Archive ref no: NCA-18867
Document - Nepal: Further Information on Fear for safety/possible "disappearance"
PUBLIC AI Index: 31/108/2003
16 December 2003
Further Information on UA 363/03 (ASA 31/104/2003, 11 December 2003) Fear for safety/ possible "disappearance"
NEPAL Yuba Raj Chaulagain (m), aged 31, taxi driver
Rebakala Tiwari (f), aged 21, student
Subash Shrestha (m), aged 18, student
Shaha Dev Ghimire (m), aged 29, government surveyor
Lila Dahal (f), aged 34, women's activist
Ganesh Dhakal (m), aged 24, teacher
New name: Bhawanath Dhamala (m), aged 27, student
A
mnesty International has just learnt that Rebakala Tiwari's husband Bhawanath Dhamala was reportedly arrested at the same time as her on 30 October. At 2:30 pm, security force personnel reportedly arrested them at his rented room in Chabahil, Kathmandu.
Bhawanath Dhamala is originally from Amjani village in Okhaldhunga district of Eastern Nepal and it is not known why he was arrested. Attempts to locate both Bhawanath Dhamala and Rebakala Tiwari, including informing the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), have so far failed.
There is no further information on the whereabouts of Yuba Raj Chaulagain, Rebakala Tiwari, Subash Shrestha, Shaha Dev Ghimire, Lila Dahal, and Ganesh Dhakal, who were reportedly arrested in Kathmandu district between 3 September and 3 December.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The human rights situation in Nepal has deteriorated since the CPN (Maoist) launched a "people’s war" in February 1996. Reports of human rights abuses by the security forces and the CPN (Maoist) escalated after the army was mobilized and a state of emergency imposed between November 2001 and August 2002. On 29 January 2003, both the CPN (Maoist) and the security forces agreed to a cease-fire. The CPN (Maoist) announced they were withdrawing from the cease-fire agreement on 27 August. Since then, fighting between the two sides has resumed and there have been reports of human rights abuses committed by both sides in the conflict. In particular there has been a rise in the number of ‘disappearances’ by the security forces and abductions by the CPN (Maoist).
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English or your own language:
- expressing concern for the safety of Bhawanath Dhamala, Yuba Raj Chaulagain, Rebakala Tiwari, Subash Shrestha, Shaha Dev Ghimire, Lila Dahal, and Ganesh Dhakal who were reportedly arrested by members of the security forces in Kathmandu district between 3 September and 3 December;
- urging the authorities to make public the whereabouts of the six people and to grant them immediate access to their relatives, lawyers and any medical attention they may require;
- calling for their immediate and unconditional release, unless they are to be charged with a recognizably criminal offence.
APPEALS TO:
Deputy Brigadier General Nirendra Prasad Aryal
Head, Army Human Rights Cell
Army Headquarters
Kathmandu, Nepal
Telegram: Deputy Brigadier General, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax: + 977 1 4 226 292/ 229 451
Salutation: Dear Deputy Brigadier General
General Pyar Jung Thapa
Chief of Army Staff (COAS)
Army Headquarters
Kathmandu, Nepal
Telegram: Commander-in-Chief, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax: + 977 1 4 242 168
Salutation: Dear Commander-in-Chief
COPIES TO:
Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa
Prime Minister’s Office
Singha Durbar
Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax: + 977 1 4 227 286
Salutation: Dear Prime Minister
and to diplomatic representatives of Nepal accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 27 January 2004.