Krishna Prasad Murder
Published in The Himalayan Times ::
The International Commission of Jurists and Human Rights Watch have said the government of Nepal has failed for over a decade to deliver justice for the killing of Krishna Prasad Adhikari.
Krishna was killed in June 2004 allegedly by Maoist rebels in Chitwan. His parents Nanda Prasad and Ganga Maya then went on hunger strike — last time since October 23, 2013 — demanding that those guilty of killing their son be brought to book. Nanda Prasad died on September 22 while on fast-unto-death, while Ganga Maya’s condition is critical.
The international rights bodies have also called on the government of Nepal to protect the human rights of Ganga Maya. She has continued her hunger strike.
“Nanda Prasad made the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of justice for his son, but it should never have come to this sad moment,” said Sam Zarifi, ICJ’s regional director for Asia and the Pacific, in the press release issued today in New York. “The Adhikari couple symbolises the thousands of people in Nepal who demand justice for the violations and abuses they suffered at the hands of the government’s armed forces as well as the Maoists.”
Despite several promises by the government, there has been little movement towards accountability for Krishna Adhikari’s death, added the release. “In September 2013, after initial protests by the Adhikari couple, Nepali authorities announced that they would follow the Supreme Court’s directive to investigate the killing,” it read.
In 2014, Chitwan district attorney had filed charges against 13 people allegedly involved in the killing of Krishna Prasad, but when two suspects, including Parsuram Poudel, were arrested and produced in court, Unified CPN-Maoist leaders protested, with leader Baburam Bhattarai saying publicly that if Parsuram, one of the accused, could be arrested, the government should arrest Bhattarai as well. After three days of protests and threats by the UCPN-M, the court granted bail to the suspects.
Throughout this period, the y continued their hunger strike, pointing out serious flaws and shortcomings in the investigation carried out by Nepali authorities, added the ICJ and HRW.
“Nepali politicians should stop making empty promises and investigate all allegations of human rights abuses and violations during the conflict,” said Brad Adams, HRW’s Asia director. “Nanda Prasad’s death highlights Nepal’s flawed attempts at reconciliation and redress for conflict-era crimes, and looks like a desire to sweep all wartime injustice under the rug.”
The rights bodies have called on Nepali authorities to continue investigations and prosecutions for Krishna Adhikari’s death, as well as hundreds of unresolved cases of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions.
Source: http://goo.gl/FzNBvQ