Expressing support for the restoration of multi-party democracy, prevention of Maoist conquest, re-establishment of security, government services, exercise of political rights, and respect for human rights in Nepal.

        [Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 801 Introduced in House (IH)]

109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 801

Expressing support for the restoration of multi-party democracy,
prevention of Maoist conquest, re-establishment of security, government
services, exercise of political rights, and respect for human rights in
Nepal.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 4, 2006

Mr. Walsh submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

RESOLUTION

Expressing support for the restoration of multi-party democracy,
prevention of Maoist conquest, re-establishment of security, government
services, exercise of political rights, and respect for human rights in
Nepal.

Whereas, in February 2005, King Gyanendra of Nepal dismissed the Government of
Nepal, arrested dissidents and political opponents, imposed a broad
array of restrictions on civil liberties, seriously setting back Nepal's
democracy and eroding even further the unity of legitimate political
force in opposition to the Maoist insurgency in that country;
Whereas King Gyanendra held local municipal elections on February 8, 2006, a
year after he seized direct power, saying the vote will precede the long
overdue general elections he has promised to hold by April 2007;
Whereas King Gyanendra claimed the elections to be part of his ``road map'' back
to democracy, but most Nepalese believe it was another ploy to tighten
his grip on power;
Whereas members of the opposition seven-party alliance made a public appeal to
actively boycott the elections and asked the international community not
to recognize the results because the King's autocratic regime was, in
effect, seizing all the fundamental rights of the Nepalese people by
staging an election that was guised as free and fair;
Whereas New Delhi, Washington, Tokyo, and the European Union (EU) each expressed
their concern with the King's actions;
Whereas India and the United States suspended the sale of military equipment to
Nepal;
Whereas the Maoist insurgency, along with the violence of the security forces,
in Nepal has killed approximately 13,000 people since 1996, and the
insurgency continues to undermine political stability and prospects for
economic development in the country;
Whereas King Gyanendra's inability to subdue the Maoist insurgency and his
repression of pro-democratic elements has undermined his legitimacy;
Whereas King Gyanendra has suppressed the peaceful nationwide pro-democracy
demonstration originally scheduled for April 6-9, 2006, by imposing a
curfew;
Whereas the King's actions demonstrate that the royal government has closed down
all doors for dialogue;
Whereas the EU Heads of Mission in Katmandu, Nepal, condemn the ban of protests
in large areas of Katmandu and the consequent arrests of many Democratic
Party leaders and members of professional and civil society
organizations prior to the demonstrations planned for April 6-9, 2006;
Whereas the EU Heads of Mission believe that such actions further aggravate the
atmosphere of confrontation in Nepal and are not conducive to
constructive dialogue;
Whereas Nepalese security forces have killed fifteen protestors, hundreds of
people have been injured, and thousands of people have been arrested
during the demonstrations that, for the first time, brought thousands of
business people into the streets alongside students and political
activists;
Whereas the pro-democracy demonstrations lasted for nearly three weeks;
Whereas King Gyanendra made a speech on April 24, 2006, stating that he will
reinstate the parliament in Nepal;
Whereas Nepal's political parties must assume the responsibility to develop a
plan toward democracy; and
Whereas the development of a plan for democracy will require the full
participation of the political parties to oversee a peaceful political
process to implement the will of the Nepalese people: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That--
(1) the House of Representatives--
(A) reiterates its support for the restoration of
multi-party democracy in Nepal;
(B) condemns the Maoist insurgency in Nepal which
has engaged in civilian atrocities;
(C) recognizes the difficulties the Royal Nepalese
Army (RNA) faces in countering the Maoist threat, but
deplores RNA violations of human rights;
(D) reiterates its support for reconciliation
between King Gyanendra of Nepal and the opposition
political parties, and a return to democracy as the
only path toward an effective counter-insurgency
strategy and the restoration of security, government
services, exercise of political rights, and respect for
human rights;
(E) supports the action to reinstate parliament and
urges him to give the political parties the authority
to hold elections for a constituent assembly that would
write a new constitution;
(F) regrets the loss of life and injuries that
occurred during the nearly three weeks of pro-democracy
demonstrations; and
(G) urges the Government of Nepal and the political
parties to provide the necessary food, medical care,
and infrastructure necessary to rebuild the country;
and
(2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that
King Gyanendra should--
(A) restore a multi-party democracy;
(B) prevent a Maoist takeover of Nepal; and
(C) restore security, government services, exercise
of political rights, and respect for human rights.
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