Incident Reports

Insurgency victims seek social, economic security

2018-05-15

Nepal

Victims of the insurgency have demanded social, psychological and economic security from the government. During an interaction titled ‘Mainstreaming Common Voices of CAW for State Restructuring and Economic, Social, and Cultural Transformation’ organised here today by Women for Human Rights, victims of the insurgency demanded security for single women, their children, rape victims, rights related to property and justice for them. Sarita Sapkota of Panchkhal, Kavre, lost her husband 18 years ago. After the death of her husband she has struggled for survival and for the education of her two daughters. Now she is fighting for the right to property. Talking to The Himalayan Times, she said, “Single women who lost their husband have to wait for 12 years to get the property of the husband. Due to the social misconception towards women, the family denies them property and also the law has discriminated against women by not providing property for 12 years.” She said, with the help of property, we can to provide quality education to children, but we are deprived of our right to property. Speaking in the programme, Attorney General Agni Prasad Kharel said that the issue should be solved as soon as possible. He said, “The government is planning to provide Rs 90 million budget to the local level. With the allocation of large amount of budget to the local level, they have also been made responsible for addressing war victims’ problem at the local level.” Manchala Kumari Jha, member of the Truth Reconciliation Commission said that nearly 63,600 complaints of war victims had been registered with the TRC this year. Nearly 500 of them are related to rape and sexual harassment during the insurgency. “Due to lack of proper laws and policy regarding the problem of rape victims, it has been very difficult for the TRC to address complaints.” She said other war victims have got the fund provided by the government, but rape victims had been deprived of the fund as well as health service, education for their children, social security etc. “Because of the fear of social discrimination, most victims are unable to register complaints.” “Due to lack proof regarding rape, victims are unable to get justice,” said Sudip Pathak, member at National Human Rights Commission. “The government should provide justice to victims who came to register complaint of rape. Victims themselves should be regarded as proof for their cases,” he said.

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