Demand Justice for Dalit Murders; Killing Dalit Youth is Savagery
प्रकाशित मिति : जेष्ठ १८, २०७७ आईतबार
The International Commission for Dalit Rights (ICDR) urges the Government of Nepal to commission a high-level Federal Parliamentarian Investigation Committee immediately for a thorough and impartial investigation on the killing of Dalits, including suspending and prosecuting elected representatives who brutally led and participated in these crimes. Justice must be delivered to the victims and their families by enforcing international criminal justice and constitutional laws.
On 23 May, in the Chaurjahari Municipality of Rukum District in Karnali Province, Nawaraj BK and his friends were stoned, abused, beaten, attacked by weapons and chased by a village mob composed of people of a dominant caste, to which Nawaraj’s girlfriend also belonged. Six men, including Nawaraj were massacred and their bodies were thrown into the Bheri River. Some youths are still missing. Nawaraj went to Rukum from Jajarkot, his home district, to marry and bring his girlfriend back home, allegedly at her request.
Nawaraj BK, a 21-year-old Dalit man, was in love with a girl from a so-called dominant caste. The couple decided to get married. When the girl learned that her family was planning to force her to marry someone from their caste, she asked Nawaraj to help her to run away with him. Nawaraj along with his relatives and friends came to the girl’s house to save her from marrying a man against her will. On their arrival, the girl’s mother invited a group of 50-60 men, including local elected representatives and political leaders from her village, to attack them. This group attacked and brutalized Nawaraj and his supporters.
On the same day, a 12-year-old Dalit girl was raped and murdered in the Devdaha Village of Rupandehi District. The day before, villagers and local elected representatives, including the Ward Chair, forced her to marry the rapist, who belongs to a dominant caste. A preliminary police investigation found that she had been raped and murdered.
“Murder, rape and bigotry against Dalits and marginalized populations are evidence of the Nepali Government’s acceptance of gross human rights violations and unwillingness to reform broken criminal justice systems,” said D.B. Sagar, President of ICDR. He expressed frustration over the inability of the Government to enforce inclusive and anti-discriminatory laws. According to ICDR’s initial report, there are more than 25 recent cases of caste-based discrimination, exclusion and gross human rights violation against Dalits.
As the investigation into what happened continues, ICDR and its allies such as Dalit NGO Federation and National Campaign of Dalit Civil Society urge immediate and decisive action to bring justice to victims’ families, including suspending and/or prosecuting elected representatives for their egregious disregard for human life. ICDR calls on its allies to be resilient and visible to ensure justice and address caste-based discrimination, inequality and injustice and to acknowledge the trauma experienced by the Dalit and marginalized communities.
The ICDR and its allies also strongly condemn police brutality and the excessive use of force against peaceful demonstrations organized by Dalit Civil society organizations demanding justice for victim families. ICDR urges the Government of Nepal to protect the Dalit and marginalized communities’ rights and implement international and constitutional legal systems to ensure justice for all.
Background
Caste inequality is still deeply rooted in the societies of Nepal. Every other day, there are reports of discrimination based on caste, which often include violence and brutality against the Dalit community. This incident has caught the attention of civil society organizations and human rights defenders who are apprehensive about an ineffective investigation. Caste-based discrimination is criminalized in Nepal; however, the weak criminal justice system is perpetuating caste discrimination practices. Investigations are usually ineffective in such cases. Problems start right from registering the case and holding the reporting person accountable for the violence.
Nepal has an obligation and responsibility to meet the requirements of the International Covenant on Civic and Political Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination; it must mitigate and take action against all forms of caste-based discrimination and violence. The Government of Nepal must take immediate action to punish those who killed Nawaraj and his family and friends. These killings are a manifestation of caste discrimination, which is a gross violation of both Nepali and international laws. ICDR and other Dalit rights defenders are closely monitoring the developments in this investigation and continuing to fight for Dalit rights. Should the Government of Nepal’s investigation be ineffective, we are ready to conduct an independent review with international support and even take this case before the International Court.