN and other members of the international community to
support the Nepalese Government on the road to democracy;
15. Calls on the Council and Commission to offer further technical, logistical and financial assistance to Nepal, including
practical planning for a ceasefire monitoring mission in cooperation with other donors, should this be requested by Nepal;
16. Calls on the Council to consider appointing a Special Representative for Nepal; his or her role would be to encourage
greater political engagement in Nepal on the part of the EU and to sharpen its political analysis and level of understanding
during the delicate transition;
17. Calls again for a follow-up to the 2002 London International Conference, to be organised by the Contact Group of key
partners, which should set out the principles and values needed to underpin a peace process in Nepal; welcomes the plan of
Nepali civil society activists to start the process by organising their own conference in Kathmandu this coming year;
18. Calls on the Nepalese government to protect Tibetan refugees in transit to India, and end the suspension of exit permits
without delay;
19. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments of the Member States,
the Commission, the interim government of Nepal, King Gyanendra, the governments of India and the other Member States of
the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, the UN Secretary-General, and the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights.
You can read the full text of the resolution in pdf here.
