National Human Rights Commission has asked the government to provide Rs 300,000 each to the families of people who died in the Maoists’ Beni attack. A statement released by the NHRC on January 4 said that the instruction was issued on the basis of the complaint it took on suo moto. NHRC has also recommended sufficient and reasonable compensation to those injured in the incident and who suffered physical damage of the property after forming a task force to assess the damage. The Maoists had attacked Beni, the district headquarters of Myagdi on March 20, 2004. In the statement, the NHRC said that both sides were found to have violated International Humanitarian Law in the incident adding a recommendation for legal action against the perpetrators after launching an investigation. In another recommendation, NHRC has asked the government to provide Rs 300,000 to the family of Tekraj Ghising who was working at a hotel in Salu VDC-6, Ramechhap. Ghising was shot dead by the security personnel on January 11, 2004. NHRC has also made similar recommendations in the killing of Badri Tiwari of Pokharichauri, Kavre who was shot dead by the security forces in 2003. 

Ramesh Prasad Timalsina