Amnesty International: Rise in "disappearances" August 2004 AHRC: Deeply concern over Nepal's situation August 2004 AHRC: Immediate domestic and international intervention needed to protect lives of people and avoid a humanitarian catastrophe in Nepal August 2004

On the occasion of today's international "day of the disappeared", Amnesty International has revealed that 378 cases of "disappearance" in Nepal have been reported to the organisation in the last year, more cases than in the previous five years put together.

In its report, Nepal: Escalating 'disappearances' amid a culture of impunity, Amnesty International describes a growing culture of impunity in which security forces regularly obstruct investigations into "disappearances" by Nepal's courts and National Human Rights Commission.

"The dramatic escalation in 'disappearances' is not only causing massive suffering to the victims and their families but is also undermining the rule of law as well as the trust of ordinary Nepalis in their security forces and government," Amnesty International said.

The organisation has frequently raised concerns about the "disappearance" at the hands of security forces of those suspected of involvement in the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (Maoist), a rebel group that has been fighting an eight-year "peoples war" with government forces. However, it appears that these abuses are now taking place on an unprecedented scale with an average of at least a case a day now being reported to Amnesty International.
Since 1998, Amnesty International has received reports of 622 cases of "disappearance", hundreds of cases of extrajudicial executions, thousands of arbitrary arrests and widespread torture by security forces. The organisation has also received numerous reports of abductions, torture and killings by the CPN (Maoist) and has frequently called on its leadership to end these abuses and abide by international humanitarian law.

August 2004 - PRESS RELEASE

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has expressed deep concern over the devastating security situation in Nepal and warned of possible humanitarian catastrophe triggered by the Maoists' siege of Kathmandu.
The Hong Kong-based regional human rights organisation urged both the Nepali government and the Maoist militias to respect human life and not to attack any civilians in their fight. The group called on all parties in the country to ensure that essential supplies to the Nepali capital would not be blocked. "The siege of Kathmandu will increase the misery of the people and could lead to an irritant humanitarian catastrophe," the AHRC warned in a statement.

The possibilities of hostilities and loss of human lives have increased immensely, the group said. The international community is urged to intervene and encourage all parties in Nepal for peaceful talks. The situation in Nepal has worsened as the Maoists imposed an indefinite blockade of Kathmandu to demand the release of detained militants, information of their missing comrades and a probe into alleged killings of activists by security forces. "The situation of law and order and internal security is deteriorating, which reflects the government's inability to ensure safety and security of its people," the AHRC said.

It blamed the government security forces and the military for using the practices of arbitrary arrests, torture, extra-judicial killings and disappearances to target on the people, especially journalists and human rights defenders, under the pretext of maintaining law and order. "Such blatant use of force disregarding all human rights principles and standards are carried out with the same vigour and brutality by the government security forces and the militias," the statement said.

The AHRC asked the international community to condemn the summary executions and aggression targeting the civilians both by the Maoists and the government forces.

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The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation monitoring and lobbying human rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

AHRC

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned regarding the devastating security situation in Nepal. Current events have exposed the His Majesty's Government of Nepal's (HMGN) chaotic state of affairs. The situation of "law and order" and internal security is deteriorating which reflects government's inability to ensure safety and security of its people.

The current wave of events is not intended to do any good to the dilemma faced by the people and the government of Nepal. It is very clear that government has limited capacity to deal with the situation and to protect its citizen. AHRC has raised its voice at number of occasions that government security forces resorted to violence to control the situation, which was absolutely unnecessary. With the HMGN consent, the security forces have carried out tactics such as arbitrary arrests, torture, extra judicial killings and disappearances. The government also knows that security forces were targeting journalists and human rights defenders on the pretext of maintaining law and order in the country. Such blatant use of force, disregarding all human rights principles and standards, is carried out with the same vigour and brutality by the government security forces and the militia. HMGN, by absolute muteness, accepted these gross violations of its constitutional and international responsibilities by its security forces over the last few years. Also it helped security forces to cover-up grave human rights violations including extra judicial killings, disappearances, arbitrary arrests and torture in custody. Even the highest Court of the country and National Human Rights Commission were directed not to discuss violations committed by the military and thus denying remedies for the victims.

Simultaneously, Maoist leadership and militia groups should respect the rights of the ordinary people in Nepal. Intended Siege of Kathmandu will increase the misery of the people, which will lead to an irritant humanitarian catastrophe. We note that so far this intended siege has not triggered any incident, however the possibilities of hostilities and loss of human life have increased immensely.

AHRC stress the importance of freedom of press and need for due protection for all the journalists in Nepal. The journalists represent a vibrant civil society and moral voice of the nation. AHRC condemns the latest aggression by the Maoist militias towards journalists and Media groups, specifically the killing of journalist and human rights defender Dekendra Raj Thapa, on 11 August 2004. We strongly condemn the practice of summary executions and murders by any armed groups or Royal Nepal Army especially in the absence of proper due process.

We call upon the Maoist militias and their leadership as well as the HMGN to respect human life and not to target any civilians. Also we call upon all the parties to give a clear assurance that journalists and human rights defenders in and outside Kathmandu will not be threatened or harassed.

International Community should consider current events as a sign of warning and intervene to encourage parties for peaceful talks. Also it is required that an international community condemn summary executions and aggression targeting the civilians both by the Maoist and the government forces. Also we call upon all parties to give a public assurance that essential supplies of commodities to Kathmandu will not be obstructed.