- News>
- Asia
Nepal threatens life-term for terrorists
A day after the king declared a state of emergency to fight a Maoist insurgency, the government issued a notice on Tuesday threatening life in prison for anyone involved in terrorism.
A day after the king declared a state of emergency to fight a Maoist insurgency, the government issued a notice on Tuesday threatening life in prison for anyone involved in terrorism.
"Under the ordinance issued, those involved in acts of terrorism or those helping these people would be punished with life imprisonment," the notice said.
On Monday, King Gyanendra declared a state of emergency suspending civil rights and allowing the use of the military against Maoists rebels who killed at least 76 soldiers, policemen and government officials over the weekend.
Previously the military was limited to defending Nepal from foreign attack, and police were used to fight the rebels. Now the army can use force if it suspects anyone of involvement in acts of terror, the notice said. The emergency measures also restricted press freedom and suspended the right to information and property and the right to privacy.
Under Tuesday's notice, any suspect can be arrested without a warrant and detained for 90 days without framing charges and no court order would be needed to search anyone's home or property.
People found involved in extortion or threatening life and property would be considered terrorists and would be punished under the new law, the notice warned. After the ordinance was issued, police detained about a dozen journalists working for newspapers sympathetic to the Maoist rebels. Police put locks to offices of Jandishan Daily and Deshaboth, a monthly newspaper, described as the rebels' mouthpiece.
However, all airports remained open, flights are taking off on schedule and government offices are functioning as normal. Businesses and schools were also open.
King Gyanendra acted on Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's recommendation to use the army for the first time to hunt down Maoist rebels, fighting since 1996 to abolish the monarchy and establish a socialist republic in Nepal.
Deuba's Cabinet favoured a state of emergency after a devastating rebel attack on Sunday night killed 34 soldiers, policemen and officials in Solukhumbu village, 200 kilometres northeast of Kathmandu, Nepal's capital. The government said its forces repulsed the attack and killed at least 60 rebels.
The total number of security force personnel and government officials killed has climbed to 76 since Friday, when the rebels broke a four-month cease-fire and launched attacks across Nepal.
The government supports the constitutional monarchy with the king as the ceremonial head of the state. The present system was adopted in 1990, after a democratic movement toppled the absolute monarchy.
Thousands of guerrillas led by rebel commander Prachanda - whose real name is Pushpa Kumar Dahal - have waged the insurgency in remote mountainous areas. The six-year campaign has claimed nearly 2,000 lives.
Bureau Report
"Under the ordinance issued, those involved in acts of terrorism or those helping these people would be punished with life imprisonment," the notice said.
On Monday, King Gyanendra declared a state of emergency suspending civil rights and allowing the use of the military against Maoists rebels who killed at least 76 soldiers, policemen and government officials over the weekend.
Previously the military was limited to defending Nepal from foreign attack, and police were used to fight the rebels. Now the army can use force if it suspects anyone of involvement in acts of terror, the notice said. The emergency measures also restricted press freedom and suspended the right to information and property and the right to privacy.
Under Tuesday's notice, any suspect can be arrested without a warrant and detained for 90 days without framing charges and no court order would be needed to search anyone's home or property.
People found involved in extortion or threatening life and property would be considered terrorists and would be punished under the new law, the notice warned. After the ordinance was issued, police detained about a dozen journalists working for newspapers sympathetic to the Maoist rebels. Police put locks to offices of Jandishan Daily and Deshaboth, a monthly newspaper, described as the rebels' mouthpiece.
However, all airports remained open, flights are taking off on schedule and government offices are functioning as normal. Businesses and schools were also open.
King Gyanendra acted on Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's recommendation to use the army for the first time to hunt down Maoist rebels, fighting since 1996 to abolish the monarchy and establish a socialist republic in Nepal.
Deuba's Cabinet favoured a state of emergency after a devastating rebel attack on Sunday night killed 34 soldiers, policemen and officials in Solukhumbu village, 200 kilometres northeast of Kathmandu, Nepal's capital. The government said its forces repulsed the attack and killed at least 60 rebels.
The total number of security force personnel and government officials killed has climbed to 76 since Friday, when the rebels broke a four-month cease-fire and launched attacks across Nepal.
The government supports the constitutional monarchy with the king as the ceremonial head of the state. The present system was adopted in 1990, after a democratic movement toppled the absolute monarchy.
Thousands of guerrillas led by rebel commander Prachanda - whose real name is Pushpa Kumar Dahal - have waged the insurgency in remote mountainous areas. The six-year campaign has claimed nearly 2,000 lives.
Bureau Report