National Seminar on
Landmines and Disability
and Landmine Monitor 2003 Release Program
3 December 2003
(Summary Report)
     
Ban Landmines Campaign Nepal (NCBL) organized a national seminar on "Landmines and Disability" on the occasion of World Disabled Day and the Sixth Anniversary  of  the Treaty.

Honourable Sushil Pyakurel, Member of National Human Rights Commission was the chief guest of the program. Like in the past, Landmine Monitor Report of Nepal 2003 prepared by the NCBL was released on the occasion. Purna Shova Chitrakar the coordinator of NCBL and researcher made presentation on the summary of Landmine Monitor Report.

More than 100 people representing various human rights and peace organizations, Nepal Police, distinguished personalities and journalists participated in the program. Similarly, mine victims Hari Jang Shah from Rukum, Ganga Prasad Paudel from Ramechhap, Ishwori Pandit and Dina
Karki from Dhading and Dil Kumar Khatri and Jaya Ram Banjara from Kavre districts spoke on how they fell victims to landmines and related their experiences.

Chief Guest honourable Sushil Pyakurel, member of National Human Rights Commission, said that he had not understood the depth of the problem of landmines before and had not expected that he could hear about such incidents. The able bodied people have become disabled and incapacitated due to mine explosion. He said that history tells us that innocent people have been tortured by the use of landmines.


Although the security forces state that they have been using landmines with great care and precaution for their defensive purpose, NCBL report shows innocent people have fallen victims to it and it will continue to victimize the innocent in the future, he added. Therefore, the Maoists should also understand the gravity of the issue. War itself is inhuman. But even if war is waged, humanity should be given top priority and both the state and non-state actors should abide by it, he said.

But the ongoing conflict has ignored the spirit of Geneva Convention. If the non-state actor becomes responsible, it will also compel the government to be responsible and ultimately it should protect the people. Both parties must sign the Human Rights Agreement prepared by National Human Rights Commission, he further said.


Krishna Pahadi, President of Human Rights and Peace Society, said, "Today we are speaking about 6 or 7 landmine victims. Tomorrow there may be 600 or 700 mine victims in which could include our family members." We all oppose violence. But we do not take initiative to correct our shortcomings instead we try to defend ourselves through arguments, he added. He said that inhuman activities are on the rise. In order to protect themselves from the mine laid by the Maoists, the

security forces have got passenger bus in front of their convoy of army trucks and they have used human shield to protect themselves, he said relating an incident. The armed conflict begun in the country would not only disable people but the nation itself. Therefore, the people should be rescued from the scourge of war, he said.
Kuber Shrestha, ex-major of Royal Nepal Army, said that if a man lost his legs, it needs four other people to look after him. Therefore, the use of landmines is inhuman and it renders people wretched, he added. He stressed to make pressure group stronger and to create Emergency Relief Fund for the victims.
Rana Bahadur Chand, Deputy Superitendent of Nepal Police said, "The current situation of Nepal reminds me of Afghanistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka. Such a program brings educational transformation. More than 500 police personnel have fallen victims to landmines of which 33 percent have lost their lives and the rest 67 percent have become incapacitated."
"Nepal is in favour of the Ottawa Treaty. We have also used landmines for defensive purpose. We can work together with NCBL in order to protect the common people from the danger. The nation should abide by the Treaty to which it is a states party. So far the use of landmines is concerned, the Disruptive Activities (Control and Punishment) Act also prohibits it."

Neelam Shekhar Adhikari of Centre for Victims of Torture Nepal said, "The NCBL has been playing the role of a leader. Landmines are being used. The wounded have been dismissed from their jobs. What sort of state is it? The problem should be mitigated politically. There is urgent need for developing official concept for social security."
Gauri Pradhan of Centre for Child Workers in Nepal said, "The activities being carried out by the NCBL are an important effort in the human rights campaign. Only the coward use landmines, which eventually invites long-term conflict. Even if the ongoing conflict is ended through negotiation in future, the landmines would keep on posing threats."

"Let Nepal not be a land of disabled like Afghanistan. The NCBL has been doing very commendable job to avoid such a situation. It is necessary to further accelerate the campaign against landmines. War also has rules, but both the warring parties have broken the law of war. This has snatched the rights of children," he said.

"Although the Maoists have been using landmines, it is biggest mistake of the government to resort to the use of landmines. Although it may be better option for immediate security point of view, it is dangerous in the long term. The war should be ended and peace process furthered," he further said. "It is the children who always lose in the war. 280 children have lost their lives during the conflict, more than 2,000 have been orphaned and over 4,000 children have been displaced. School buildings have been demolished, reconstruction has been halted and restriction is imposed on the import of food stuff. As a result children have been suffering from malnutrition," he said. "People are afraid of sending their children to schools. There has been erosion in the concept of helping each other. Terror has prevailed all over. Therefore, we are ready to help the children who have been victimised by the conflict. 22 organisations have been working for children's welfare in 30 districts," he said.
Hari Jang Shah, a mine victim from Rukum district, informed about his falling victim to landmine and later joined the NCBL and participating in the program organized by the Raising the Voice in Geneva and the Fifth Meeting of the States Parties held in Bangkok, Thailand, networking of mine victims and various other activities he has carried out.

Ganga Prasad Paudel, a mine victim from Ramechhap district, related his heart rending story in the form of poem, which is roughly translates into English as below :

"Legs cannot move and only the left hand works
The spinal cord has broken, making the life immovable
I just sleep and cannot get up, I am telling the truth
All the onlookers are dismayed as I lie as a corpse in the bed."

"I have serious problem with my legs, spinal cord and right hand. The right hand has developed infection. There were none to rescue me when I fell victim to mine due to the fear of the Maoists. Later a passenger bus arrived there and the bus staff and passengers rushed me to an army hospital in Kathmandu where I stayed for nine months for treatment."

"The government provided Rs.500 to buy clothes and Rs.1,000 in travel allowance through the Home Ministry besides the cost of treatment. I had no money to board a plane and the bus neither provided any discount nor was its seat comfortable. So I returned home with great difficulty. Four people had to carry me from the bus park to my home."

"I used to work in the village development committee office. After I fell victim to mine, I was dismissed from the job and I have yet to receive some of my salary. The condition of Krishna Ghising was more serious who also fell victim to mine along with me."

Again he expresses his grief in poem:

"They blast mines and ask for pardon ?
Everybody like lightning fire
Every one cares the able,
We are also human beings
And all human beings are mortal.
If so, why only we are hated ?"

Dina Karki also related her pain. She said that she along with other children of her village had been to the forest to collect firewood. In course of searching firewood, they found mines and tried to distribute it among each other. They hit it with an axe, but could not break into pieces. Later they brought it to their village and pulled a thread from it. The mine went off which killed six children instantly and injured two. She said that only she and Sundar Karki survived from the explosion.

Ishwori Pandit of Dhading also related his story. The Maoist kidnapped his brother Ram Bahadur Pandit. They tied his both arms and legs and they let him go into the jungle. After few minutes he was killed by explosion. The pieces of his body were scattered. Ishwori Pandit and two security personnel Indra Bahadur Thapa & Rudra Prasad Pandey went to find the dead body. When they reached near a bridge Indra Bahadur Thapa and Rudra Prasad Pandey were killed on the way by ambush. Ishwori Pandit was injured. He has nightmare problem and his right ear lost hearing power.

Jaya Ram Banjara and Dil Kumar Khatri of Kavre said that they had found a square-shaped iron while grazing their goats in a jungle. They wanted to divide it between themselves and hit it with a stone. The mine exploded and injured them.


The event was covered by various daily newspapers, radio, FM and television stations such as The Rising Nepal, Annapurna Post, Nepal Samachar Patra, BBC Nepali and English services, Kantipur FM and Hits FM, Nepal Television, Kantipur Television, Image Channel and Nepal Television Metro Station.

It is notable that after the completion of the program, Dr Chakra Raj Pandey, an orthopedic surgeon of Medicare Hospital in Kathmandu, provided free treatment to mine victim Ganga Prasad Paudel worth Rs.50,000 including operation, operation equipment and bed charges.

NCBL would like to express sincere thanks to Landmine Monitor Core Group, Landmine Survivors Network and Dr. Chakra Raj Pandey for their kind support.