30 August, 2022
Amnesty Nepal joined other civil society and victims’ organisations to host a candle light vigil at Maitighar Mandala on 30 August. The vigil marked the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances (IDD) and witnessed participation of a wide array of individuals including members of various civil society organisations, families of the victims of enforced disappearances and human rights defenders.
On behalf of civil society organisations Bipin Budhathoki, Chair of Amnesty Nepal expressed solidarity and support to the victims’ struggle for their right to truth and justice, and urged the government to urgently address the concerns of the vicitms by amending the transitinal justice law in line with the rulings of the Supreme Court and Nepal’s international obligations. “Victims’ wait has been already too long and any further delay will push them to further injustice and a state of dehumanization”, said Budhathoki.
Speaking at the programme, founding Chair of the Conflict Victims’ Common Platform, Suman Adhikari on behalf of conflict victims, put forth a few words that summed up many of the thoughts of those present at the vigil. Adhikari raised issues concerning the continuing impunity even after sixteen years of the signign of the comprehensive peace accord where the parties to the conflict had committed to make the whereabouts of the enforced disappeared public within sixty days. “The state continues to protect the perpetrators and turn a blind eye to the gross human rights violations committed during the conflict era,” Adhikari said.
Ram Bhandari, a family member of a victim of enforced disappearance said, “We have spent over two decades asking the authorities to help locate the whereabouts of our loved ones. Nothing has happened, and we are perplexed by the inaction of the government. We will not be silenced until we know what has been done to our relatives, until we get justice, and until perpetrators are held accountable.”
The candle light vigil was arranged in the numbers “1350+” in memory of those who have been forcefully disappeared. The candles were lighted by over 70 participants present at the vigil to show solidarity and demand speedy justice from the State.
