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[Mathura P Shrestha]

Some detention camps as bad as Nazi concentration camp

Dr. Arjun Karki, President of NGO Federation of Nepal, Gauri Pradhan, President of Alliance Nepal & CWIN, Dr. Subodh Pyakuryal, Chair INSEC, Dr Gopal Chintan INHURED International, Dr. Rajesh Gautam, Vice-president of AI Nepal Chapter, and myself as the President of PSR Nepal (PSRN) observed 3 detention centers in Kathmandu where most of the detainees from yesterday's people's movement for democracy and against royal regression were hurled up. 

The first detention center was a godown (warehouse) of Nepal Food Corporation, Thapathali. The place was intended to put animals for slaughter, especially buffaloes, goats, sheep and mountain goats. The place was hurriedly emptied to house the detained demonstrators but without cleaning of any shorts. We found the place so dirty and so smelly with piles of animal and other wastes that it was even unfit to house any animals. The place was heavily infested with fleas, bed-bugs, ticks and houseflies. More than 1200 demonstrators were forced to stay there without beds or even carpets. It was severely over crowded all forced into three rooms each with a size of 17 by 40 feet and a small cowshed for more than 70 women. Another 20 women had to pass the night in a corner of a shed with men on the other corner. It was raining and cold. No blanket or protective material was provided. There was no proper drinking water facility, no toilets of any shorts. The light was grossly insufficient. The roofs of the godowns and sheds were leaking. A little food was served only after 10.00 PM the quantity of which was grossly insufficient. Many had to pass the sleepless night hungry. Only a few could sleep. They were barred to see relatives or any visitors except human rights observers, a team of NHRC and leaders of political parties like Girija Prasad Koirala, Sharita Giri etc. We were there only for about one and half-hour and had intolerable flea-bites. One can imagine the nightmare the detainees had. The inmates of the dingy center has appealed the NHRC with a strong resentment and for humane and legal treatment.

We then visited The Police Club by the side of Town Hall. It was a single large room with 319 demonstrators detained. The place was cold and only with a thin and very dirty carpet pieces that were grossly insufficient. No blankets were provided. Drinking water and toilet facilities were very poor. Women demonstrators complained that at midnight some drunken police officers tried to harass them. Food was provided but they had to pass sleepless night because of cold.

In Stadium the condition was slightly better but toilet facilities were not sufficient. There were 353 detained according to their own records. Food provided was not satisfactory. There were 16 students who were appearing university examination. They were promised that they will be released soon. But not released yet.

Government is preparing to enact a very harsh anti people and anti democratic law to suppress the movement even though the king illegally squashed all parliamentary processes and elected bodies. 

PSRN strongly condemns such inhuman and barbaric act on the part of the government. We appeal all the people in the country and thinking generation all over the world to strongly condemn the government and press the king to retreat from his regressive anti-democratic moves to restore democracy and full respect and implement human rights and international humanitarian laws. We also appeal all concerned people and intellectuals to oppose all those governments in the West who are providing military and other aids to such regressive government that bank upon such gross human rights violation and barbarism.

Professor Mathura P. Shrestha

President

Physicians for Social Responsibility, Nepal (PSRN).

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