Kathmandu, September 21, 2005

Legal experts said today that vice-chairman of the council of ministers Dr Tulsi Giri spoke the King’s mind while addressing a gathering of nominated chairmen and vice-chairmen of district development committees in Biratnagar on Monday. “Giri has spoken the mind of the King, who does not believe in democracy,” former Justice of the Supreme Court and one the drafters of the 1990 constitution Laxman Prasad Aryal said at the Reporters Club. President of the Nepal Bar Association Shambhu Thapa challenged the vice chairman to open a “rebellious” party if he did not abide by the constitution. A person who holds a post not recognised by the constitution and receives taxpayers’ money has no right to make such comment on the constitution, he said. Noted advocate Subhash Chandra Nembang said, “The way Giri is spiting venom against the constitution it is an expression of defeated mentality of the council of ministers, which has been totally isolated from the world.” Director of Informal Sector Service Centre Subodh Pyakurel said the King should take moral responsibility for the statement made by his appointee. However, senior advocate Kunja Bihari Prasad Singh said Giri’s statement did not reflect the institutional views of the government and that he was misinterpreted by the media.

Women protesters accuse cops of sexual molestation

Kathmandu, September 21, 2005

Women leaders affiliated to various political parties today related horrible stories of sexual molestation they had to undergo during their arrest and under police detention after they were arrested from a prodemocracy rally yesterday. The demonstrators were bitten, beaten up and poked batons at their sensitive organs, they said at a press conference jointly organised by various women’s organisations that took part in the demonstration. Former minister and UML leader Ashta Laxmi Shakya said the cops — male and female — crossed all the limits of humanity while dealing with the women demonstrators. She had sustained injury near her eyes during the police operation. “The inhumane molestation showed us one more face of the government. But the government should understand that oppression only ignites more protests,” she said. She also said some cops poked batons at the women’s sensitive organs. “Some have even marks of brutal biting and pinching. Many of us sustained injuries at such sensitive parts of our body that we cannot show you here,” she said. “It is heinous, brutal and beyond the imagination of any civilised person,” Shakya added. Asha Chaturbedi, the chairperson of Mahila Manch of NSP (Anandi Devi), said one of her members, Umila Pande, who had gone caesarean operation was beaten so badly that she started bleeding and got fainted.