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Over
12,000 killed in Nepal
India
urged to freeze military aid to Nepal
South
Asia Foreign Correspondent Club, New Delhi:
Asian
Centre for Human Rights in its report, 100 Days of Tyranny in
Nepal stated that the number of people killed has reached 12,000
with the killings of 535 persons by the security forces and 131
persons by the Maoists. Majority of the people killed by the security
forces were innocent civilians. Prior to the imposition of
emergency, a total of 11,358 i.e. 3.44 persons per day were killed
from 13 February 1996 to 28 February 2005. About 6.72 persons were
killed each during from 1 February to 9 May 2005.
An estimated 3,284 political
activists have been detained upto 7 May 2005. Detainees have been
kept in same rooms irrespective of their age, status and physical
condition. They are forced to bear their medical expense themselves
and deprived of check-ups from expert medical practitioners. The
detainees do not have access to clean drinking water. Nor there
is enough water for washing and bathing. The Morang jail has 611 prisoners against the total
capacity of 200 inmates. The detainees reportedly have to wait for
at least two hours in queue to get their turn to take bath or to
go to the toilet.
Although
emergency has been lifted, there is no end to repression on political
opponents. On 1 May 2005, the detention of 175 others
including ex-deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudyal was extended.
On 2 May 2005, the government
resumed the post-paid
mobile service but many prominent human rights activists, journalists
and political leaders, lawyers
continued to be denied mobile phone facilities. While senior political leaders continue to be targeted by the Royal
Commission for Corruption Control, middle ranking political leaders
have been arrested under the Public Safety Act with a view to cripple
the democratic movement. On 5 May 2005, police
re-arrested student leader Gagan Thapa soon after the Supreme Court
ordered his release.
About 27 journalists have been arrested while 20 editors, reporters and
publishers of different newspapers were so far summoned by the authorities.
Over 2,000 journalists have lost their jobs due to ban on broadcast
of news by 41 out of 56 FM radio stations, withdrawal of
advertisement and ban on many newspapers.
The ban still continues.
A
total of 52 human rights defenders, former members of parliament
and judges, academics, lawyers, members of the National Human Rights
Commission etc have been arbitrarily prevented from leaving Kathmandu
valley. After the socalled lifting of emergency, prominent journalist Kanak Mani Dixit, Nepali Congress
leader, Leela Koirala and former Deputy
Speaker, Chitra Lekha Yadav, former lawmaker Urmila Aryal and Srijana Pokhrel have been turned away
from Kathmandu airport.
The Maoists
have been responsible for violations of international humanitarian
laws and specifically targeted the educational institutions and
officials. They have burnt down 23 schools and deprived thousands
of students from the right to education.
While setting
up of monitoring offices of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
in Nepal is welcome, unless the troika of India, the United States
and United Kingdom continue to withhold military and other aid,
Gyanendra is unlikely to relent. Unless, both the government and
Maoists declare a cease-fire, monitoring of human rights violations
is unlikely to reduce the gross human rights violations
“If arms supplies were
resumed to Nepal without forming a multi-party government, it would
mean supporting the dictatorship of King Gyanendra at the perils
of Nepal”, stated Suhas Chakma, Director of ACHR.
The restoration of multi-party democratic government with constitutional
monarchy is a first step that needs to be taken before creating
a framework where over ground political parties of Nepal are able
to engage in negotiation with the Maoists to find peaceful solution
to the gravest humanitarian crisis in South Asia.
ACHR makes the following recommendations to the international community,
in particular the United States, India and United Kingdom:
-
Continue the embargo on military supplies to Nepal until a multi-party
government with constitutional monarchy is formed in Nepal;
-
Urge King Gyanendra to unconditionally release all political detainees,
journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers, student leaders and
withdraw all charges filed under Public Safety Act and other laws
for opposing the coup;
-
Urge King Gyanendra to establish a Commission of Inquiry to investigate
excesses committed during emergency; and
-
Repeal of all the ordinances promulgated during the emergency including
the Local Administration Fifth Amendment Ordinance and Royal Commission
on Corruption Control Ordinance;
To the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and International
Committee of the Red Cross:
-
Immediately establish mechanisms to regularly visit all places of
detentions to examine the condition of the detainees and ensure
that the detainees have access to the basic amenities; and
-
Urge the Maoists to stop targeting the schools and students.
Ends/
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