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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 801 Introduced in House (IH)]

109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 801

   Expressing support for the restoration of multi-party democracy, 
prevention of Maoist conquest, re-establishment of security, government 
services, exercise of political rights, and respect for human rights in 
                                 Nepal.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 4, 2006

Mr. Walsh submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                  Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
   Expressing support for the restoration of multi-party democracy, 
prevention of Maoist conquest, re-establishment of security, government 
services, exercise of political rights, and respect for human rights in 
                                 Nepal.

Whereas, in February 2005, King Gyanendra of Nepal dismissed the Government of 
        Nepal, arrested dissidents and political opponents, imposed a broad 
        array of restrictions on civil liberties, seriously setting back Nepal's 
        democracy and eroding even further the unity of legitimate political 
        force in opposition to the Maoist insurgency in that country;
Whereas King Gyanendra held local municipal elections on February 8, 2006, a 
        year after he seized direct power, saying the vote will precede the long 
        overdue general elections he has promised to hold by April 2007;
Whereas King Gyanendra claimed the elections to be part of his ``road map'' back 
        to democracy, but most Nepalese believe it was another ploy to tighten 
        his grip on power;
Whereas members of the opposition seven-party alliance made a public appeal to 
        actively boycott the elections and asked the international community not 
        to recognize the results because the King's autocratic regime was, in 
        effect, seizing all the fundamental rights of the Nepalese people by 
        staging an election that was guised as free and fair;
Whereas New Delhi, Washington, Tokyo, and the European Union (EU) each expressed 
        their concern with the King's actions;
Whereas India and the United States suspended the sale of military equipment to 
        Nepal;
Whereas the Maoist insurgency, along with the violence of the security forces, 
        in Nepal has killed approximately 13,000 people since 1996, and the 
        insurgency continues to undermine political stability and prospects for 
        economic development in the country;
Whereas King Gyanendra's inability to subdue the Maoist insurgency and his 
        repression of pro-democratic elements has undermined his legitimacy;
Whereas King Gyanendra has suppressed the peaceful nationwide pro-democracy 
        demonstration originally scheduled for April 6-9, 2006, by imposing a 
        curfew;
Whereas the King's actions demonstrate that the royal government has closed down 
        all doors for dialogue;
Whereas the EU Heads of Mission in Katmandu, Nepal, condemn the ban of protests 
        in large areas of Katmandu and the consequent arrests of many Democratic 
        Party leaders and members of professional and civil society 
        organizations prior to the demonstrations planned for April 6-9, 2006;
Whereas the EU Heads of Mission believe that such actions further aggravate the 
        atmosphere of confrontation in Nepal and are not conducive to 
        constructive dialogue;
Whereas Nepalese security forces have killed fifteen protestors, hundreds of 
        people have been injured, and thousands of people have been arrested 
        during the demonstrations that, for the first time, brought thousands of 
        business people into the streets alongside students and political 
        activists;
Whereas the pro-democracy demonstrations lasted for nearly three weeks;
Whereas King Gyanendra made a speech on April 24, 2006, stating that he will 
        reinstate the parliament in Nepal;
Whereas Nepal's political parties must assume the responsibility to develop a 
        plan toward democracy; and
Whereas the development of a plan for democracy will require the full 
        participation of the political parties to oversee a peaceful political 
        process to implement the will of the Nepalese people: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That--
            (1) the House of Representatives--
                    (A) reiterates its support for the restoration of 
                multi-party democracy in Nepal;
                    (B) condemns the Maoist insurgency in Nepal which 
                has engaged in civilian atrocities;
                    (C) recognizes the difficulties the Royal Nepalese 
                Army (RNA) faces in countering the Maoist threat, but 
                deplores RNA violations of human rights;
                    (D) reiterates its support for reconciliation 
                between King Gyanendra of Nepal and the opposition 
                political parties, and a return to democracy as the 
                only path toward an effective counter-insurgency 
                strategy and the restoration of security, government 
                services, exercise of political rights, and respect for 
                human rights;
                    (E) supports the action to reinstate parliament and 
                urges him to give the political parties the authority 
                to hold elections for a constituent assembly that would 
                write a new constitution;
                    (F) regrets the loss of life and injuries that 
                occurred during the nearly three weeks of pro-democracy 
                demonstrations; and
                    (G) urges the Government of Nepal and the political 
                parties to provide the necessary food, medical care, 
                and infrastructure necessary to rebuild the country; 
                and
            (2) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that 
        King Gyanendra should--
                    (A) restore a multi-party democracy;
                    (B) prevent a Maoist takeover of Nepal; and
                    (C) restore security, government services, exercise 
                of political rights, and respect for human rights.
                                 <all>
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