PHA-Exchange> Whereabout of Khagendra Jung Gurung

[Mathura P Shrestha]

Mr. Khagendra Jung gurung was taken by security personnel 4 months ago from
a Guest House in Kathmandu. No body new about his arrest for about 12 days.
He was then presumed to be taken to his home in Lamjung district from where
all the money, jewelry and valuable utilities including his personal rifles
(3) were confiscated by the security personnel without any legal procedure
but alleging these belonged to Maoists. However nobody in the village
including his relatives was allowed to see him there and ever since after
that.

Mr Gurung, 70 years of age, belonged to a very rich family reputed as "the
king of Lamjung" since the time of his grand father. He himself is a very
rich person owning a lot of property. He was minister twice during the
Panchyat regime. He was a staunch advocate of ethnic rights and local self
governance with sovereign rights of the minorities. He was in jail several
times both before and after multi party democracy bat always released
without charges. Maoists vocally support the question of ethnic autonomy but
Mr Gurung consistently had denied to have any link or allegation with
Maoists although he appreciated their stand prior to his disappearance.

His family members - wife, Sita Gurung, sons, Dr.Med. Bhupendra Jung Gurung
(International job), Engineer Rajendra Gurung(International job), daughters,
Subhadra Gurung (now in USA), Uma Gurung (Hong Kong), Purna Gurung and Bunti
Gurung, and other relatives are anxious to know about his whereabouts, his
health and physical conditions and their right to see him. Human rights
activists demand the Govt. to declare his whereabouts, right of the
relatives and friends to see him and know about him, to charge him only
under the national legal frames, treat him with internationally established
humanitarian laws without any type of torture and release him if he could
not be charge-sheeted.

I request AI, other human rights groups to investigate and advocate his
release.

Mathura P. Shrestha
Professor and Advisor to ALLIANCE and PSR Nepal.