Nepal's Mobile Phones Shut Down - Again

Nepal's government has again shut down the country's two mobile phone networks as it clamps down on political unrest and the Marxist insurgency. Nepal's royalist government has also imposed a curfew after seven political parties said they would defy a ban on protests and organise a rally against the king in the capital calling for the restoration of democracy in the country. Shrish Shumshere Rana, minister for information and communications, confirmed the shutdown and refused to say when the service would be restored.

Landlines had also been cut off - but were later restored.

"This is an ugly attempt by King Gyanendra to suppress legitimate democratic rights with complete disregard for the international community, and it only raises legitimate questions about the future of the monarchy," said Suhas Chakma, of the New Delhi-based Asian Centre for Human Rights.

This is the second time that the government has cut phone lines, the first being last year when King Gyanendra seized power.

The government claims that mobile phones are being used by the violent Marxist insurgents in their terrorist attacks. Quite why they were shut down during the arrests of pro-democracy was not explained, but was doubtless to prevent warnings being sent to those on the governments hit list."

Posted to the site on 23rd January 2006