Kathmandu, May 20:

At least 40 former prisoners of conscience today appealed to the government to make public the whereabouts of those who “disappeared” from the Bhairavnath battalion.

When Krishna KC, one of the former prisoners, narrated stories of killing of those disappeared from Bhairavnath, relatives of those disappeared broke down. Even Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai could not hold back tears.

“Friends, who were in Bhairavnath, have been killed under the direction of the then Army General Pyar Jung Thapa,” said KC. He asked why the interim government has not been able to make public the whereabouts of hundreds of prisoners. “Who should answer this question — king Gyanendra or Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala?”

The former prisoners of conscience also appealed to human rights activists and media to disclose the “Shivapuri mass murder incident” to the public.

He read out the names of 47 people, who were disappeared from Bhairavnath. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) had submitted its report on the Bhairavnath saga to the government earlier.

Recalling the days in Bhairavnath, Bina Magar said she had no hope that she would be released. She said she was unhappy for not having those who were with her in Bhairavnath. “They have been disappeared, and the war criminals have not been punished. Why is the government quiet?” asked Magar.

Maoist leaders Dr Bhattarai and Matrika Yadav regretted that status of the prisoners has not yet been made public. Bhattarai said: “We are sad and can’t do anything for friends, but the revolution has not ended, we are ready to be killed but would not bow down.” Yadav said that he had no answer to give though he is a minister in the coalition government. He said he will continue to struggle for the cause of the disappeared.

“My friends will struggle from the parliament for the cause,” he said, adding that the rest will take part in an urban struggle.

Yadav, who was detained in Shivapuri after being handed over to the government by India, also said: “There would be a revolution in Nepal until the prisoners’ conditions are made public.”