Statement

According to a newspaper report on March 8, 2006 the President of Sri Lanka noted the existing corruption within government agencies and urged the Bribery and Corruption Investigation Commission to implement measures ‘more widely and extensively to check these tendencies’. One day prior to this, comments made by the Director General of the Bribery Commission […]

On February 27th, a Christian priest in Kerala, Mr. Robin Vadakkancherry, was arrested on charges of raping a minor-girl. The incident came to light when the Childline (1098), the crisis helpline for children in distress in India was informed of the rape. The survivor got pregnant and last month, she gave birth in a Church-run hospital in Kerala. It has been […]

The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, said the following in a message on International Women’s Day. “On International Women’s Day, let us all pledge to do everything we can to overcome entrenched prejudice, support engagement and activism, promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.” The 2017 UN theme on International Women’s Day is–Women in the Changing World of Work: […]

Following a suicide attack on Lahore’s Mall Road on February 13, which claimed the lives of at least six police officials, Punjab’s law enforcement agencies launched a province-wide crackdown on the ethnic Pakhtun (Pathans) minority. Administrative officials in some Punjab districts issued informal orders asking the population to keep an eye on suspicious individuals who […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission welcomes Pope Francis’ unequivocal support for the indigenous peoples’ rights of land and livelihood. It notes that this can go a long way for tenure rights of global indigenous populations while ensuring their food security. It can also surface possible solutions to conflicts arising out of increasing encroachments and forced acquisitions of land for […]

17th February 2017 Mr Pradeep Jayatilake  Secretary  Judicial Service Commission  Hulftsdorp St,  Colombo 12,  Sri Lanka Dear Mr Jayatilake, Letter to the JSC by the Asian Human Rights Commission  Over five years of investigation into a baseless and malicious allegation against a District Judge, (now retired) Mr B. A. R Somasinghe I am writing to […]

Barely one and a half months into this year, eight terrorist attacks in different parts of Pakistan have claimed at least 50 lives, including of 24 security officials. The tall claims of the government and military establishment of breaking the back of terrorism are a shambles. Pakistan, with the world’s sixth largest army and more […]

The sudden and inexplicable surge in violence against women this year has sent shivers down the collective spine of the country. Not that previous years had been any different in terms of violence against women. However, the year 2017 appears to be particularly brutal with more than a dozen honour killings occurring in the first […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has information regarding the last two years of President Joko Widodo’s administration. It appears that the government has not yet made any effort to resolve past human rights abuses. After President Widodo won the presidential election in 2014, victims and their families had great expectations of him. Instead of […]

Nepal’s police have arrested Dr. Chandra Kant Raut, popularly known as C.K. Raut, after harassing his wife and children from Janakpurdham-4, Macha Bazar, Dhanusha district. More than a dozen police personnel broke the lock of the gate and harassed his wife and children before manhandling and arresting Dr. Raut. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) […]

It is unimaginable for any democratic, law-abiding society to outsource its key function of justice. And yet, the Government of Pakistan first outsourced the dispensation of justice to the military, and now to the Panchayat and Jirga, which are known for aiding and abetting grave human rights abuses, and are the primary cause of rising […]

The mandate for The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) is fast approaching their end. With February 9 as a deadline to complete work, only a week left in hand, bringing confusion not only to Commission members, but also conflict victims. The Commissions were established two […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns in the strongest terms the killing on the evening of 29 January 2017 of prominent lawyer, constitutional expert and advisor to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Ko Ni, and joins with the thousands who attended his funeral to extend sincere condolences to his wife, Daw Tin Tin Aye, […]

The government of Pakistan is conspicuously silent on an organised and malicious campaign started by two television channels for inciting hate and violence against activists who are protesting for the recovery of five disappeared bloggers. The campaign was so strong that at one point a strong group of religious fundamentalists attacked the activists who were […]

It is almost a week since the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC) admitted to having found prima facie evidence of the security personnel of state government of Chhattisgarh having raped and sexually and physically assaulted at least 16 women, mostly women belonging to the indigenous communities. It is also been a week since the NHRC […]

A 10-year-old child working as a household help was tortured by her employers, an Additional Sessions judge and his wife; the girl has been severely injured. The judge has used his influence and position to settle the case outside the court with the father of the maid. The Chief Justice of Pakistan took suo motto […]

Today, January 4, is the death anniversary of former Governor of Punjab Province Salman Taseer, who was killed in broad daylight by his own bodyguard in 2011, for appealing for the pardon of a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, who had been sentenced to death for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad. After his assassination, Salman Taseer’s family […]

मिति २०७३ मङ्सिर २० गते काभ्रेपलाञ्चोक सानो वाङथली ७ की वर्ष ३२ की लक्ष्मीपरियारको स्थानीय सूर्योदय माध्यमिक विद्यालयका सामाजिक शिक्षा विषयका शिक्षकगोदामचौर निवासी हिरा लामा र निजकी आमा काइँलीमायाँ लामालगायतको कुटपिटतथा मलमूत्र खुवाउने कार्यबाट मिति २०७३ मङसिर २४ गते मृत्यु भएको थियो ।घटनापछि दलित नागरिक समाजको बैठक बसी घटनाको सत्यतथ्य पत्ता लगाईदोषीलाई कडा भन्दा कडा कानुनी कारवाही गर्नुपर्ने निर्णय भएको थियो । सोनिर्णयअनुसार समता फाउण्डेशनको संयोजकत्वमा दलित गैरसरकारी संस्था महासंघ, जागरण मिडिया सेन्टर, नेपाल राष्ट्रिय दलित समाज कल्याण सङ्घ(एनएनडिएसडब्लूओ), दलित महिला केन्द्र नेपाललगायतका सङघसंसथाहरूकोसक्रियतामा पाँच सदस्यीय स्थलगत भ्रमण टोली घटनास्थलमा स्थलगत भ्रमण गरीसरोकारवाला निकाय, पीडित तथा पीडक परिवारका सदस्यहरु, प्रदत्यदर्शी, स्थानीयबासिन्दासँग मिति २०७३ मङ्सिर २८ र २९ गते गरिएको छलफल तथा स्थलगतअवलोकनका आधारमा यो प्रतिवेदन तयार पारिएको हो । अध्ययनका क्रममा भेटिएका तथ्यहरुः लक्ष्मी परियार गाउँस्तरीय विभिन्न उपभोक्ता समिति र समूहमा रहेर स्थानीयस्तरका कार्यक्रमहरुमा दलित पक्षमा पैरवी गर्दै आएको देखिन्छ । यसअघि पनिहिरा लामाले लक्ष्मी परियारका माइला जेठाजुलाई दोस्रो संविधानसभाको चुनावमाआफू समर्थित दललाई भोट नदिएको भनी खाना खाँदै गरेको अवस्थामा घरबाहिरनिकाली कुटपिट गरेका थिए । हिरा लामाको मनपरीविरुद्ध प्रश्न उठाउँदा लक्ष्मीपरियारलाई उनले यसअघि पनि विभिन्न समयमा लखेट्दै कुटपिट गर्ने प्रयासगरेका थिए । घटनाको सम्बन्धमा गरिएको स्थलगत अध्ययन, मृतक लक्ष्मी परियारका माइलाछोरा सुमन र प्रत्यक्षदर्शीहरुको भनाइका आधारमा घटना भएको दिन मङ्सिर २०गते लक्ष्मी परियार ४ बजेतिर च्याङ्वा तामाङको मेलाबाट फर्किँदै थिइन् । विद्यालयछुट्टी भएपछि मोटरसाइकलमा घर फर्किँदै गरेका लामालाई परियारले “लामा चढेकोमोटरसाइकल चोरीको भएको” भनेकी थिइन् । त्यसपछि लामाले परियारलाई“जातीय विभेद हुने खालका गालीगलौज” गरेका थिए । त्यहीँ विषयमा केहीबेरभनाभन भएको थियो । त्यसपछि लामाले घरमा गई आफ्नी आमा काइँलीमायाँलामालाईसमेत मोटरसाइकलमा राखी विद्यालयसम्म ल्याएका थिए । लामाका आमाछोराले परियारलाई हातखुट्टा बाँधी छाति, टाउको र खुट्टामा लात्ति, चिर्पट र लठ्ठी प्रयोग गरी “तँ दमिनी” लगायतका शब्दहरु प्रयोग गर्दै निर्घात कुटपिटगर्नुका साथै काइँलीमायाले चाउचाउको खोलमा दिसा ल्याई मुखमा कोचिदिने प्रयासगरेकी थिइन् । लक्ष्मी परियारले त्यसको प्रतिकार गरेपछि उनीहरुले जबरजस्तीअनुहारभरि दिसा दलिदिएका थिए । उनलाई बाँध्ने कार्यमा विद्यालय नजिकैचियापसल चलाउँदै आएकी निरमाया तामाङ्ले प्रत्यक्ष सहयोग गरेकी थिइन् । मङ्सिर २१ गते बुधबार उल्टै लामा परिवारले झुठा आरोप लगाउँदै लक्ष्मी परियारविरुद्ध निरमाया तामाङ्को भैंसी काटिदिएको भन्दै प्रहरी चौकी चौवासमा उजुरीगरेका थिए । यता काठमाडौंमा सिलाइकाम गर्दै आएका लक्ष्मीका श्रीमान मिलननेपाली घटना बारे थाहा पाइसकेपछि आफ्ना साला लोकबहादुर परियारलाई बुधबारविहान ८ः३० मा फोन नं. ९८१८९२९१६० मा ९८२३६३०५८१ बाट खबर गरी बुधबारै घरपुगेका थिए । तर, बुधबार प्रहरी नआइसकेपछि श्रीमती कुटिएकोबारे छलफल गर्नउनी २३ गते बिहीबार विहानै ससुराली गए । मिलन ससुराली गएपछि प्रहरी चौकी चौबासका इन्चार्ज प्रेमपुकार चौधरीकोनेतृत्वको टोली घटनास्थल पुग्यो । तर, प्रहरीले लक्ष्मीमाथि भएको कुटपीट रअमानवीय व्यवहारबारे आफ्नो विषयक्षेत्र नभएको भन्दै भैंसी काटेवापत १ हजाररुपैयाँ र २०७२ बैशाख १ गते स्थानीय एक महिलासँग भएको झगडामा लक्ष्मीले ५हजार रुपैयाँ तीर्नुपर्ने भन्दै ६ हजार रुपैयाँ पीडक पक्षलाई जरिवाना गरी मिलापत्रगराएको थियो । मिलापत्रपछि सोही दिन लक्ष्मी छोरी नाता पर्ने आफन्तको विवाहमा गई मादकपदार्थसेवनगरी फर्किएकी थिइन् । मिलन ससुराली भएकै समयमा जेठान राजकुमारपरियारले ९८०३५७८५९१ बाट आफ्नी बहिनी लक्ष्मीलाई ९७४१३०८९९६ मा फोन गर्दाउनी फोनमै रुँदै गहिरो चोट लागेको र सरिरभरी निलडाम भएको बताएकी थिइन् । सोही दिन ४ बजे ससुरालीबाट घरजान फर्केका मिलन करिब १० बजेतिर घर फर्किएरआमाको घरमा बसेका थिए । मिलन घर नपुग्दै ९ बजे दाजु राजकुमारले बहिनीलक्ष्मीलाई पुनः फोन गरी शान्त्वना दिँदै धुलीखेल गएर उपचार गराउन सल्लाहदिएका थिए । लक्ष्मीकी देउरानी सरिता परियारले दिएको बयानका आधारमा २४ गते विहान मिलनसानो छोरालाई बिस्कुट किन्न भन्दै पसल तिर लागेका थिए भने लक्ष्मी माइतीजानेभन्दै बाटो लागेकी थिइन् । तर घरदेखि करिब ३०० मिटरभन्दा पर रहेकोगोठभन्दा उता लक्ष्मी नगएको देखेपछि देउरानी र सासूले छोरा सुमनलाई “आमाकता गइ ?” भन्दै अलिपरसम्म हेर्न जान अह्राएका थिए । करिब ७ बजेतिर सुमनले गोठको सुरनेरै ममी ढलेको भन्दै हजुरआमा, बाबु रकाकीलाई खबर गरेका थिए । गोठको ढोकाभित्र टाउको र बाहिर शरिर रहेकोअवस्थामा लक्ष्मीको लास फेला परेको थियो। त्यसपछि उनीहरुले प्रहरीलाई खबरगरेका थिए । त्यत्तिबेलासम्म लक्ष्मीको मृत्यु भएपनि शरिर तातै रहेको देउरानीलेबताइन् । जिल्ला प्रहरी कार्यालय काभ्रेले मिति २०७३ मङ्सिर २६ मा गरेका पत्रकारसम्मेलनमा कुटपिट गरी मलमुत्र खुवाएको होइन लक्ष्मीको झुण्डिएर आत्महत्याभएको भन्ने खबर आएकोले उनका श्रीमान मिलन नेपालीलाई समेत पक्राउ गरिएकोभन्ने आशयको जानकारी गराएको थियो । जबकि प्रहरीले २४ गते तयार गरेकोलासको मुचुल्कामा झुण्डिएर आत्महत्या गरेको विषयमा केही उल्लेख गरिएको छैन। जिल्ला प्रहरी कार्यालय काभ्रेको हिरासतमा रहेका लक्ष्मीका श्रीमान् मिलन नेपालीलेआफूलाई प्रहरीले चरम यातना दिएर श्रीमतीलाई कुटेको हुँ भन्न बाध्य पारेकोबताएका छन् । हाल प्रहरीले हिरा लामा, काइँलीमाया तामाङ, निरमायातामाङ र मिलन नेपालीलाईअदालत पेश गरी थुनामा राख्ने म्याद दिएर अनुसन्धान अघि बढाएको छ । जिल्ला प्रहरी कार्यालय काभ्रेको हिरासतमा रहेका मृतक लक्ष्मी परियारका श्रीमानमिलन नेपाली संग संयुक्त राजनीतिक दलित संघर्ष समिति र दलित नागरिकसमाजका प्रतिनीधिहरुले कुराकानी गरेका थिए । कुराकानीको संदर्भमा आफुलेश्रीमतिलाई कुटपिट नगरे पनि प्रहरीले जर्वजस्ती कुटपीट गरी यातना दिएर हत्यागरेको स्वीकार गर्न वाध्य पारेको बताएका छन् । निष्कर्षः लक्ष्मी परियार हत्या सम्बन्धमा बोक्सीको आरोप लगाइएको भन्ने खालको कुराबाहिर आएपनि प्रत्यक्षदर्शी, पीडित परिवार तथा स्थानीयको भनाइअनुसार त्यस्तोकुनै तथ्य भेटिएन । लक्ष्मीको हत्या घटनामा बाहिरी रुपमा कुटपिट तथा मलमूत्रखुवाउने कार्य गरेको देखिएपनि घटनाको मुख्य कारणको रुपमा दलित समुदायमाथिहुने जातीय भेदभाव तथा छुवाछूत र सार्वजनिक जीवनमा उनीहरुको अस्तित्वलाईअस्वीकार गर्ने प्रवृत्तिले काम गरेको छ । प्रहरीले पत्रकार सम्मेलनमा लक्ष्मी परियारको झुण्डिएर आत्महत्या गरेको भन्नेदाबी तथ्यसंगत देखिँदैन । र, आत्महत्या गर्न प्रयोग गरिएको डोरी वा अन्य कुनैसाधनहरुको प्रमाण भेटिँदैन । लक्ष्मी परियारको मृत्यु स्थानीय सूर्योदय माध्यमिकविद्यालयका सामाजिक शिक्षा विषयका शिक्षक लाहुरेबजार निवासी हिरा लामा रनिजकी आमा काइँलीमाया लामालगायतको कुटपिटको असर स्वरुप चारदिनपछिमृत्यु भएको देखिन्छ । लामा परिवारले झुठा आरोप लगाउँदै लक्ष्मी परियार विरुद्ध निरमाया तामाङ्को भैंसीकाटिदिएको भन्दै प्रहरी चौकी चौवासमा गरेको उजुरीलाई प्रहरीले सत्यतथ्य नबुझिलामा परिवारको प्रभावमा परी उल्टो पीडीतलाई नै जरिवाना तिराउने कार्य गरीराज्यपक्षबाट गम्भीर मानवअधिकार उल्लङ्घन भएको छ । काटिएको भनिएकोभैंसी स्थलगत अध्ययनको क्रममा सकुसल पाइएको छ । प्रहरीले मिलापत्र गर्ने क्रममा लक्ष्मी परियारमाथि भएको कुटपिट, दुव्र्यवहार रमहिला हिंसाको सवाललाई बेवास्ता गरी एकतर्फी रुपमा पीडकलाई नै सहयोग गरेकोदेखिन्छ । यदि प्रहरीले त्यस्तो गम्भीर अपराधलाई मिलापत्र नगरी कानुनीकारवाहीको दायरामा ल्याएको भए यस्तो अप्रिय घटना नहुने सम्भावना थियो । आरोपित मिलन नेपालीको घटनामा भएको संलग्नताको विषयमा तत्काल निश्पक्षछानविन र सुनुवाई हुनु जरुरी छ । मृतकको पोस्टमार्टम ढिला गरिँदा प्रमाण नष्टहुने जोखिम समेत देखिन्छ । विगतको अनुभवका आधारमा विशेषगरी जातीय भेदभाव तथा छुवाछूत र दलितसमुदायसँग सम्बन्धित सवालमा राज्य पक्ष त्यसमा पनि प्रहरीले उनुसन्धान तथापीडितलाई न्याय दिने कुरामा देखाएको नैराश्यता र पूर्वाग्रहका कारण यस घटनामा पनिपीडितले न्याय दिलाउनका लागि विशेष गरी आमसञ्चार क्षेत्रले निरन्तर दबाब रखबरदारी गर्नु आवश्यक छ ।

It now seems that the government announcement to finally recognise the services of the great Nobel Laureate Dr. Abdus Salam was mere eyewash. Just three days after the announcement was made to name the Physics Department of Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad after the Ahmadi prodigy, attacks began on the beleaguered Ahmadiyya. The Community had hardly breathed a sigh […]

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed that seventeen supporters of Dr. C.K. Raut have been arrested by the police on 7 December from the Janakpur District. They were organizing a clean-up programme of the city after the Vivahpanchami festival attended by about one million pilgrims. They are still in police custody under […]