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NHRC And EU Concerned With Assaults On Dalit Community In Nepal
By KTM Metro Reporter
June 11, 2013: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed its serious concern over the Friday-evening assault on dalit community of Pipariya VDC-8 of Rautahat. In a statement released on Sunday, June 9, 2013, NHRC condemned the attack on dalit community by the non-dalit people of the VDC, according to ‘gorkhapatraonline.com.
NHRC has said that a group of non-dalit people assaulted dozens of dalit when the dalit people refused to withdraw the lawsuit filed against the non-dalit people for not allowing them the use of temple for worship.
The dalit people filed a lawsuit against a group of non-dalit people for not allowing the family members of Umesh Ram Chamar and his bride entering the temple for the blessing of the deity on May 12, 2013. The victim’s family had filed a case at the Area Police Office, Garuda under the Caste-based Discrimination and Untouchability (Offence and Punishment Act) of 2011.
The attackers have injured 18 dalits including women and children, and destroyed more than three dozens of houses in the attack. Five of the injured have been undergoing treatment at District Hospital, Gaur and others are at other hospitals of Garuda.
Dalit sufferer Chandeshwor Ram said, “A group of more than 500 people attacked the dalits mercilessly.” “Our houses have been destroyed and all our belongings destructed. A total of six television sets were destroyed in the attack,” added Ram. Sunauna Devi Ram said, “We are still living under fear of being attacked again by the so-called high caste people.”
SP Pariyar said the police have arrested Chhote Lal Yadav and Ram Dev Yadav involved in the attack. Other perpetrators of violence against dalits were Rameshwor Yadav, Ram Pravesh Yadav, Sikinder Pandit, Sham Bilash Shah, Jhaman Pandit and others have run away from the village because of the fear of getting arrested, according to gorkhapatraonline.com..
In a statement issued in Kathmandu yeserday, leaders of the European Union Mission (Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the EU Delegation to Nepal) together with the Missions of Norway and Switzerland have strongly condemned the recent assault on Dalits at Pipariya VDC of Rautahat for legal redress for not allowing them to use a temple for worship. In the statement, they said, "After the promulgation of the Caste-based Discrimination and Untouchability (offence and punishment) Act of 2011, this event is a stark reminder that much effort is still needed to overcome the scourge of untouchability and identity-based discrimination." They also urged all government agencies and relevant stakeholders to implement the existing legislation and called upon all political parties and civil society to actively raise awareness of this law and promote social inclusion, according to nepalnews.com.
