OHCHR concerned over continued abduction and killing by Maoists

June 27, 2006
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The UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal has raised serious concerns over the series of abductions and killing of civilians in the central region of the country that are attributed to the Maoists and has urged the Maoist leadership to stop such acts.

A press statement issued by the officer-in-charge of the OHCHR, David Johnson, on Tuesday said, “Civilians and CPN-M cadres suspected of criminal activity should be turned over to the relevant state authorities so that they can be investigated and where appropriate, prosecuted in a timely manner in accordance with international due process and fair trial standards.”

“OHCHR urges the CPN-M leadership to set up an internal oversight mechanism at the national level to ensure that thorough investigations into allegations of abuses by its own cadres are undertaken in order to prevent such abuses in the future,” Johnson further stated.

The OHCHR has said that it has raised the concerns with the Maoists leadership about the incidents during the meeting on June 23 and subsequent letter on June 26.

The UN human rights monitoring body has said that nine individuals have been killed since May 3, 2006. It also raised the cases of two individuals who were reportedly abducted from Kathmandu and severely beaten in Kavre recently. “In most of the cases, the victims were accused of “crimes” or “offences” and were apparently under investigation,” the release states.

According to the OHCHR, in some of those cases, local CPN-M leaders had accepted responsibility and had apologized. OHCHR remains concerned, however, that civilians continue to be abducted and held by the CPN-M in spite of repeated expressions, the statement said.

During the meeting with OHCHR, the CPN-M leadership had given assurances that such killings are not the CPN-M policy and that it takes these cases very seriously. The party also stated that investigation will be carried out and that any CPN-M cadres found responsible will be punished.

OHCHR has stressed in its meetings with CPN-M leaders that abductions of civilians for any reason are in violation of CPN-M’s commitment to international human rights standards. “These abductions and related investigations and punishment fail to provide even minimum guarantees of due process and fair trial. As a consequence, victims of abductions are vulnerable to other violations of their human rights, particularly their right to life and physical integrity, as in the noted cases. OHCHR concerns in this regard also apply to CPN-M cadres accused of crimes,” the UN body said.