Families of missing have right to know about their loved ones

Kathmandu, Aug. 28:

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said that the families of the missing citizens had the right to know the fate of their missing loved ones.

The ICRC, the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) and the Nepal Society of Families of the Disappeared and Missing (NEFAD) focus on the right to know for this year’s International Day of the Disappeared, they said in a press statement issued on Tuesday.

They are observing the International Day of the Disappeared on Wednesday.

This year's event will include a theatre performance titled 'The Waiting Eyes' and the unveiling of the publication called ‘Missing Persons in Nepal: Updated list 2018’.

“There will also be an interactive session dedicated to the members of the families of missing persons in Nepal. The 20-minute theatre performance will focus on the difficulties, struggle and the needs of the families of the missing persons through a representative family,” said the ICRC.

Likewise, the ‘Missing Persons in Nepal: Updated list 2018’ is a joint publication of the ICRC and the NRCS and contains updated list of 1333 people, who are still missing in connection with the decade-long (1996 - 2006) internal armed conflict in Nepal.

This list has been published annually since 2007.

André Paquet, Head of ICRC mission in Nepal said, “We strongly hope that the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission will make every effort to give the victims and the families some long-awaited answers”.

He said that people had the right to know what has happened to their missing relatives.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 29 August 2018.