Kathmandu, January 22

Human rights organisations, including the Asian Human Rights Commission and National Human Rights Commission, today condemned the killings of protesters in Rangeli and Dainiya of Morang yesterday.

The AHRC issued a press statement saying the killings of protesters in Morang had frustrated the Madhesis and heightened a sense of alienation.

“Although the agitating parties were about to sign a deal with the government, following positive developments during negotiations, the government side once again disturbed the environment,” it said.

The AHRC also urged the police in the Tarai region to practice internationally approved crowd control tactics.

“Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Minister for Home Affairs Shakti Bahadur Basnet must take responsibility for the killings. They must seek to de-escalate the deteriorating security situation due to the ongoing strike, and address the looming humanitarian crisis,” the AHRC said.

In order to stop these orchestrated killings, the AHRC said, guns should be retrieved from the police officers and they should be equipped only with batons, shields, tear gas canisters, and water-shelling equipment. The rights body also said that the protesters must not bring home made weapons to the protesting sites.

“Currently, the deaths fail to cease,” the AHRC said and added that the condition of eight others who sustained bullet injuries above the knee in police action yesterday, was critical.

Similarly the National Human Rights Commission, Human Rights and Peace Society of Nepal and Nepal Bar Association issued press statements condemning police action in Rangeli and Dainiya yesterday that resulted in the death of three protesters.

The NHRC said the incident occurred due to lack of precaution on the part of the local administration. The rights body demanded probe into the incident, compensation for the families of those killed and free treatment for those injured in the incident. The NHRC said it was investigating the incident. “The commission has been cautioning from the beginning that shooting dead ordinary people is against established international values and norms of human rights,” The NHRC said in its statement.

The rights body urged all concerned to protect the freedom of peaceful assembly and right to life and also urged the government and the agitating forces to find a negotiated settlement to Tarai unrest.

The NBA said its serious attention had been drawn to the killing of protesters in Rangeli and demanded a probe into the incident. The NBA urged the security forces not to use excessive force during the protest.

HURPES criticised the UDMF for not allowing Youth Association of Nepal from holding its programme. It also condemned the government for killing innocent citizens.