Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-06-13-Speech-4-234"
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"en.20020613.12.4-234"2
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"Mr President, the renewed escalation of violence in Nepal gives cause for concern and puts the stability of the entire region at risk. When the Maoist rebels attacked the Nepalganj army camp at the end of May, over 100 of them were killed, as were many soldiers. The number killed since the conflict broke out six years ago has risen to 3 500.
Despite international appeals for peace, there is no sign of the violence coming to an end. What is worse is that families in Kathmandu and western Nepal – with whom I have had contact for years and whom I visit regularly – tell me that the fighting is getting more intense from day to day. The rebels are destroying specific infrastructure targets, cutting off the public's supply of electricity, and murdering both police officers – who are poorly trained – and government officials in the provinces.
The overwhelming majority of the Nepalese people are still backing the monarchy and supporting King Gyanendra, who has substantially gained authority in the past few difficult months. He has dissolved Parliament early at the request of the Prime Minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba, and called new elections for 13 November this year. He has appealed to all sections of the population to turn out to vote in large numbers and thereby unambiguously declare their support for democracy and play their part in bringing about internal stability.
The European Union is supporting Nepal to the tune of some EUR 15 million, and quite rightly so. I speak on behalf of the Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) and European Democrats when I say that it should send independent observers to see that these November elections are fair and free and that the secrecy of the ballot is maintained.
Commissioner, the European Union should definitely be willing to act as a mediator in this conflict, should it be asked to do so. Quite apart from that, there must be no let-up in the efforts to make use of every opportunity for negotiations between the parties that presents itself. We are also looking to see a proper trial for Krishna Sen, imprisoned on suspicion of leading guerrilla operations, and for four other suspected members of the banned Communist Party.
I know Nepal very well – it is one of the poorest countries in the world, but also one of the most fascinating. Its principal source of income is tourism, and of that it is currently deprived. Why? It is because of the lack of security in this beautiful part of the Himalayas that thousands of foreign visitors are choosing not to travel to Nepal.
As much as they need the state's internal affairs to be well ordered, Nepal's people need even more sustainable interventions, economic and structural reforms in all parts of the country, if they are at last to emerge from poverty, which is one of the essential causes of violence."@en1
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