Human right situation in Nepal has worsened in 1999 compared to the past years, a report released this week said. A total of 495 people are reported as murdered in 1999, a 12 percent increase from 1998. Story by Krishna Shrestha.
An infant girl of 6 was raped this past year by an adult of 20 years in Mechinagar, a city in the Far Eastern part of Nepal. In a similar incident, a four-year old girl child was raped by a teenager in Itahari, another city in the same region. In Mahottari district Sek Satar, 37, was brutally tortured by the police.
Karna Bahadur Pun of Rolpa, one of the Maoist-affected districts of the country, was shot dead by the police on charges of being a Maoist. The list continues. Many people have lost their lives due to cross firing between police and Maoists.
These are some of the cases recorded in Human Rights Year Book 2000, an annual report on human rights situation in Nepal, released by Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) this month.
According to INSEC, Human right situation in Nepal has worsened in 1999 compared to the past years. Cases of murder, death by shooting, rape, bomb explosion, among others, increased.
Incidents of human rights violation this past year are counted at 3,023. This is a drastic increase from the figures in 1998: a total of 1,963 cases of human rights violation. A total of 495 people are reported as murdered in 1999, a 12 percent increase from 1998. Among those killed, 379 were shot dead. Six women were raped first and killed thereafter.
The Human Rights Year Book primarily blames the crossfire between the government force and Maoists activists for violation of human rights.
“The overall human rights situation of the country is not satisfactory. Despite the increased awareness about rights violations, cases of human rights violation increased in 1999,” says Mukunda Raj Kattel, Director of INSEC. In 1999, a total of 3,023 cases of human rights violation – involving both the state and non-state sector – are recorded in the Book.
Established in 1988 with the aim of laying the foundation of human rights movement with the conviction that human rights movement should be associated with the needs, exigencies and initiatives of the grass-root people, INSEC has been releasing Human Rights Year Book since 1992.
Like in the past years, massive violation of citizen and political rights could be seen in 2000 too, predicts Kundan Aryal, Editor of Budhabar, a vernacular weekly published in Kathmandu.
According to him, despite tall talks about good governance delivered by those in power, no significant steps have been taken to guarantee the economic, social and cultural rights of the people. It is because of the Maoists’ People’s War that incidences of human rights violation increased rampantly, he adds. People’s frustration with status quo, which offers no relief from age-old ordeal of poverty and suffering, is blamed to be contributing to the Maoists’ flare up.
Figures for personal and organised cases of killing-- without the involvement of the state-- stood at 588 persons including 149 women.. Among the 207 incidences of firing - both from the state and non-state party – 379 people including 45 had been shot dead. A total of 284, which comprised 241 men and 43 women , were shot dead by police firing in 1999.
From the point of view of institutional protection of human rights, 1999 was the year of failure, says the INSEC Director. Despite government’s repeated commitments that Human Rights Commissions would be formed, no such commission has been formed yet.
The government of Nepal promulgated Human Rights Commission Act on January 8, 1997.
According to Kattel, cases of human rights violation have increased in the country mainly due to Maoists People’s War waged against the state by Nepal Communist Party (Maoists) beginning in 1996. Media and human rights reports say more than 1,200 people have lost their lives in People’s War related violence.
Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachand, who is now underground, is considered to have founded Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) in February 1995. It is believed that the CPN (Maoist) is close to the Communist Party of Peru. The people’s war was declared on Falgun 1, 2052 (13 February, 1996) with the aim to “bring an end to the rule of vengeful regime and establish a people’s New Democracy.”
Over the years the Maoists’ People’s War has become increasingly violent. According to a report of London-based Amnesty International, in the initial phase, the Maoists' attacks on politicians and landowners often resulted in torture which involved serious injuries to the victims' limbs. From about March 1996 onwards, however, the pattern changed into one of deliberate killings.
Disappearance of individuals has become another serious issue of public concern. “Cases of disappearance have been increasing every year,” said Kattel. Since the launch of People’s War in 1996 cases of disappearance have increased. Not only the police but Maoists also have been found responsible for disappearance of civilians.
" The overall human rights situation of the country is not satisfactory. Despite the increased awareness about rights violations, cases of human rights violation increased in 1999. "
Human rights groups in 1998 blamed the state for the disappearance of 54 men and 9 women and held responsible non-state parties for the disappearance of 18 men and 1 woman during that year.
This year's Report also notes 29 people were injured in incidents of bomb explosion reportedly cauisenon-state parties. A total of 1,037 men and 102 women suffered from arrests and torture. Four men died in custody ad 11 people were kidnapped in which non-state sector was involved. A total of 85 persons were injured from firing by state and non-state parties. Fifty-two women were tortured for a very bizarre reason: for being women, or persons of the fairer sex. Nepal’s male dominated society continues to oppress and exploit womankind.
However, cases of human rights violation may further go up if victims of Maoists "People War" are included in the list. Many inhabitants in the hinterlands affected by the People’s War have left their homes and villages fearing Maoists’ as well as the police’s brutality.
Human Rights Year Book 2000 reports 42 out of 75 districts to have been affected by Maoists People’s war. However traces of seemingly unorganised Maoists’ activities have scattered across the kingdom.
Official response to the Report has generally been lukewarm. Government officials were reluctant to comment on the reliability of the report. “Presently, we are studying the report of INSEC. We can not say anything right now,” said Gopendra Bahadur Pandey, Spokesman in the Ministry of Home.
Related Links
• Ministry of Home Affairs, His Majesty's Government
• Maoists' 'Peoples' War'
• Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC)
Write us your opinion about this article at feedback@newslookmag.com
Shrestha is a Kathmandu-based journalist.
Posted by Editor on
An infant girl of 6 was raped this past year by an adult of 20 years in Mechinagar, a city in the Far Eastern part of Nepal. In a similar incident, a four-year old girl child was raped by a teenager in Itahari, another city in the same region. In Mahottari district Sek Satar, 37, was brutally tortured by the police.
Karna Bahadur Pun of Rolpa, one of the Maoist-affected districts of the country, was shot dead by the police on charges of being a Maoist. The list continues. Many people have lost their lives due to cross firing between police and Maoists.
These are some of the cases recorded in Human Rights Year Book 2000, an annual report on human rights situation in Nepal, released by Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) this month.
According to INSEC, Human right situation in Nepal has worsened in 1999 compared to the past years. Cases of murder, death by shooting, rape, bomb explosion, among others, increased.
Incidents of human rights violation this past year are counted at 3,023. This is a drastic increase from the figures in 1998: a total of 1,963 cases of human rights violation. A total of 495 people are reported as murdered in 1999, a 12 percent increase from 1998. Among those killed, 379 were shot dead. Six women were raped first and killed thereafter.
The Human Rights Year Book primarily blames the crossfire between the government force and Maoists activists for violation of human rights.
“The overall human rights situation of the country is not satisfactory. Despite the increased awareness about rights violations, cases of human rights violation increased in 1999,” says Mukunda Raj Kattel, Director of INSEC. In 1999, a total of 3,023 cases of human rights violation – involving both the state and non-state sector – are recorded in the Book.
Established in 1988 with the aim of laying the foundation of human rights movement with the conviction that human rights movement should be associated with the needs, exigencies and initiatives of the grass-root people, INSEC has been releasing Human Rights Year Book since 1992.
Like in the past years, massive violation of citizen and political rights could be seen in 2000 too, predicts Kundan Aryal, Editor of Budhabar, a vernacular weekly published in Kathmandu.
According to him, despite tall talks about good governance delivered by those in power, no significant steps have been taken to guarantee the economic, social and cultural rights of the people. It is because of the Maoists’ People’s War that incidences of human rights violation increased rampantly, he adds. People’s frustration with status quo, which offers no relief from age-old ordeal of poverty and suffering, is blamed to be contributing to the Maoists’ flare up.
Figures for personal and organised cases of killing-- without the involvement of the state-- stood at 588 persons including 149 women.. Among the 207 incidences of firing - both from the state and non-state party – 379 people including 45 had been shot dead. A total of 284, which comprised 241 men and 43 women , were shot dead by police firing in 1999.
From the point of view of institutional protection of human rights, 1999 was the year of failure, says the INSEC Director. Despite government’s repeated commitments that Human Rights Commissions would be formed, no such commission has been formed yet.
The government of Nepal promulgated Human Rights Commission Act on January 8, 1997.
According to Kattel, cases of human rights violation have increased in the country mainly due to Maoists People’s War waged against the state by Nepal Communist Party (Maoists) beginning in 1996. Media and human rights reports say more than 1,200 people have lost their lives in People’s War related violence.
Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachand, who is now underground, is considered to have founded Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) in February 1995. It is believed that the CPN (Maoist) is close to the Communist Party of Peru. The people’s war was declared on Falgun 1, 2052 (13 February, 1996) with the aim to “bring an end to the rule of vengeful regime and establish a people’s New Democracy.”
Over the years the Maoists’ People’s War has become increasingly violent. According to a report of London-based Amnesty International, in the initial phase, the Maoists' attacks on politicians and landowners often resulted in torture which involved serious injuries to the victims' limbs. From about March 1996 onwards, however, the pattern changed into one of deliberate killings.
Disappearance of individuals has become another serious issue of public concern. “Cases of disappearance have been increasing every year,” said Kattel. Since the launch of People’s War in 1996 cases of disappearance have increased. Not only the police but Maoists also have been found responsible for disappearance of civilians.
" The overall human rights situation of the country is not satisfactory. Despite the increased awareness about rights violations, cases of human rights violation increased in 1999. "
Human rights groups in 1998 blamed the state for the disappearance of 54 men and 9 women and held responsible non-state parties for the disappearance of 18 men and 1 woman during that year.
This year's Report also notes 29 people were injured in incidents of bomb explosion reportedly cauisenon-state parties. A total of 1,037 men and 102 women suffered from arrests and torture. Four men died in custody ad 11 people were kidnapped in which non-state sector was involved. A total of 85 persons were injured from firing by state and non-state parties. Fifty-two women were tortured for a very bizarre reason: for being women, or persons of the fairer sex. Nepal’s male dominated society continues to oppress and exploit womankind.
However, cases of human rights violation may further go up if victims of Maoists "People War" are included in the list. Many inhabitants in the hinterlands affected by the People’s War have left their homes and villages fearing Maoists’ as well as the police’s brutality.
Human Rights Year Book 2000 reports 42 out of 75 districts to have been affected by Maoists People’s war. However traces of seemingly unorganised Maoists’ activities have scattered across the kingdom.
Official response to the Report has generally been lukewarm. Government officials were reluctant to comment on the reliability of the report. “Presently, we are studying the report of INSEC. We can not say anything right now,” said Gopendra Bahadur Pandey, Spokesman in the Ministry of Home.
Related Links
• Ministry of Home Affairs, His Majesty's Government
• Maoists' 'Peoples' War'
• Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC)
Write us your opinion about this article at feedback@newslookmag.com
Shrestha is a Kathmandu-based journalist.
Posted by Editor on
No comments:
Post a Comment