NEPAL: Fingers chopped off after a Dalit tried to worship on non-Dalit land

Dear Friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from the Terai Human Rights Defenders’ Alliance (THRDA) that 32-year-old Ramparkhan Kori (Chamar) was abused and beaten by local non Dalit villagers for worshiping in a temple located on a non-Dalit’s land. The villagers tried to chop off his head to sacrifice before the goddess. His brother Jaganarayan’s three fingers were chopped off while he tried to save Ramparkhan from the attack.

CASE DETAILS: 

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has been informed by the Terai Human Rights Defenders’ Alliance (THRDA) that 32-year-old Ramparkhan Kori (Chamar) alias Pujari, resident of Ward number 6, Belauha Village Development Committee (VDC), of Kapilbastu Municipality, was verbally and physically abused by local non Dalit villagers. After working in Qatar for two years, Ramparkhan had recently returned home.

Ramparkhan was celebrating his successful return from Qatar by visiting temples located around the village on 29 April 2017. At 8 p.m., when he was worshipping at the Shree Kadar Mai temple located at his non Dalit neighbors land, the landowner Shreepati Kurmi (42) and his family members scolded him: ‘you wretched Chamar (dalit)’, how can you worship at our land?’ Shreepati and other non-Dalits blamed Dalits for making their land impure, resulting in the land being barren with decreasing produce. 

After the fight broke out, relatives of Ramparkhan, his brother Jaganarayan Kori, Tirtha Kori and others gathered at the place. Shreepati Kurmi, Gopal Kurmi, Lakhapati Kurmi, Sitaram Chaudhary, Prabhu Chaudhary blamed Dalits of ‘bringing ghosts to the land’, and used Nepali knives (machetes), sticks and spears to attack them.

Shreepati grabbed Ramparkhan by neck and told Jitendra Kurmi (from the same ward) to chop his head as a sacrifice to please the goddess. When Jitendra raise the machete to chop Ramparkhan’s head, his brother Jaganarayan Kori (51) grabbed the machete. It did not land on Ramparkhan’s neck and instead chopped three fingers of Jaganarayan’s left hand. Jaganarayan has been receiving treatment at the Bhairahawa Medical College. Doctors are going to operate to join his fingers.

The injured Jaganarayan Kori, Ramparkhan Kori, and Tirtha Kori were taken to the Bhairahawa Medical College by ambulance and admitted at around 10 p.m. Ramparkhan and Tirtha were discharged on 2 May 2017, but Jaganarayan has been receiving treatment at Bed number 24 of the hospital.

The victims registered an ‘attempt to murder’ case at 10 a.m. on April 30. The police arrested locals Kabindra Chaudhary, Ramdayal Chaudhary, and Balkrishna Khad who has been working at Shreepati’s house. However, the main culprits are still roaming freely, and the DSP Pralad Adhikari stationed at the District Police Office (DPO) has been forcing the Chamars to go for a settlement. The DSP threatened to put them into jail if they do not comply. The Kurmis have threatened to kill the Chamars if they do not take back the registered case.

The AHRC demands a prompt and proper investigation into this case. The victims and their families are living in fear. They must be provided security and safety, and guarantee to their lives. The victims must receive urgent medical treatment. The perpetrators must be punished as per Caste based discrimination and Untouchability (Crime and Punishment) Act 2011. The government of Nepal must prove its commitments against caste based discrimination and untouchability so that citizens are deterred from practicing such heinous crimes in the 21st century. The guilty must be punished so that others do not practice caste based discrimination and untouchability in the country.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Around 15 households of Koris reside in ward number 6 of Belauha VDC. Most of them are poor and uneducated, and constantly become victims of caste based discrimination. Most of them labor with the non-Dalit landlords for their survival. Individuals like Ramparkhan become frequent victims of caste-based discrimination whenever they raise a voice against caste based discrimination and untouchability.
Cases of caste based discrimination and untouchability has been a priority only for Dalit organizations, attracting less attention for other human rights organizations. Even the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) rarely speaks on caste-based discrimination cases. Lately, the NHRC kept silent on Ajit Mijar’s case, who was allegedly hanged to death after an intercaste marriage with a non-Dalit girl. The NHRC also did not make public the report prepared on Laxmi Pariyar, who was beaten to death by a local non-Dalit teacher in Kavre district of Nepal.

SUGGESTED ACTION: 

Please write letters to the following authorities calling on them to take necessary action against the people involved in this case. The police authorities must immediately arrest the alleged perpetrators as they have threatened the victims and their families. DSP Pralad Adhikari should be suspended for trying to mediate the case outside the police station.

The AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on Contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance requesting an intervention in this case.

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER