Chandra Kumar Rai and Jivan Thapa, two Nepalis serving life-sentences at Bangkwang Central Prison in Thailand, continue to languish in jail denied of the basic facilities allowed to foreigners in Thai prisons. The two were convicted about eight years ago on charges of drug trafficking, for which they have pleaded not guilty (see Nepali Times # 9, 13-19 September).

Their request for just treatment and application for royal pardons and transfer to Nepal has fallen on deaf ears in both Nepal and Thailand. "We are denied the right to choose whether we want to work instead we are forced into labour. We are not even given the rations that foreigners are entitled to," wrote Jivan Thapa in a letter posted to Nepali Times with the help of prison volunteers.

We also received copies of handwritten letters the two have sent to people of rank in Nepal. These include Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola, Permanent Representative of Nepal at the United Nations, Murari Raj Sharma, and the general secretary of the main opposition CPN(UML), Madhav Kumar Nepal (all three applications are dated 5 October 2000). They have also sought help from two Nepali human rights organisations, but they have received no response so far.