Sept. 16: Rally for the Restoration of Democracy, Civil Liberties and Human Rights in Nepal

(A Nepali school boy walks home while police stand guard in the capital Kathmandu Sept.13, 2005. Nepali police used water cannons to break up pro-democracy rallies in Kathmandu on Tuesday and detained more than 250 activists protesting against King Gyanendra's decision to seize power earlier this year. Police said 258 activists were detained for defying the ban on protests in the city centre and three others were injured. But protest organisers said 500 had been detained. Anti-king rallies have increased in Kathmandu since last week, forcing businesses in the main trading district to close and disrupting traffic.)

Sept.16, 12:00 Noon

CAMPAIGN FOR THE RESTORATION OF DEMOCRACY, CIVIL LIBERTIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS
IN NEPAL

Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
47th Street & First Avenue,
(In front of the United Nations Headquarters)

On Feb. 1, 2005, King Gyanendra turned the clock back on Nepal's democracy and instituted a total authoritarian rule in Nepal for the second time in less than three years. The international community, including the U.S., UK, EU, India and others has strongly condemned King Gyanendra's undemocratic, unconstitutional and ill-advised actions. King Gyanendra, on the other hand, continues to ignore the wishes of the Nepali people and the friends of Nepal. Instead, he has not missed any opportunity to go to international forums to justify his unconstitutional acts. Once again, King Gyanendra is likely to use the UN platform to defend his authoritarian rule in Nepal when he attends the 2005 World Summit. The Summit, the largest ever of its kind to be held from Sept. 14-16 at the UN Headquarters in New York, is expected to bring together over 170 Heads of States and Governments.

As you may be aware, the May 15, 2005 Washington, DC Rally for Democracy in Nepal unquestionably had a lasting positive impact on our struggle for democracy, civil liberties, and human rights in Nepal. Once again, the Nepali Diaspora of North America is organizing a massive protest rally to send a clear message to King Gyanendra that marginalizing mainstream political parties is counter-productive; to garner sustained international pressure on the Nepali King for immediate return to multi-party democracy; and to express the Nepali Diaspora's solidarity with the on-going democratic movements in Nepal. We call upon all freedom and democracy loving people to come and support our campaign!

For more information

(photo: REUTERS/Gopal Chitrakar)