In a shocking incident the well-known Nepalese child rights and human rights activist, Gauri Pradhan, was arrested yesterday at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu as the Nepalese establishment continued its crackdown on political leaders and members of civil society. Gauri Pradhan is currently the Regional Coordinator, South Asia, of the Global March Against Child Labour. Pradhan was returning to Nepal after attending meetings of the Global March International Council in The Hague and the United Nations' Committee on Child Rights in Geneva. Significantly, Pradhan had been out of the country since much before 30 th January 2005, the day when King Gyanendra dissolved the government and declared a State of Emergency. His unjustified arrest is another example of the intolerance and high-handed policies of the Nepalese establishment, which continues to flout civil liberties in the face of growing international pressure.
Gauri Pradhan's fight against child labour exploitation started from 1987 with the initiation and establishment of Child Workers In Nepal (CWIN) concerned center, which is the pioneer child rights organization in Nepal. He has been the president of Alliance for Human Right and Social Justice (Alliance-Nepal). Since 1987, Mr. Pradhan has been leading CWIN with a mission to work for children with the children themselves as advocates with special emphasis on community link, networking and support service to promote and protect the rights of children in general and the rights of children at risk in particular.
This current situation in Nepal is worst affecting the children. Many of their parents have been arrested on similar grounds, schools and colleges remain closed and there is a feeling of tremendous insecurity among these children. It is in the best interest of these children that multi party democracy be returned to Nepal at the earliest.
It is indeed ironic that Pradhan's arrest comes as Nepal is observing Democracy Day, and is testimony to the deteriorating situation in the Himalayan Kingdom. The Global March strongly condemns this unjust action and has sent off a protest letter to King Gyanendra and the Nepalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Home Ministry.
To express your solidarity & to protest write to:
Ministry Of Foreign Affairs,
Shital Niwas, Maharajgunj,
Kathmandu, Nepal.
Phone no: 00 977 1 4 416001, 00 977 1 4 416015
Fax: 00 977 1 4 416016
Email: mofa@mos.com.np
Home Ministry,
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Phone no: 00 977 1 4 228529, 00 977 1 4 224739
Fax: 00 977 1 4 240942
Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
Info@pmo.gov.np
