Baptist Missionaries Trapped in Silent Nepal amid Government Crisis

Last week Baptist missionaries in Nepal experienced hardships caused by the unstable political status in the country and lost communication with their mission headquarters, reported by the BMS World Mission. Even now the contact has been restored; BMS World Mission expresses its deep concern over the crisis.

The crisis began on 1st February when His Majesty King Gyanendra declared a state of emergency in Nepal. He dismissed the government claiming they had failed to tackle the Maoist rebel uprising in a nine-year conflict with military forces, which has claimed at least 11,000 lives. At the same time, he assumed direct powers.

Immediately after the declaration, communication with the outside world was severely restricted. Phone lines were immediately cut and internet services suspended. Phone calls have been described as "occasional and sporadic".

25 long and short-term missionaries and six supported partner workers in Nepal from BMS World Mission were completely cut off from the other parts of the world.

At that time, BMS regional secretary for Asia, Liz Russell, was gravely concerned that the only information they were receiving concerning the workers’ welfare was indirect and circuitous. However, it was confirmed that the trapped missionaries were calm and there are now no fears over their safety.

Fortunately the suspension of communication lasted for just one week. On 8th February, BMS World Mission announced that direct contact with its workers in Nepal had been recovered after phone lines were restored.

The BBC's correspondent in Kathmandu has reported a general sense of relief after a week in which businesses and banking transactions were virtually grounded. Newspaper reports said the go-ahead to restore phone and internet links came from an unheard body - the Subcommittee on State Affairs - comprising the chiefs of the three sections of the security forces and secretaries from three ministries.

Both national and international phone lines are now working again, as are internet connections, although officials have implied that mobile phone lines will remain off for a long time.

Liz Russell, BMS Regional Secretary for Asia, said, "We are pleased that e-mail and phone connections are now working again both internationally as well as within Nepal itself. We are greatly relieved to hear from BMS workers directly, although there was no fear for their safety."

However, BMS world mission is concerned that the situation in Nepal still remains tense because King Gyanendra imposed a state of emergency, and media censorship and many political and student activists have recently been arrested.

Liz Russell therefore warned, "When corresponding with mission personnel please be aware that your correspondence may be censored."

She also called for prayers for the democracy of Nepal as well as the mission to be continued, "We watch and pray that the deterioration in the political situation will be reversed, that there will be moves towards a just and peaceful solution."

According to the Baptist Times, Nepal-based human rights groups have appealed to the international community to press the authorities to reverse harsh emergency measures, claiming that the government is spreading terror. 25 human rights groups have sent a message to world leaders saying that the monarch’s actions violate international practices and legal standards.