Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at HRW, said the violence in Nepal was a serious human rights violation and that whoever was responsible must be held accountable.
We use Google Cloud Translation Services. Google requires we provide the following disclaimer relating to use of this service:
This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, expressed or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement.
The international human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) has concluded that security forces used excessive force during the Gen-G protest in Nepal on September 8 (Bhadra 23).
The report found that the police fired indiscriminately at protesters over a three-hour period. Nineteen youths died in a protest on September 8 against political corruption and social media bans.
The report released by HRW also requested the interim government led by Prime Minister Sushila Karki to conduct an impartial investigation into the excessive use of force on September 8 and the arson and mass attacks that occurred the next day (September 9).
The report does not mention the commission of inquiry formed by the government under the leadership of Gauri Bahadur Karki. HRW's deputy Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly said that the violence in Nepal was a serious violation of human rights. She commented that whoever was responsible must be held accountable.
'There must be an independent investigation, a time-bound investigation and transparency.' No one who violates the law should be spared,’ Ganguly said, ‘serious questions have been raised about the human rights violations and the professionalism and responsibility of the security sector.’ The report mainly raises five points.
Excessive use of force by security forces, the violence and security failures of September 9, the problem of lack of accountability, the political and social perspective, and the domestic and international response.
Excessive use of force by security forces:
According to Human Rights Watch, 17 people were killed when police opened fire on protesters between 12:30 pm and 4 pm on September 8. The report states that the police opened fire on protesters without warning and without following the use of force procedures, resulting in heavy casualties.
Violence and security failures of September 9:
Protesters were committing acts of violence and arson on September 9. The security forces failed to stop these incidents, and some attacked police stations and looted weapons. This shows that the security forces did not take strong measures to protect the safety and property of the people at that time.
Lack of accountability:
A judicial commission has been formed to investigate the incidents, but no specific action has been taken against the police killing of protesters on September 8. Human Rights Watch has called for all those responsible to be brought to justice.
Political and social context:
These protests were sparked by government corruption, political instability, and social media bans. Such demonstrations have generated deep discontent among the younger generation, who have expressed deep frustration with the government's failure.
Domestic and international reaction:
Although Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's resignation and the deployment of the army have tried to stop the violence, the incident has highlighted the need for reforms in Nepal's political and legal systems. The international community and civil society have pressed for a thorough investigation into the incident and for accountability.
