UN AND DONORS SAYS NEPAL IS CLOSE TO HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

Agence France Presse -- English
March 18, 2005

KATHMANDU: Nepal is nearing a humanitarian crisis, the United Nations and donor agencies warned Friday, urging security forces and Maoist rebels not to block vital aid and to protect civilians.

"The United Nations and bilateral donor agencies in Nepal urge all parties to ensure that movement of supplies and vehicles intended to alleviate the suffering of civilian populations are not restricted," they said in a joint statement issued here.

Reminding the warring parties of their duty to protect civilians caught up in the conflict, the statement said: "Every effort should be made to ensure that civilians have access to essential humanitarian supplies and that medical emergencies are given free passage at all times.

"Insecurity, armed activity and Maoist blockades are pushing Nepal towards the abyss of a humanitarian crisis," it warned.

The Maoists have since 1996 waged an increasingly bloody struggle to overthrow the monarchy and instal a communist republic in the world's only Hindu kingdom.

King Gyanendra, who sacked the government and seized power on February 1, said he was acting to end the rebellion which has cost more than 11,000 lives.

The power grab, which has been widely condemned internationally, spurred the rebels into intensifying their activities. A transport blockade called by the Maoists last month reduced the traffic to a trickle for two weeks.

A second blockade which began on Monday, however, has been largely ignored, with police reporting normal traffic flows.

"Children are especially threatened: supplies of vaccines, Vitamin A capsules, deworming tablets and essential drugs must reach rural areas over the coming months to prevent wholly avoidable deaths," Friday's joint statement said.

"Within the past few weeks, there have been credible reports of women dying in childbirth because they could not reach medical treatment.

"In addition, there have been incidents throughout Nepal of humanitarian and development activities being restricted, stopped or threatened by parties to the conflict," it said.

The joint statement was issued by 11 foreign missions and donor agencies including the Canadian International Development Agency, Danish International Development Agency, Britain's Department for International Development, the UN in Nepal, German Technical Cooperation, USAID/Nepal and the Finnish and Norwegian embassies.

"Common Article of the Geneva Conventions says that civilians shall in all circumstances be treated humanely and not be subject to violence towards life and persons or other cruel treatment," it said.

"The conflict in Nepal has impacted significantly on some of the poorest and most marginalized people in the country. It is the duty of those who are in a position to control civilians to ensure their safety and their rights."

The statement said there was "particular concern" for 100,000 Bhutanese refugees in the southeast of Nepal who depend on the regular arrival of relief supplies.

The Bhutanese of Nepalese descent have been living in the camps since 1990 after they were driven out of their homeland by Bhutan's rulers.