Paramendra Bhagat
January 21, 2004
The Dinesh Prasain Incident: From My Inbox
Paramendra Bhagat
January 21, 2004
NEPALESE HUMAN RIGHTS LEADER BEATEN BY SECURITY FORCES
Washington, D.C., January 25, 2004: A leading Nepalese human rights activist Dinesh Raj Prasain, a coordinator for Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP) was severely beaten at his rented apartment in Kathmandu, NEPAL by a group of armed military of Royal Nepalese army on January 13th, 2004.
What happened in his apartment that night has triggered a major public outcry among civil societies in Nepal. Already 27 prominent members with ties to various human rights organizations and civil societies have issued a press release demanding full investigation into the matter. Advocacy.net, an advocacy group based in Washington DC has made a press release condemning the event and this global signature campaign is intended to demand a through investigation into the matter and that it be made public.
COCAP is a community-based network of some 40 community-based groups working to rebuild Nepali society in the face of a bitter conflict between the central government and Maoist insurgents. The Advocacy Project arranged for Kate Kuo, a Georgetown student, to work with COCAP during the summer of 2003.
What happened?
According to Mr. Prasain's own account, about six men knocked on his door just after midnight on January 13, refused to provide identification, and then proceeded to break into his residence. He believes the attack was premeditated.
'One of the men (army) pulled out a revolver and said he would shoot me if I did not open the door. I felt very fearful, and closed the door and latched it from inside. They started pulling and kicking the door. I did not know what to do, and in frenzy, I ran towards the kitchen window to jump off. But within seconds, they broke the door, caught me and started beating me severely and visciously. They beat me up on my face, head, stomach, back and thighs with fists and kicks. I guess at least four of the six persons beat me. They beat me continuously, pulling me from kitchen to corridor, corridor to kitchen. 'They asked why I tried to escape, if I had nothing to hide. I told them that I was fearful that they were professional criminals, and kept on insisting that they show me their ID cards. One of them showed his military ID but covered his name.'
Mr. Prasain's 72-year-old father and nephew, who witnessed the search and assault, stated that one member of the group carried a 'long gun.'
Mr. Prasain attack may be linked to his December 2003 articles on naked corruption in the NGO sector. After the article was published, Mr. Prasain has received numerous death threats. He feels it is possible that the security forces were falsely told that he was harboring Maoists, and were even bribed to attack him.
Events after attack
Following the attack, COCAP commissioned a fact-finding team from seven COCAP member organizations. The team, which included the Vice President of the Nepal Bar Association, concluded that the assailants were from the security forces because according to eyewitnesses, they were led by an unidentified 'Major.' Given that no other houses were searched in the area, the sole objective was clearly to assault Mr. Prasain and it can be safely assumed that it was premeditated.
Background on the Maoist War
Thousands of Nepalis have died since the Maoist led insurgency demanding a Republic State erupted in Nepal in 1996. A brief ceasefire collapsed last August, leading to renewed violence and abuse. UN as well as Amnesty International has issued a numerous press expressing 'profound concern over reports that hundreds of individuals are being detained secretly in Nepal and are therefore at risk of suffering torture and other forms of ill-treatment. ' Amnesty International has documented the disappearance of 250 persons by the security forces during the fighting. The Maoist rebels too have actively participated in disappearances, point blank shooting and other abuses.
Insensitivity of the government towards the safety and protection of citizens has reached it new height. If a human right activist has to live a life of such uncertainty then 'It is a naked attack on all of us human rights activists who are always committed to advocate human rights of the people,� says a press release from Advocaynet.org
What can you do?
Our goal is to demand a full scale investigation into the event and that the report be made public. Please forward this online signature campaign (not the entire thing but just the link) to as many people as you can globally who support human rights. Remember our aim is not to clog their e-mail but to solicit their genuine support and concern. You can also forward the press release to Human Right Organizations that you know will help publicize this.
You can also fax to:
General Pyar Jung Thapa, Chief of Army Staff
NEWS FROM THE ADVOCACY PROJECT
NEPALESE HUMAN RIGHTS LEADER AND AP PARTNER BEATEN BY SECURITY FORCES
Washington, D.C., January 21, 2004: A leading Nepalese human rights activist and Advocacy Project partner has been severely beaten at his home in Kathmandu by a group of armed men from the Nepalese security forces, in an apparent attempt to intimidate Nepal's vocal human rights community at a time of growing insecurity in the country.
Dinesh Raj Prasain, coordinator of the Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP), was attacked at his home on January 13, and the event has triggered a major outcry among civil society in Nepal. In a press release issued January 15, twenty-seven prominent human rights activists appealed for international solidarity, and demanded a full and public investigation by the Royal Nepal Army and the National Human Rights Commission.
'(This attack) has exposed the insensitivity of the government towards the safety and protection of citizens,' states the release. 'It is a naked attack on all of us human rights activists who are always committed to advocate human rights of the people.'
COCAP is a community-based network of some 40 community-based groups working to rebuild Nepali society in the face of a bitter conflict between the central government and Maoist insurgents. The Advocacy Project arranged for Kate Kuo, a Georgetown student, to work with COCAP during the summer of 2003.
The attack on Mr. Prasain was clearly vicious and premeditated. According to Mr. Prasain's own account, about six men knocked on his door just after midnight on January 13, refused to provide identification, and then proceeded to break into his residence.
'One of the men pulled out a revolver and said he would shoot me if I did not open the door. I felt very fearful, and closed the door and latched it from inside. They started pulling and kicking the door. I did not know what to do, and in the frenzy, I ran towards the kitchen, planning to jump off the veranda. But within seconds, they broke the door, caught me and started beating me severely. They beat me up on my face, head, stomach, back and thighs with fists and kicks. I guess at least four of the six persons beat me. They beat me continuously, pulling me kitchen to corridor, corridor to kitchen.
'They asked why I tried to escape, if I had not some thing to hide. I told them that I was fearful that they were professional criminals, and kept on insisting that they show me their ID cards. One of them showed his ID but blocked his name.'
Mr. Prasain's 72-year-old father and nephew, who witnessed the search and assault, stated that one member of the group carried a 'long gun.'
Following the attack, COCAP commissioned a fact-finding team from seven COCAP member organizations. The team, which included the Vice President of the Nepal Bar Association, concluded that the assailants were from the security forces because according to eyewitnesses, they were led by an unidentified 'major.' Given that no other houses were searched in the area, the sole objective was clearly to assault Mr. Prasain.
Thousands of Nepalis have died since the Maoist insurgency erupted in Nepal in 1996. A brief ceasefire collapsed last August, leading to renewed violence and abuse. On 12 November 2003 the UN issued a press release in which three UN human rights monitors expressed 'profound concern over reports that dozens of individuals are being detained secretly in Nepal and are therefore at risk of suffering torture and other forms of ill-treatment. ' Amnesty International has documented the disappearance of 250 persons by the security forces during the fighting. The Maoist rebels have also been blamed for disappearances and abuses.
While the recent attack on Mr. Prasain would seem to be a blatant attempt to intimidate one of the country's leading peace activists, it may also be linked to Mr. Prasain's own forthright stand against NGO corruption. Several local NGO leaders objected strongly to a December 2003 article in which Mr. Prasain criticized Nepalese NGOs.
After the article was published, Mr. Prasain received threats on his life. He feels it is possible that the security forces were falsely told that he was harboring Maoists, and were even bribed to attack him.
In the view of COCAP members, such a possibility only increases the need for a full and public investigation.
* For more information contact Laura Stein at [email protected]
* For a report of the COCAP fact-finding mission into Dinesh Prasain's
beating, visit: http://www.advocacynet.org/resource_view/link_389.html
* For Dinesh Prasain's account of his beating, visit: http://www.advocacynet.org/resource_view/link_390.html
* Email or contact the Nepalese government, calling for an inquiry. For a
complete list of Nepali embassies and consulates, with contact details,
visit: http://www.immi.gov.np/location.php
* For a report of Kate Kuo's internship with COCAP, including her blogs,
visit: http://www.advocacynet.org/cpage_view/interns03_COCAP_22_48.html
*
The Advocacy Project is based in Washington D.C. Phone: +1 202 332 3900; fax: +1 202 332 4600. Visit the AP web site for information about current projects: www.advocacynet.org. For more information please e-mail [email protected]
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