The Ministry of Defense (MoD) today said it “deeply regrets” the comments made by Human Rights Watch (HRW), an international rights group, that the action taken against Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) officials involved in the death of Maina Sunuwar, a Maoist girl from Kavre, in an army barrack, was only a ‘cosmetic gesture’.
“The Ministry of Defense of His Majesty’s Government of Nepal would like to firmly state that the action taken by the Royal Nepalese Army against three servicemen in reference to the Maina Sunuwar case was in accordance with country’s prevailing legal parameters,” a MoD press release said.
The MoD further said, “Despite the Royal Nepalese Army making efforts to address human rights violations with firm commitment, the Ministry of Defense expresses deep regret over comments made by Human Rights Watch that the action taken by the army against the guilty was only a ‘cosmetic gesture’.”
“With reference to Maina Sunuwar case and action taken against the three officers found guilty, the ministry would like to clarify that even though the court martial handed down a six month jail sentence on the accused in addition to suspension of promotion for two years and ordered to pay compensation worth one hundred thousand rupees to Sunuwar’s family, the three accused officers served six months in army custody.”
The three servicemen including Colonel Babi Khatri, according to the MoD, were placed in solitary confinement in army custody from 14 March 2005 to 9 September 2005 when full investigation before the court martial verdict was underway.
Contrary to the comments that the verdict was only a ‘cosmetic gesture’ by the army, the MoD would like to state in strong terms that the verdict against the guilty in the Maina Sunuwar case, the RNA has sent a clear signal that those guilty of rights abuses will be punished irrespective of their rank, the statement further said and added that, amidst growing concerns of rights organizations, the RNA and the MoD had four months earlier proposed to set up special detention centers for those arrested by the army to be placed under the authority and management of the civilian administration.
The RNA had on September 27 stated that three army officers had been sentenced for the death of Sunuwar in an army barrack in Kavre’s Paanchal months ago.