This is an open letter to the Prime Ministers of Nepal and the United Kingdom and to the President of the United States. We, a group of professionals working in Nepal, would like to express our grave concern about the military assistance which several foreign countries are considering providing to Nepal. We greatly appreciate the widespread concern for Nepal's dire situation, but we strongly believe that at this point foreign governments, instead of providing military assistance, should orient aid towards dialogue, development, and true security measures for the following reasons:

. The conflict cannot be solved without social and political reforms. The Communist Party Nepal Maoist (CPN - Maoist) has flourished in areas of stark poverty. The midhills suffer from neglect, ecological degradation, and social exclusion. Most recruits come from rural youth belonging to these marginalised areas. It is well known that rural poverty and urban corruption are the roots of the conflict. The international meeting of donors on Nepal held in London in June 2002 affirmed an urgent need to tackle poverty, discrimination, corruption, livelihoods and human rights, as well as security. It urged real reform in political leadership and governance and inclusive decision-making, targeting firstly the poorest areas of the country.

The Maoists have now shifted their once pro-people policies to the destruction of past development gains that the people rely upon. We believe that intensive government commitment to radical reform has great potential to win back the support of the mass of people.

. Military aid will almost certainly result in increased human rights violations. We recognise and deplore the violence, destruction of infrastructure and negation of human rights that the CPN (Maoist) party has sanctioned and now intensified. Nothing can excuse their brutal actions or their stance against individual freedoms. Yet, one also cannot ignore that they started from idealist commitment to greater justice in Nepal and that this violence cannot be an excuse for the State to be equally aggressive.

We recognise the responsibility of the Royal Nepalese Army to protect the Nepali people, their state infrastructure, and the State itself against threat. While we empathise with the inexperience of the army in fighting this type of situation and their small force size, we can however not ignore that numerous organisations, such as Amnesty International, have documented that the army is also guilty of gross human rights violations. On both sides, Nepalis are dying-Nepali men and women who could be committing their lives to national development.

. Although a bitter war is being fought in Nepal, there is still scope for non-violent resolution. Three months ago, the CPN (Maoist) offered to resume negotiations with the government, the Prime Minister turned this down. This decision must be reconsidered. Preparing mechanisms for mediation and negotiation will not be an easy task, especially because the insurgents in the past betrayed the government, but they are the only paths to long lasting peace. Ignoring the Maoists as a political force and resisting political reforms might seem an option now, but it will exclude a large section of Nepali society and increase instability in the long run.

Military aid that can be used for lethal actions is inappropriate for foreign donors. Foreign donors should speak out against the mentality of measuring victory by body counts. We believe that a primarily military "solution" will only bleed Nepal of its people and its resources, for many years. This democratic nation needs help through conflict mitigation. Foreign donors can contribute through monitoring and raising awareness of human rights, promoting security through protection, advocating tough campaigns against corruption, and possibly giving training in mediation.

. Pulling both sides together into strategic and transparent development is the immediate need. We are aware that the path to peace in Nepal may not be smooth or quick. However, we invite concerned governments to support the Nepal government in the following measures to address the root causes of the conflict, thus enabling the beginnings of true peace in Nepal:

1 End the State of Emergency, reinstate freedom of the press and improve the functioning of civil society
2 Start mediation with the CPN (Maoist) leadership to bring them back to the democratic process
3 Promote human rights through training of the security forces, and through radio or other campaigns aimed at the Maoists
4 Coordinate strategic security with development aid to Maoist affected communities
5 Accelerate the implementation of decentralisation programs.
6 Provide welfare for widows, orphans and those injured in the conflict
7 Encourage changes in the Constitution to insure a just society

"Nepal Unity",
Kupondol