Indian cabinet okays arms shipment to Nepal

A Nepalese student shouts slogans upon her arrest by riot police during the Nepalese government's seizure of the All Nepal National Free Students Union's (ANNFSU) office in Kathmandu Tuesday. The government had ordered the ANNFSU to immediately vacant its office in the building and at least twelve students were arrested while trying to resist the police. PHOTO: AFP

The decision was taken by the federal cabinet on Friday last week, the Hindu newspaper said, quoting unnamed sources.

The Hindu said India would send arms and other supplies "already in the pipeline" for the Royal Nepalese Army after it suspended them following Gyanendra's decision to dismiss the government and assume power on February 1.

The report comes after Indian media said in April that the government had decided to resume military aid to Nepal unconditionally after a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Gyanendra in Jakarta on the sidelines of an Asia-Africa meeting last month.

Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh however denied supplies would be sent unconditionally in an interview on May 7 to the Hindu and said India would consider sending new arms supplies if the king moves to restore democracy.

India is Nepal's biggest arms supplier and has close ties to the country's military which has been fighting a Maoist rebellion that has claimed more than 11,000 lives since 1996.

Britain also cut arms supplies to Nepal and joined India, the European Union and the United States to ask Gyanendra to restore democracy.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, Christina Rocca, is currently in Nepal amid speculation the United States could consider sending M-16 rifles and ammunition to Nepal's military at the end of this month.

US ambassador to Nepal James Moriarty told a public forum in Washington recently that the United States would decide by the end of May on further military assistance to Nepal to fight the Maoist insurgency.

The Rocca visit follows a decision by Gyanendra April 30 to lift a state of emergency in the kingdom, but rights groups note that press freedoms and basic civil rights remain restricted and hundreds of people have been arrested by authorities including former prime minister Deuba on corruption charges.

"If such military aid is given, then it will only strengthen the king's actions in suppressing human rights and attempting to silence democratic opposition," said T. Kumar, Amnesty International's Washin-gton-based advocacy director for Asia and the Pacific.

Meanwhile, human rights and other groups warned the United States Monday against supplying weapons to Nepal's military despite the lifting of a state of emergency in the Himalayan kingdom.

US ambassador to Nepal James Moriarty told a public forum in Washington recently that the United States would decide by the end of May on further military assistance to Nepal, which is fighting a bloody communist insurgency.

Unlike Britain and India, the United States did not suspend military aid to Nepal after King Gyanendra sacked the government on February 1 and assumed emergency power.

US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, Christina Rocca, is currently in Nepal amid speculation the United States could consider sending M-16 rifles and ammunition to Nepal's military at the end of this month.