13th Death Anniversary of Muktinath Adhikari
17 January, 2015
Human rights activists and members of leading political parties demanded prosecution against those involved in grave human rights abuses. Speaking at an interaction jointly organised by Muktinath Adhikari Memorial Academy and Amnesty International Nepal on 17 January, several members of Parliament and representatives of political party along with leading human rights activists repeated their call not to stop investigations in cases of grave human rights abuses committed during the conflict.
Speaking at the programme, Arjun Narsingh KC, Member of Parliament (representing Nepali Congress Party); Pradeep Gyawali, Former Minister (Communist Party of Nepal – Unified Marxist-Leninist); Krishna Koirala, Lamjung District Chairperson of Nepali Congress Party; Mohna Ansari, Member of National Human Rights Commission; Sushil Pyakurel, Former Commissioner at National Human Rights Commission; Surya Bahadur Adhikari, Chairperson of AI Nepal; Krishna Bilash Adhikari, the Vice-Chairperson of Muktinath Adhikari Memorial Academy, AI Nepal’s Board Member Heramb Dev Bhattarai, Treasurer of the Academy Deepak Adhikari and Conflict Victims Gyanendra Aran and Deb Bahadur Maharjan expressed their deep concerns regarding the delay in providing justice to conflict victims. Earlier, Transitional Justice Expert and Advocate Raju Chapagai highlighted how the delay in providing justice is fueling impunity in Nepal.
Even thirteen years after his death, state authorities have yet to deliver justice for the killing of Muktinath Adhikari. Adhikari, then the Headmaster of Panini Sanskrit Secondary and Convener of Amnesty International Nepal’s Group 79, was abducted from the classroom where he was teaching by Maoist rebels and shot to death at a nearby location. No one has been prosecuted for the crime.
The speakers including parliamentarians and politicians admitted that the justice process has been taking too long and said that they will put their effort to ensure justice to the victims through Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
The program organised to mark the 13th Death Anniversary of Muktinath Adhikari was attended by around 200 people including conflict victims, representatives of human rights organisations, civil society and AI members and supporters and media.