The Kathmandu Valley a "crisis zone". People’s civil rights in danger
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - For a year all three districts of Kathmandu valley will be delimited a "crisis zone". This was announced yesterday the Government of Nepal, who hopes to speed up the reconstruction of properties damaged or destroyed by the "Great Earthquake" of 25 April.
The affected areas are Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and Kathmandu, the capital. The decision, however, worries local and foreign human rights activists, who fear they will be restricted in their actions in support of the survivors.
Minendra Rijal, Minister for Information and Communications and government spokesman, explained that the decision was made based on the 1982 Natural Calamity (Relief) Act. "The implementation of the law - he said – means that some civil rights will be limited in the affected area, and the government may temporarily requisition the property of the population, to begin reconstruction".
Shyam Mainali, former secretary and crisis management expert, criticizes the decision: "It does not only limit peaceful protests, but seriously hampers the democratic rights of the people and the right to demonstrate peacefully."
According to the sect. 3 of the law, the government can declare the status of the crisis zone in an area hit by natural disasters, by publishing a notice in the Official Journal. In the same announcement it must indicate the duration of that status, which can be extended if the situation "has not been brought under control." Natural disasters comprise earthquakes, fires, floods, monsoons, droughts, famine, epidemics or severe industrial accidents.
The government can issue - among others things - the following orders in a crisis zone: closure of government and non-governmental offices, educational institutions, other institutions; prohibition of activities that might cause adverse effects on reconstruction; requisition movable or immovable property of any individual or institution on a temporary basis; requisition grain, clothing, medicine, building materials and other items belonging to non-government offices or private citizens, for distribution to victims of natural disaster.
Meanwhile, in the Kathmandu valley, the government has decided to re-open all the UNESCO sites to the public in an effort to attract tourists and improve the economy. The places preparing to welcome visitors back include the historical durbar square, the squares in front of the royal palaces, which are home to dozens of Hindu temples and places of worship. UNESCO has expressed "concern" about the reopening of the sites, but the authorities say they have secured the affected areas.
At least 73 317 private houses were destroyed by the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks: 36973 in Kathmandu, 17,444 Lalitpur and 18,900 in Bhaktapur. The 67,871 houses have been partially damaged: 50,753 in Kathmandu, 8064 in Lalitpur, 9,054 in Bhaktapur.
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29/03/2017 15:48
