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Nepal: NHRC seeks justice for victims of enforced disappearances

Graphic: The Commission held a ceremony to hand over the remains of Godar victims to their families

The National Human Rights Commission has urged the government to take action against those responsible for killings, disappearances and other abuses.


The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the government to take action against those responsible for killings, disappearances and other abuses during the conflict era, based on recommendations it made following exhumations carried out in various parts of the country.

Releasing its report on Human Rights and Exhumation in the Armed Conflict, the NHRC also requested the government to prioritise and assign Nepal police to investigate two cases of exhumation conducted in Dhading and Kailali districts about eight years ago.

"Even though we have handed over the exhumed remains, the state has failed to take legal action against those found to be responsible for those crimes," said Bed Prasad Bhattarai, NHRC Acting Secretary, at the launch marking International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

Among other recommendations, the NHRC urged the government to adopt the National Human Rights Commission Exhumation Guidelines 2012 for collecting ante mortem data, establishing a DNA bank and developing expertise among those working in the field.

More than 1,300 people are believed to have disappeared during the insurgency between 1996 and 2006. The NHRC has confirmed 933 cases of disappearances and registered 3,300 complaints about them. Until now, 11 exhumations have been carried out by the NHRC in various parts of the country including Ramechhap, Nuwakot, Dhading, Kavre, Kailali, Dailekh, Kathmandu and Dhanusha.

During the program, Devi Sunuwar, a conflict victim, complained that the government has undermined cases involving human rights violations during the conflict era.

"The families of victims including me have been further victimised by the government's failure to ensure justice," Sunuwar said.

Ram Kumar Bhandari, coordinator of the National Victims' Alliance, said the government had not listened to the families of victims, resulting in the recently endorsed law on transitional justice failing to criminalise enforced disappearances.

Date: 31 August 2014

Source: National Human Rights Commission of Nepal


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  1. The Commission held a ceremony to hand over the remains of Godar victims to their families - National Human Rights Commission of Nepal