A few days ago two Nepalese housemaids were rescued from a Saudi diplomat’s residence in India “Saudi diplomat accused of raping, locking up Nepali women in India” (THT, Sept. 10, Page 1). The two were allegedly gang raped, tortured and kept in unlawful confinement for almost four months depriving them of food and water. The matter only came to light when a third housemaid somehow escaped from her captors and took shelter in a local NGO which later lodged a complaint in the police station subsequently followed by a raid in the house. Only then the poor were the housemaids rescued. Medical reports showed that the two suffered extreme torture, unnatural sex and abuse for a long period of time. Since the Saudi man only known by name ‘Majid’ enjoyed  diplomatic immunity, the embassy of Saudi Arabia was quick in lodging a strong protest to the Indian Government claiming that ‘Majid’ was innocent and that he was protected under Geneva Convention. As the matter was unfolding, the main accused has already flown out of India even after an FIR had been registered, shattering any hope of providing justice to the two women. The Indian Government is also in limbo as the victims are from a third country. When the media quizzed the ambassador of Nepal in New Delhi, he expressed his ignorance about this matter. He should have taken immediate steps to book the accused and make sure that he did not leave the country before the case was settled.

Even though the Indian media are actively broadcasting the shocking details of the torture and gang rape on hourly basis, the Nepalese media paid little attention towards the plight of the hapless women. The Government of Nepal and its Foreign Ministry must act immediately and take up this issue with the Saudi government as well. Just because diplomats are protected by the Geneva Convention it does not mean that they have diplomatic immunity for a crime like gang rape.

Rabindra Dahal,  via e-mail

We want peace

The continuous bandhs in the Terai region have made life difficult by causing shortages of food, medicines and daily necessities. The agitators have been taking to the streets to get their demands addressed in the new constitution. But the government doesn’t seem to be serious. On the other hand, the major parties are insisting on promulgating the constitution which will not satisfy the Madhesis and other ethnic groups. What is the use of the constitution that sows the seeds of more conflict in society? The three major parties have called upon the agitators to come for talks but have not expressed commitment that their genuine demands will be addressed in the new constitution. We don’t want bloodshed; we want peace and harmony in society so that the young generation can pursue the goal of prosperity in a federal system. Peace will be restored once the major parties ensure the rights to the marginalized communities.

Suraj Ray, Jaleshwor