Ministry Of Defence Minute On Gifting Of Military Equipment To Nepal

EDM number 298 in 2005-06, proposed by Clare Short on 09/06/2005.

That this House objects to the proposal in the Ministry of Defence minute of 25th May concerning the gifting of non-lethal military equipment to the Government of Nepal; notes with concern that Ministers state that this decision has been made because there have been recent positive developments when in fact the King's ending of the state of emergency, release of some political prisoners and agreement to UN Human Rights monitoring is widely seen as a tactical ploy as the King manoeuvres to prevent the restoration of democracy and to retain absolute power; further notes that the fundamental rights of the Nepali people remain suspended, the King retains absolute powers, the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Ordinance allowing up to one year incommunicado detention remains in effect, journalists, academics, lawyers and human rights workers are denied freedom of movement, curbs on media freedom are in place and the International Committee of the Red Cross has announced that it has suspended visits to Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) barracks because of the failure of the army to comply with the terms of their agreement; requests the Government to reconsider its proposal to start a process of supply of equipment when this is being interpreted as support for the King who has suspended democracy and the rule of law and for the RNA who are responsible for terrible abuses of human rights; and believes that the Government should consider how the UK can provide support for the call for the restoration of Parliament and an all party government in Nepal.

This motion has been signed by a total of 52 MPs.