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Nepal: Families have the right to know the fate of their missing loved ones

The ICRC, NRCS and NEFAD focus on Right to Know for this year's International Day of the Disappeared

Kathmandu (ICRC/NRCS) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) and the Nepal Society of Families of the Disappeared and Missing (NEFAD) are observing the International Day of the Disappeared Wednesday, 29 August 2018. The event is being held at the Russian Cultural Centre in Kathmandu.

This year's event would include a theatre performance (stage drama) 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 missing persons through a representative family.

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. It will also be available at www.familylinks.icrc.org/nepal, the sub-website of the Red Cross Red Crescent Family Links website dedicated to the missing people in Nepal.

Family members of missing persons, along with government officials, non-governmental agencies, security forces, civil society organisations, mediapersons and Red Cross movement members will be in attendance.

André Paquet, head of the 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."

People have the right to know what has happened to their missing relatives. The ICRC reminds all the stakeholders, including the Government of Nepal, of their obligation to provide information to the families.

The ICRC is a neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian organisation whose exclusively humanitarian mission is to protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance. The ICRC also endeavours to prevent suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law and universal humanitarian principles.

Download the Nepali version.

 

For further information, please contact:
Binod Kafle, ICRC Kathmandu, Tel: +977 9851074295 or +977 1 4107285
Dibya Raj Paudel, Nepal Red Cross Society Kathmandu, Tel: +977 9841699068 or +977 1 4285089
www.icrc.org/np or www.nrcs.org

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