Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 1:

In its Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2004 released yesterday, the US State Department has expressed concern over Nepal’s spiralling human rights crisis and abuses by the warring factions.

According to the report, “The government’s human rights record remained poor, and it continued to commit serious abuses. The disappearance of persons in custody was a serious problem.”

It states impunity was a problem despite claims from the Army they tried several guilty soldiers under court martial.

The Maoists similarly “continued their campaign” of torturing, killing, bombing, forcibly conscripting children, extorting, forcing closures of schools and businesses, and committing other serious and gross human rights abuses, it says.