Nepalgunj, July 25:

Kith and kin of those disappeared by state agencies and the Maoists during the decade-long insurgency today warned of waging an armed struggle if the whereabouts of their missing near and dear ones were not made public.

At a programme — “Justice to the wronged in the transitional phase” — organised here by

the Nepalgunj chapter of Advocacy Forum and coordinated

by Justice Yagya Prasad Basyal, one Chandra Kala Uprety told the audience, “When we seek

information from the government, it parrots, saying that it is looking into the matter. Since we are not getting justice, it is only a matter of time that we take to armed struggle.”

Chandra Kala is only a case in point. Scores of others like her, who are seeking the

whereabouts of their missing kin, have grown desperate enough to think like her. She is trying to locate her husband Bhupendra Uprety, who was taken away by the security forces during the insurgency.

Adding to Chandra Kala’s woes are her poverty and the fact that her son, who passed the

SLC in first division, is crying his head off for admission to college. The date for admission to college lapses tomorrow. “From where will I get the resources to enroll my son?” a tearful Chandra Kala asked.

She said that she has been asking the government to punish the guilty and pay her compensation, but in vain.

Aside from Chandra Kala, scores of people handicapped and rendered destitute by state security forces and the Maoists complained of their travails.

Gopal Pathak of Rajhena VDC-8 in Banke district told the gathering he was arrested and tortured by security forces for no fault of his. He has been asking the government to provide him help for his livelihood and free education to his children.

Ram Ratan Chaudhari of Kumbhar in Baijapur-3 VDC was tortured and left handicapped by the Maoists. He is living in Phulterka of Banke. Chaudhari has been asking the government to book the guilty, but in vain. He is still under medical supervision.

Human rights activist Mohan Raj Joshi said that for want of appointments to the top posts in the National Human Rights Commission, the problems of people were being left unaddressed.

Nepalgunj appellate court chief justice Bishnu Prasad Dhakal urged the government to set up a mechanism to enable the NHRC to solve the problems of the wronged and bring the guilty to book.