Govt told to make public list of disappeared

Kathmandu, June 10 :

The Society of the Families of the Citizens Disappeared by the State today urged the government to make public the list of those who disappeared during the conflict.

The society also accused the Seven-Party Alliance government of ignoring the matter.

“Promising to make public the list of the disappeared individuals, the seven political parties asked us to join the movement for the establishment of democracy. Heeding their request, we took part in the movement,” said Shanta Bhandari, the adviser to the society.

“Now that they are in power, they have forgotten their promise,” she said, adding, “The Maoists cannot return to the jungle now. We will fight against the government if the need arises,” she said at a programme organised by the society here today.

The present government, like the previous one, is keeping mum on disappearances and sidelining it, Krishna Rai, another adviser to the society, said. “Krishna KC, a former vice-president of the ANNISU-R, had informed the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Nepal that some individuals were being detained at the Bhairabnath Battalion. How can the army say they have not arrested them?” she questioned.

Sharmila Tripathi, the coordinator of the society, said, “The family members of the disappeared had hoped that the government to be formed after the success of the movement would make public the list of the disappeared. “The one-member committee comprising Baman Prasad Sharma, which was formed to probe into disappearances, was a conspiracy in itself.”

The government has not shown any signs of bringing security personnel found guilty of rights violations to the book, Tripathi said.

“We had hoped this government would make the status of the disappeared individuals public and release the detainees. How can we show patience when the government has not come out with the list of the disappeared?” queried Dr Sundar Mani Dixit, a human rights activist.