Death toll mounts in Nepal civil conflict
{{date|April 12, 2005}}

As many as 116 [[w:Nepal|Nepalis]] have been killed in recent confrontations between [[w:Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)|Maoist]] guerrillas and government troops, according to recent estimates from multiple sources, including India's ''The Hindu''.

Approximately 113 bodies of Maoist rebels were recovered following a fierce battle between guerrillas and government security forces three days ago. The clash took place 550 kilometers west of Nepal's capital Kathmandu, when rebels attacked an outpost of the Royal Nepalese Army. Three government troops were killed.

Nepal's King [[w:Gyanendra of Nepal|Gyanendra]] seized power on February 1 for the second time, in what he described as a necessary act to prevent the country from falling to the insurgents.  Gyanendra has promised that peace and democratic institutions would be restored within three years; however, he has currently suspended many civil liberties, arrested demonstrators, and used armed soldiers to censor the news media.

Nepal's army is under international scrutiny for potential violations of human rights, and some nations including India and the United Kingdom have suspended aid.  The United States is considering revoking its military aid unless the government's emergency regulations are ended.

The United Nations will be sending human rights observers into the country per an agreement signed Monday by Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Ramesh Nath Pandey, Nepalese Foreign Minister.  "Breaking the cycle of serious and systematic abuses [by both the government and rebels] will be the first essential step toward achieving peace and reconciliation in Nepal," said Arbour.

As the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' has reported, the rebels have brought about the brutal deaths of countless villagers, causing terror throughout Nepal.  More than 11,000 deaths are believed to have been caused during 9 years of violent conflict.

An army commander interviewed by the ''Chronicle'' stated, "We are winning this war," against the rebels. Reflecting on his statement, he immediately retracted this, declaring, "Nobody is winning," he says. "We are killing Nepalese, and they are killing Nepalese."

{{haveyoursay}}
== Related news ==
* {{wikinews|title=Hundreds arrested following pro-democratic rally in Nepal
|date=April 8, 2005}}

== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080&sid=aG5Lt5ptbpdI&refer=asia
 |title=Nepal Allows UN to Monitor Human Rights Abuses in Insurgency
 |pub=Bloomberg
 |author=Paul Tighe
 |date=April 12, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=13922&Cr=Nepal&Cr1=
 |title=UN sets up human rights office in Nepal to fight abuses by all sides in conflict
 |pub=UN News Centre
 |author=
 |date=April 11, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200504102191.htm
 |title=Maoist toll in western Nepal clash climbs to 113
 |pub=The Hindu
 |author=Press Trust of India (PTI)
 |date=April 10, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/04/10/INGQEBP75824.DTL
 |title=Nepal's uncivil war
 |pub=San Francisco Chronicle
 |author=Mike McPhate
 |date=April 10, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4233729.stm
 |title= Nepal's king acts against dissent
 |pub=BBC News
 |author=
 |date=February 3, 2005}}

== External links ==
*{{source|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3216,36-637511@51-627437,0.html
|title=Combats entre maoïstes et armée népalaise : 113 morts, selon un nouveau bilan
|pub=Le Monde
|author=
|date=April 10, 2005}}

{{publish}}
{{archived}}

[[Category:Asia]]
[[Category:Nepal]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:United Nations]]

[[pl:Starcia w Nepalu - zginęło 116 osób]]
[[pt:Centenas de mortos em conflitos no Nepal]]
As many as 116 Nepalis have been killed in recent confrontations between Maoist guerrillas and government troops, according to recent estimates from multiple sources, including India's The Hindu.

Approximately 113 bodies of Maoist rebels were recovered following a fierce battle between guerrillas and government security forces three days ago. The clash took place 550 kilometers west of Nepal's capital Kathmandu, when rebels attacked an outpost of the Royal Nepalese Army. Three government troops were killed.

Nepal's King Gyanendra seized power on February 1 for the second time, in what he described as a necessary act to prevent the country from falling to the insurgents.  Gyanendra has promised that peace and democratic institutions would be restored within three years; however, he has currently suspended many civil liberties, arrested demonstrators, and used armed soldiers to censor the news media.

Nepal's army is under international scrutiny for potential violations of human rights, and some nations including India and the United Kingdom have suspended aid.  The United States is considering revoking its military aid unless the government's emergency regulations are ended.

The United Nations will be sending human rights observers into the country per an agreement signed Monday by Louise Arbour, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Ramesh Nath Pandey, Nepalese Foreign Minister.  "Breaking the cycle of serious and systematic abuses by both the government and rebels will be the first essential step toward achieving peace and reconciliation in Nepal," said Arbour.

As the San Francisco Chronicle has reported, the rebels have brought about the brutal deaths of countless villagers, causing terror throughout Nepal.  More than 11,000 deaths are believed to have been caused during 9 years of violent conflict.

An army commander interviewed by the Chronicle stated, "We are winning this war," against the rebels. Reflecting on his statement, he immediately retracted this, declaring, "Nobody is winning," he says. "We are killing Nepalese, and they are killing Nepalese."


pl:Starcia w Nepalu - zginęło 116 osób
Centenas de mortos em conflitos no Nepal
Asia Nepal Politics and conflicts United Nations