Global rights groups call for sanctions against King

Kathmandu, Apr 19: Three leading human rights groups have jointly called on the international community to impose targeted sanctions against Nepal King Gyanendra, Vice-Chairman Dr Tulsi Giri, three ministers and the heads of the security agencies.

Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Internatigonal Commission of Jurists (ICJ) have urged the UN Security Council to put human rights crisis in Nepal on its agenda and impose a global regime of targeted sanctions on the king, Dr Giri, ministers Kamal Thapa, Niranjan Thapa, Shris SJB Rana army chief Pyar Jung Thapa, police chief Shyam Bhakta Thapa and Armed Police Chief Sahabir Thapa.

Heads of the three human rights watchdog have urged the international community to prohibit the entry of the king, and the said persons to other countries.

They also urged the international community to freeze the personal assets of these people, in view of their role in ''setting or implementing abusive policies''.

''The human cost of the conflict in Nepal has been catastrophic: people have been killed or 'disappeared', women attacked and raped, children abducted to fight as soldiers, and critics of the regime have been locked up,'' Amnesty International's Secretary General, Irene Khan said.

''King Gyanendra's government seems impervious to the suffering of the people. The international community must now apply pressure through targeted sanctions that will have a direct impact on the King and his comrades.'' Similarly, ICJ Secretary General Nicholas Howen said, ''By sweeping away democracy and stifling legitimate protest and dissent, the King is denying his people the democratic space they need to decide their future and to resolve the conflict peacefully.

It is time for the international community to step up its response.

UNI

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