LWF Calls for Commitment to Justice and Democracy in Nepal Increased Support for LWF Work Is Critical
GENEVA, 27 April 2006 (LWI) - The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) welcomes recent efforts to restore a democratic system in Nepal, and urges parties to that country's internal conflict to demonstrate a commitment to justice and democracy by respecting the human rights of all people.
In a statement issued on 26 April, LWF General Secretary, Rev. Dr Ishmael Noko said he hoped that agreements in dealing with the current political crisis would "address the underlying grievances, which predispose Nepalese society to instability."
Nearly three weeks of pro-democracy street protests in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, forced King Gyanendra to restore the country's parliament, which is expected to reconvene on 28 April. The king assumed power in February 2005, citing government failure in controlling the Maoists whose decade-old insurgency has resulted in the deaths of thousands. The group has declared a three-month cease-fire.
In his statement, Noko indicated that hope for sustainable peace and human development in Nepal could only be created through genuine and committed attention to the underlying injustices that have fed the internal conflict and political crisis in the country.
He also urged the partners of the LWF's work in the country to increase their essential support "at this critical historical moment for the people of Nepal."
In Nepal, the LWF works with the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups through its Department for World Service (DWS) program. In the country since 1984, DWS Nepal primarily focuses on people who are subjected to severe discrimination, especially the Dalits (untouchables), freed Kamaiyas (former bonded laborers), the Bhutanese refugee community, and women in general. The Geneva-based LWF Office for International Affairs and Human Rights has helped lead international advocacy on the issue of caste-based discrimination in Nepal and on the Bhutanese refugee question in particular.
Further information about the LWF/DWS program in Nepal is available at:
http://www.lutheranworld.org/What_We_Do/DWS/Country_Programs/DWS-Nepal.html
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(The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. Founded in 1947 in Lund, Sweden, the LWF currently has 140 member churches in 78 countries all over the world, with a total membership of 66.2 million. The LWF acts on behalf of its member churches in areas of common interest such as ecumenical and inter-faith relations, theology, humanitarian assistance, human rights, communication, and the various aspects of mission and development work. Its secretariat is located in Geneva, Switzerland.)
[Lutheran World Information (LWI) is the LWF's information service. Unless specifically noted, material presented does not represent positions or opinions of the LWF or of its various units. Where the dateline of an article contains the notation (LWI), the material may be freely reproduced with acknowledgment.]
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