PHA-Exchange> Re: shyam shrestha

[Mathura P Shrestha]

Dear Sophie Beach

Thank you for your interest.

Dr. Mahesh Maskey, Shyam Shrestha and Pramod Kafle were arrested while they
were passing the immigration to fly to New Delhi Via IC814. But the military
has not officially confirmed. However the Prime Minister and Secretary of
Defense although expressed their ignorance earlier have now admitted that
they were arrested by the military and they 'will try' to get them released
soon. According to the reliable eye witness while they were presenting their
passports for immigration some plain cloth military personnel approached
them and called to a quite corner from where they were whisked to unknown
place. At the time there were no other person in the queue and therefore
nobody saw them arrested except the security personnel. Therefor none of the
family members or human rights activists including the members of
Intellectual Solidarity Group knew about the arrest. When the organizers in
Delhi could not find them in Delhi airport a long time after the plane
landed then we suspected their arrest. Vigorous efforts and inquiry did not
bear any result. The military personnel did not provide any information. All
the government authority including the Prime Minister expressed their
ignorance. They maintained the Latin America style of behavior in abduction
or disappearance.

All civil societies active in human rights, professional organizations and
intellectuals univocally condemned the action and demanded the immediate
release of the abducted personnel including Shyam Shrestha, Dr. Mahesh
Maskey, Pramod Kafle, Dr. Prakash Man Shrestha and Ramnath Mainali, and
tender due apology to the victims and civil societies.

I shall be happy to talk with you over the phone. My phone No. is 977 1
371199. and Fax No. is 977 1 371122.

With regards,

Mathura P. Shrestha.