Nepalese civilians disappear as King's forces crack down

By Justin Huggler, Asia Correspondent
01 March 2005

Nepal's security forces are blamed for the disappearance and probable deaths of hundreds of Nepalese civilians, particularly in the month since King Gyanendra seized power. <snip>

In 2003 and 2004, the United Nations working group on disappearances said Nepal had the highest rate of disappearances in the world. Over the past five years, more than 1,200 people have vanished, documented by local human rights groups.

A report by Human Rights Watch, published yesterday, says hundreds more have disappeared, and King Gyanendra may be exacerbating the situation. After he sacked the government and held ministers under house arrest, he banned criticism of the armed forces, and "suspended" basic human rights. "The King ... has set the stage for even greater abuses and further increased the risk of 'disappearances'," Brad Adams, of HRW, says. "Given the army's record and increased Maoist activity, there is every reason to fear for the safety of Nepali civilians."

The new report includes detailed investigations of 200 disappearances. It says: "In almost all cases, witnesses confirmed that individuals who 'disappeared' had last been seen in the custody of government security forces, who had detained them during large-scale operations, targeted raids, at checkpoints, on the streets, or from their places of work or study." <snip>

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/story.jsp?story=615706


<edit:> Nepal: Security Forces 'Disappear' Hundreds of Civilians
King's Putsch Unleashes Abusive Army

(Kathmandu, March 1, 2005) -- The Royal Nepalese Army, which assisted King Gyanendra’s February 1 seizure of power, is responsible for a widespread pattern of enforced disappearances, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Human Rights Watch called on the king and the army to immediately end the practice of “disappearances” and to take concrete steps to hold perpetrators accountable.

“Given the scale of ‘disappearances’ we have documented, the heightened role of the army after the king’s seizure of power is frightening,” said Brad Adams, Asia director for Human Rights Watch. “Maoist forces have a horrendous record of killings, torture and intimidation, but the response can’t be to unleash an army that has been responsible for so many ‘disappearances’ and other egregious human rights abuses.”

Human Rights Watch said the international community should act immediately to prevent a deepening ‘disappearances’ crisis in the wake of the royal takeover. <snip>

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2005/03/01/nepal10224.htm

that this man plotted the deaths of his brother and the rest of his
family.

The Nepalese people know, and can do nothing.

Cynthia Edwards has something of a trail on the web as a travel writer and educator, until this letter appeared on the web. She doesn't appear to have been heard from since.