EI is very concerned about the rising instability in Nepal, where citizens are the victims of repression against Maoist opponents and supporters of democracy. Since 6 Apr, Nepalese citizens have been rallying peacefully everywhere in the country to call for the return to democratic governance, but the excessive use of force by the government to quell the demonstrations has led to at least six people being killed, hundreds of people injured and thousands of protesters arrested.
While 250 teachers who joined pro-democracy rallies are reported to have been arrested in the town of Pokhara, 200 km west of Kathmandu, EI affiliates (the Nepal National Teachers’ Association (NNTA) and the Nepal Teachers’ Association (NTA), which also function under the umbrella of the Teachers’ Union of Nepal (TUN), have also reported the arrests of 20 teachers and union officials: Mr. Keshev Prasad Bhattrai, TUN President; Mr. Chunni Saran Yadav, TUN Vice President; Mr. Mohan Gnwali, NTA President; Mr. Prem Singh Bohara, NTA Vice President; Mr. Madhu Timalsina, NNTA Secretary; Mrs. Kamala Tuladhar, teacher and NNTA member; Mr. Yubaraj Neupane, NTA member; Mr. Ramsaran Ghimire, NNTA member; Mrs. Sabitri Bogati, teacher; Mrs Sita Ojha, teacher; Mr. Kedar Lamichhane, teacher; Mr.Badri Khanal, teacher; Mr.Narayan Datta Paudel, teacher; Mrs. Bishnu Pandey, teacher; Mr.Dilli Sharma, teacher; Mr. Hari Bahadur Thapa, teacher; Mr. Krishna Paudel, teacher; Mr. Bhimsen Khatri, teacher; Mr. Narayan Nepal, teacher, and Mr. Laxmi Kishor Subedi, teacher. EI strongly condemns such blatant violations of human rights and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all the trade union officials, activists and teachers currently being detained. EI will continue to liaise with its affiliates in Nepal and with the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and other Global Union Federations active in the country about possible actions to help restore fundamental human rights and freedoms in Nepal.