New Delhi
18 April 2006
As King Gyanendra ponders his next course of action, human rights
organisations led by the United Nations have condemned the security forces for the
"excessive use of force" against demonstrators and also questioned the "arbitrary
detention" of politicians and pro-democracy activists alike.
"[We] observed a pattern of severe beatings by police of individuals after they have
been brought under control and when they pose no physical or other threat. Police have
been seen attacking bystanders, charging into houses, engaging in indiscriminate
beatings and causing some gratuitous damage to property. Women and children have
been among the many victims," Mr Ian Martin, the representative of the Kathmandu-
based Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) told this
newspaper.
"We have seen over three thousand arrests in the past 10 days, with many hundreds
being admitted to hospital for treatment of injuries suffered at the hands of the police.
[We] have witnessed police firing rubber bullets into crowds of demonstrators, as well as
police using lathi (long sticks) charges, often aiming at the head and sometimes causing
serious injury. In some cases police have charged peaceful demonstrations," he said.
Those detained continue to include eight political and civil society leaders detained
since their arrests at the time of January protests. Mr Martin said CPN(UML) General
Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal was among them. "He has been denied access to
lawyers notwithstanding a public statement by the Home Minister that this would be
permitted," he said.
The UN official said the OHCHR has prepared an analysis of the human rights situation
in Nepal, which will be considered by the new Human Rights Council. It would release
another report soon detailing its "major concerns about the conduct of both the RNA
(Royal Nepalese Army) and the armed fighters of the CPN (Maoist) since the end of the
unilateral ceasefire in January." The report, Mr Martin observed, would show that both
the RNA and the armed wing of the CPN (Maoist) were in breach of their legal obligations.
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