The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has blamed the Maoist insurgents of committing serious abuse of international humanitarian law and human rights by brutally executing over 30 soldiers after capturing them at Pili in remote mid-western district of Kalikot early this week.

Nepalnews had access to exclusive footage of slain security personnel—shot by RNA personnel—which revealed gory images of dead soldiers. The rebels had mutilated genitals, limbs and tongue of some of the soldiers before gunning them down while some of the others were burnt alive with hands and legs tied tight with ropes.

As we are bound by journalistic ethics, Nepalnews is unable to provide graphic details of the images of the slain soldiers.

According to RNA, 43 soldiers were killed during the overnight clashes at Pili temporary security base camp. The camp was set up recently for safety of Surkhet-Jumla Highway construction project.

A total of 227 people including soldiers and non-combatants were staying at the camp when the insurgents opened attack. “Non-combatants were hired for the highway construction and combatants were deployed there to provide security in the base and explosives used in mining,” an army official told Nepalnews.

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Click to enlarge image
The official also informed that the Pili base was just used as a management site for the construction of the highway. “We have never attacked or destroyed any developments work carried out by any groups including the Maoists,” another senior army official told us, adding, “Though we are well aware that the Maoists are constructing road in Thawang in Rolpa, we have been exercising restraint as the construction helps people for a better life.”

In Rolpa, Maoists are building a 90 km long road in the remote part of the district forcing people to volunteer their labour, according to reports. The construction of nearly two-third of the road has already been completed.

Meanwhile, the Maoists have denied allegations that they executed the soldiers after capturing them. Issuing a statement on Wednesday, Maoist Chairman Prachanda said 52 security personnel captured by them were being treated in a humane way. He, however, did not respond to RNA allegations that insurgents had mutilated body parts of soldiers after capturing them.

“Prachanda’s statement is no more than a ‘face-saving tactic’,” army officials said.

The RNA has alleged the Maoists of kidnapping and killing seven family members and relatives of security personnel—including women and a child—at Banbehada in Kailali a few weeks back. The Maoists refute those allegations.

“The video clipping (of Pili incident) clearly reflects Maoist’s so-called commitment to Geneva conventions. They have exposed themselves how cruel they could be and how they are breaching the humanitarian laws,” said a senior army official.

Meanwhile, chief of the UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal, Ian Martin, has called for “full forensic examination” of the slain RNA troops in Kalikot by independent experts to ascertain if they were summarily executed.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Martin said the RNA allegations– that a number of surrendering soldiers had been executed and that some were muutilated by the Maoists– should be carefully verified. If confirmed, they would be very serious violations of international law, he added.

“I, therefore, urge the RNA to ensure that a full forensic examination of the victims is conducted by qualified, independent experts,” he said in the statement. The UN agency further said that an OHCHR monitoring team has already viewed 14 of the dead soldiers at the Birendra Military hospital at Chhauni in Kathmandu. It did not provide details.

The latest attack by the Maoists on the under-construction Karnali highway has also raised questions whether the strategic highway could be completed in time.

In response to a query by Nepalnews about the impact of Maoist assault on the under-construction Surkhet-Jumla highway, spokesperson of the RNA, Brigadier General Dipak Gurung said, “Right now we are concentrating on search operations in Pili and surrounding areas but the project would resume soon. We are committed to finish the project on time.”

The construction of the 232-km long Karnali highway—that would link the remote Karnali zone with rest of the country– was scheduled to be completed by February 2006.