Nepal’s government faced calls yesterday from human rights and victims’ groups not to grant amnesties over atrocities committed during the country’s civil war for which nobody has been brought to justice.
Wedged between China and India, the nascent republic suffered a decade-long insurgency that pitted Maoist guerrillas against the army. More than 16,000 people died, hundreds disappeared and thousands were forced out of their homes.
Eight years after the conflict ended, the new government has proposed the amnesties as part of legislation to establish a reconciliation process modelled on the approach taken by
post-apartheid South Africa.
“We want the government to change the draft and ensure that those who committed serious crimes during the conflict are not given an amnesty,” said Janak Bahadur, who says he was tortured by the security forces during the conflict.
Bahadur, head of the Conflict Victims’ Society for Justice, said that the planned bill ran counter to a Supreme Court decision and did not conform with
international standards.
Remaining
Wedged between China and India, the nascent republic suffered a decade-long insurgency that pitted Maoist guerrillas against the army. More than 16,000 people died, hundreds disappeared and thousands were forced out of their homes.
Eight years after the conflict ended, the new government has proposed the amnesties as part of legislation to establish a reconciliation process modelled on the approach taken by
post-apartheid South Africa.
“We want the government to change the draft and ensure that those who committed serious crimes during the conflict are not given an amnesty,” said Janak Bahadur, who says he was tortured by the security forces during the conflict.
Bahadur, head of the Conflict Victims’ Society for Justice, said that the planned bill ran counter to a Supreme Court decision and did not conform with
international standards.
Remaining
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