National and international human rights organizations came together to mark the 7th anniversary of the torture, disappearance and killing of Maina Sunuwar. Among the statements and activities were:
1. A joint statement by Advocacy Forum (AF), Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) calling on the Nepal government to make sure the criminal proceedings in the case move forward, with the full cooperation of the Nepal Army. For the full text of the statement, see:
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/02/16/nepal-seventh-anniversary-killing-maina-sunuwar
2. Devi Sunuwar, Maina’s mother, wrote a passionate appeal to the Commander of the Armed Services, General Chhatraman Gurung. To write the letter in full, see:
http://www.advocacyforum.org/news/2011/02/maina-mother-urges-army-chief.php
3. Tej Thapa, the Nepal researcher at Human Rights Watch wrote an opinion piece in the Kathmandu Post exposing the hypocrisy of the Nepal government at the recent Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva where it expressed commitment to ending impunity and asserted that the Nepal Army has a “zero-tolerance policy against all kinds of human rights abuses” and is a “disciplined” institution.
As Thapa stated: “But when will the government end its excuses and actually take action against abusers? Perhaps it can start with Maina Sunuwar. This week marks the seventh anniversary of Maina’s brutal killing in Army custody. Maina’s case has long been held out to the government as an emblematic case over which it could, should it wished, take action to show that it is serious about justice for victims.” To read the full opinion piece, see:
http://www.ekantipur.com/the-kathmandu-post/2011/02/16/oped/human-rights-fantasy-in-geneva/218520.html
If you want to take action, you can find suggestions on this blog on how you can do that.
4. For one month, two billboards have been erected in Kathmandu (at Maitighar and along New Baneshwor Road) by Advocacy Forum, Amnesty International, COCAP, HRW, FOHRID, ICJ and INSEC calling for the prosecution of perpetrators in conflict-related human rights abuses. One of them features Devi Sunuwar and the other Purnimaya Lama (wife of Arjun Lama – allegedly killed by the CPN-Maoist). The text in Nepali reads:
The armed conflict is over But her fight continues
Peace through Justice. Prosecutions Now.
The fight for justice for Maina continues!
Justice for Maina Sunuwar 