“Like We Are Not Nepali”

“Like We Are Not Nepali”
Protest and Police Crackdown in the Terai Region of Nepal
Starting in late August 2015, protests over Nepal’s new constitution in the southern Terai region turned violent, with protesters in
some instances attacking defenseless police, and police in many instances using excessive force. Some 45 people were killed.
The protesters, from long-marginalized Tharu and Madhesi communities, objected to the proposed new constitution, notably its
delineation of federal provinces that many believed would further entrench their marginalization.
“Like We Are Not Nepali” documents 25 of the killings, including of 9 police officers and 16 members of the public, in five Terai
districts between August 24 and September 11, 2015. Human Rights Watch found no evidence that any of the victims was posing
a threat to another at the time he was killed, indicating that the authorities violated international standards on the use of force in
policing.
Human Rights Watch calls on Nepali officials to ensure that security forces immediately cease the use of disproportionate force
against protesters and establish an independent mechanism for investigating the killings. It urges protesters and protest leaders
to take all feasible steps to ensure that all protests are peaceful, and fully cooperate with the authorities in ensuring those
responsible for serious crimes are brought to justice. All sides to the underlying political dispute, including protesters and the
government, should avoid any action which could incite communal tensions.
A police officer faces protesters in
Nepal’s Terai region in September 2015.
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