AI index: ASA 31/004/2013
On the 30th annual International Day of the Disappeared, victims and human rights organizations urge the Nepali government to ensure that investigations to determine the fate and whereabouts of disappeared persons are carried out without further delay, and that those suspected of criminal responsibility for these gross violations of human rights are brought to justice in fair trials.
Enforced disappearance constitutes a multiple violation of the human rights of both the individuals disappeared and their families. It has repeatedly been described by the UN General Assembly as “an offence to human dignity” and a grave violation of international human rights law.
The practice of enforced disappearance during Nepal’s 1996-2006 armed conflict was among the worst anywhere in the world. The fate and whereabouts of more than 1,300 possible victims of enforced disappearance are still unknown. To date, not one person suspected of criminal responsibility for serious human rights violations or crimes under international law committed during the conflict has been brought to justice.
The government must take meaningful initiatives to address its human rights obligations. Ending impunity, ensuring accountability, and strengthening the rule of law are essential for a durable transition from armed conflict to sustainable peace in Nepal.