European Union asks Nepal king to call ceasefire http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1398034.cms Police Beat Protesters at Nepal Rally http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-nepal2feb02,0,4683264.story?coll=la-headlines-world Mayoral Candidates’ Homes Bombed in Nepal http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/02/AR2006020200355.html Amnesty urges Nepal to free activists http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/B5F7EAD4-734B-4295-8F4A-438A71B1BACA.htm Human Rights Watch: Nepal [pdf] http://www.hrw.org/doc?t=asia&c=nepal The past year in Nepal has been more than a bit trying for many residents, as the royal rule of King Gyanendra has faced increasing difficulties. As of late, the country has been beset with infringements on civil liberties along with sporadic insurgency-related violence. The country has been preparing for municipal elections which will take place on February 8th, but even that has been an uphill battle. This Thursday insurgents who have already actively dismissed the elections as a farce bombed the homes of three mayoral candidates in Katmandu. The political situation in the country is rather complex, as Maoist rebels have sought to establish a socialist government since 1996, and in the process, over 12,000 people have been killed during skirmishes, bombings, and other tragedies. Many Nepalese have grown weary over this continued power struggle, and a number of international organizations have become increasingly concerned over the long-term effect this situation is having on the country. The first link offered here will take visitors to a well-written piece on the problems in Nepal, authored by Charles Haviland of BBC News. The second link leads to a news article from the Times of India, which reports on the European Union’s attempts to ask the King to declare a ceasefire in the country. The third link leads to a Los Angeles Times article from this Thursday that talks about the recent unrest at a pro-democracy rally in Katmandu. The fourth link leads to a Washington Post piece about the bombings of the homes of the three mayoral candidates in the city of Katmandu. The fifth link leads to an article from Aljazeera.net, which talks about Amnesty International’s recent request to have King Gyanendra release 900 political prisoners. The final link leads to the Human Rights Watch’s section dedicated to Nepal. Here, visitors will find recent news releases from the organization about the state of human rights in the country, along with a selection of briefing papers.