An appeal is being circulated among international network urging for the immediate release of several activists who are being detained by the Nepalese Government. If you would also like to support this action, please sign this appeal and send a copy to the individuals listed at the end of this appeal.

APPEAL TO RELEASE GOPAL SIWAKOTI 'CHINTAN' AND OTHER POLITICAL DETAINEES

According to reliable information Mr. Gopal Siwakoti 'Chintan', a prominent human rights defender, Executive Director of the Water and Energy Users' Federation Nepal (WAFED), Jury member of the South Asian Court on Trafficked Women, Dhaka 2003 International Convenor of the NGO Forum on ADB, along with dozens of other persons are being kept in detention by Nepalese authorities since they were arrested by police on the 2nd February 2006 from a public meeting in Baneshwor, Nepal.

Based on reliable information, we believe the detainees are being kept in one room at the temporary detention centre, which has no toilet facilities or water. We believe that no formal charges have been filed against Mr. Siwakoti 'Chintan' and the other detainees. However, the Police have served a three month detention order to the detainees, which, we have been informed, they have refused to accept.

NGO Forum on ADB, a network of Civil Society Organisation engage in monitoring the activities of the Asian Development Bank based in Manila, Philippines. Asian Women Human Rights Council are deeply concerned about the continued health and safety of Mr. Siwakoti 'Chintan' and others detained with him. Among other things, we are concerned with the manner of detention without any basic health and sanitation amenities, which is a violation of international civil and political rights.

We are also deeply concerned that Mr. Siwakoti 'Chintan' and others along with him are being detained with no evidence of having committed any crime or misdemeanour or any breach of public peace. Nor have any formal and definitive charges been served against the detainees. Mr. Siwakoti 'Chintan's' detention will severely hinder his professional activities that he is obliged to discharge in his various roles in his organisation WAFED and as the International Convenor of the NGO Forum on ADB.

We, therefore, strongly urge that:

The persons detained, including Mr. Gopal Siwakoti 'Chintan' and many other human rights defenders, journalists, peace workers, party activists and ordinary citizens be immediately and unconditionally released without any harm to enable them to continue their work unhindered.

Yours truly,

1 Hemantha Withanage, Executive Director, NGO Forum on ADB, Philippines
2 Manish Bapna, Bank Information Center, USA.
3 Bruce Rich, Environmental Defense, Washington DC, USA
4 Ulrike Bay, Asienhaus, Germany
5 Jiro Adachi, Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society (JACSES)
6 Zafar Lund Hirrak Development Center Pakistan
7 Andrew Preston FIVAS Foreningen for Internasjonale Vannstudier.Association for International Water Studies Oslo, Norway
8 Gururaja Budhya, Urban Research Centre, India
9 Roy Laifungbum, CORE Manipur, India
10 Shalmali Guttal, Focus on the Global South, India
11 Marnix Becking, Both ENDS; Member International Committee of the NGO Forum on the ADB Nieuwe Keizersgracht 45, 1018VC Amsterdam, The Netherlands
12 Ruth Pune, CELCORE, Member International Committee of the NGO Forum on the ADB, Papua New Guinea.
13 Himanshu Thakkar, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers & People, Delhi, India
14 Mohammad Zakaria, Action aid
15 Mushtaq Gaadi, Pakistan
16 Ashraf Al Alam, Coastal Development Partnership, Khulna, Bangladesh
17 Sanjaii Bhatt, PIRVI, Member International Committee of the NGO Forum on the ADB, New Delhi, ndia
18 Dr. Lars-Olof Persson
19 Noriko Shimizu, Friends of the Earth Japan
20 Philip Gain, Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD) Bangaldesh
21 Bamang Anthony,  ACR, Manipur, India.
22 Kevin Yuk Sin Li, Hong Kong
23 Suranjan Kodithuwakku, Sri Lanka Greemn Movement, Sri Lanka
24 Ravindranath Dabare, Centre for Environmental Justice, Sri Lanka
25 Dilena Pathragoda, Sri Lankan Working Group on trade and IFIs, Sri Lanka.
26 Natalia Abloa,  Bureau of Human Rights and Rule of Law; International Committee of the NGO Forum on the ADB Kyrgyz Republic
27 Ana Maria Nemenzo, Freedome from Debt Coalition, International Committee of the NGO Forum on the ADB, Philippines
28 Arimbi Hereoputri, Debtwatch, International Committee of the NGO Forum on the ADB Indonesia.
29 Charm Tong, Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN)
30 Lasse Bohlin, 59740 Åtvidaberg, Sweden
31 Gunnela Hahn, Folksam KPA Asset Management Östgötagatan 90SE- 106 60 Stockholm, Sweden
32 Nina Ljungquist, M Sc, International coordinator, Coalition Clean Baltic
33 Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives, ARENA (Hong Kong/Seoul)

Please send your signed copy of the appeal to the following:

His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev
Narayanhity Royal Palace, Durbar Marg Kathmandu, NEPAL
Tel: 977 14 413577/227577
Fax: 977 14 227395/ 411955
 
Colonel Pankaj Karki
Officer of Royal Nepal Army Human Rights Cell,
Human Rights Cell, Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, NEPAL
Telefax: + 977 14 245 020/226 292

Laxmi Bahadur Nirala
Attorney General, Office of the Attorney General, Ramshahpath, Kathmandu, NEPAL
Tel: +977 14 262548 (direct line)/262394 (through Personal Assistant)
Fax: +977 14 262582
Email: