Nepal, Maoist Prime Minister accused of hiding war massacres
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - For the first time in the history of Nepal, a Court of Appeal has summoned Prime Minister Baburan Bhattarai and the Attorney General Mukti Narayan Pradhan. They are accused of "contempt of court" for the detention of the trials against former Maoist cadres accused of crimes against humanity, ordered by the Prime Minister without the approval of the judges. Bhattarai and Narayan Pradhan must appear within one week of notification. The two risk a year in prison.
The case exploded on January 9 after the arrest of Lachhiram Gharti, formerly part of the Maoist militia. He is the alleged murderer of Dekendra Raj Thapa, a journalist killed by Maoist militias in Dailekh (northern Nepal) in 2004 during the civil war (1995 - 2006). According to police, the man had confessed his responsibility for the murder, involving at least nine former Maoist cadres close to the Prime Minister. To avoid a scandal, Bhattarai and Narayan Pradhan suspended the hearings. The Gharti trial was transferred to another court, despite the contrary opinion of the Daileck Court of Appeal, responsible for the investigation.
In recent days, the Prime Minister issued a statement in which he rejects the allegations. He criticizes the behaviour of the judges whom he claims are trying to manipulate individual cases of murder have occurred in the 11 years of conflict, against the ruling party. According to Bhattarai such behavior endangers the peace process in the country and requires the creation of a commission charged with investigating all episodes.
Since the Maoists came to power in 2008, the subject of massacres committed during the civil war between the Maoists and the Hindu monarchy has become taboo. Despite the creation in 2007 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established in collaboration with the UN, Maoists and communists refuse to bring to justice those responsible for the civil war. The Unified Communist Party of Nepal Maoist and Nepal Communist Party are the only political parties that have ruled since the fall of the monarchy. According to many activists, the leftist governments have created a pervasive climate of impunity to protect their leaders and their ideology. In 2010, over 309 criminal cases were filed by the government led by the Communists, 282 cases were dismissed by the Maoist executive between 2008 and 2009.
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