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Baral was a recent school graduate and a member of All-Nepal Free Student Union
(Revolutionary), a Maoist-affiliated organization. 50
About a year before his arrest twenty-year-old Tirtha Nata Luitel, from Hemja VDC in
Kaski district, was befriended by some CPN-M activists, who convinced him to drop out
of school, join CPN-M, and become an underground activist. His family had not heard
from Luitel in nearly a year when they learned from the newspaper that he had been
arrested on November 8, 2003 (Kartik 23, 2060). The family reported the
“disappearance” to INSEC and other human rights organizations, and was visited by
ICRC representatives who also documented the case. They did not approach
government officials, unsure about what could be done for them. They have had no
information about Luitel since reading about his arrest in the newspaper. 51
Two of the arrested men, twenty-six-year-old Budhi Pande and twenty-five-year-old
Prakash Khanal, were from Chitwan district, and had come to Pokhara for their
studies. Their families had not had extensive contact with them during their studies, and
were thus unaware if they were actively engaged in CPN-M activities.
Budhi Pande was studying at the Prithivi Narayan (PN) campus in Pokhara at the time
of his arrest on November 4, 2003 (Kartik 18, 2060). He had been living in Pokhara for
nine years, and his family learned of his arrest through the newspaper. The family
reported the “disappearance” to the ICRC and Amnesty International, as well as to local
human rights groups. On March 15, 2004 (Chaitra 2, 2060), the family received a short
phone call from Pande, who confirmed he was still being held in detention but could
share few other details, and told his family not to worry. 52
Prakash Khanal had failed his high school exit exams, and had been moving from city to
city, first living in Birgunj and then moving to Pokhara, where he arrived just weeks
before being arrested on November 9, 2003 (Kartik 23, 2060). After learning of the
arrest five days later, his relatives went to report the case to the ICRC, INSEC, NHRC,
and other human rights organizations. The family has had no information or contact
with Khanal since his arrest. 53
50
Human Rughts Watch interview with a relative of Netra Prasad Baral, Kaski, September 21, 2004.
51
Human Rights Watch interview with a relative of Tirtha Nata Luitel, Kaski, September 21, 2004.
52
Human Rights Watch interview with a relative of Budhi Pande, Kaski, September 22, 2004.
53
Human Rights Watch interview with a relative of Prakash Khanal, Kaski, September 22, 2004.
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