Nepal police bash transgenders in Kathmandu

Threats to crush gay rights movement in Nepal
OutRage! urges protests to Nepali Embassies
London – 28 September 2005

Nepali police have continued their on-going brutality against gay people and metis (effeminate males), with a savage attack on a group of metis in the capital, Kathmandu, on 24 September.

The assault began with plainclothes police officers abusing and sexually harassing several metis who were socialising outside the Himalayan Java Café.

When the metis refused to have sex with the officers and resisted their violent abuse, they were beaten and arrested.

The UK LGBT human rights group OutRage! has been sent a news release about the assaults and arrests by its sister organisation in Nepal, the Blue Diamond Society (BDS), which campaigns for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Nepalese (see a copy of the BDS news release below).

“These assaults are a continuation of a long history of homophobic abuse and violence by sections of the Nepali police,” said Peter Tatchell of OutRage!, which is supporting the work of the BDS.

“We are concerned that LGBT people in Nepal have no legal redress against state violence, and that they get little support from mainstream human rights groups and political parties.

“It is particularly disturbing that the some senior Nepali police officers want to crackdown on the legitimate human rights work of the Blue Diamond Society.

“OutRage! urges LGBT people worldwide to support the struggle of our sisters and brothers in Nepal by protesting to the nearest Nepali Embassy and Ambassador (see details of UK Ambassador and contact information below).

“Protests should urge an end to police violence and sexual abuse of gay and meti people, action to protect the LGBT communities against discrimination and violence, and the prosecution police officers and others who victimise lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people,” said Mr Tatchell.

Ambassador Prabal Rana
Embassy of Nepal
12a Kensingston Palace Gardens
London W8 4QU

The Royal Nepalese Embassy
2131 Leroy Place, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Tel: 202 667 4550, Fax: 202 667 5534
Email: info@nepalembassyusa.org

Phone: 020 7229 1594
Fax: 020 7792 9861
Email: rnelondon@btconnect.com

Further information:

Peter Tatchell, OutRage!: 020 7403 1790

Sunil B Pant, Blue Diamond Society, Kathmandu, Nepal:
Phone: +977 1 4443350, 4445147, Mobile: +977
9851067959, Fax: +977 1 4438600
Email: sunil@bds.org.np and cspsb@yahoo.com
Website: www.bds.org.np

Police brutality and threats to Blue Diamond Society

On the night of September 24 2005, Thamel, the tourist area of Kathmandu, a number of Metis (effeminate males) and gay men were hanging around the streets next to Himalayan Java Café. As often happens, a few Policemen in civilian dress came to abuse the metis, trying to make some money and having free sex.

One policeman named Nava Raj Adhikari, started abusing a young meti, Puspa (21 years old), by burning his cigarette on her hands, forcefully putting his hand on her private parts and asking her to come with him for sex. Puspa refused and tried to avoid him but he became more violent and pulled her hair and slapped her. When the other metis saw the man (policeman) being heavy handed with Puspa, they rushed to help her.

Initially, the Metis were successful in chasing the policeman away. But after a while, the policeman, Nava Raj came back with more friends and started beating two other metis, Sanjaya (about 25 years old ) and Suntali (about 21 years old). Suntali was hit hard on the waist by a stone thrown by the policemen. Both Sanjaya and Suntali then ran away.

Then the policeman with more of his friends started beating other metis. The metis also threw stones back at the policemen. Two more Metis, Neema and Umesh, were injured and the policeman - Nava Raj - was also injured on his head. The policemen become more violent and started brutally chasing more metis.

Then they caught Kala Rai, a meti in her mid 20s. The policemen beat her with boots and fists and dragged her to the Durbar Marg Police Station, next to the Royal Palace. Nava Raj accused Kala Rai of hitting him with a stone.

Then more policemen from Durbar Marg were mobilized to abuse more metis. Three policemen in uniform came by a
taxi no 1816 to Thamel and beat another meti - Rabi. She was badly injured on her leg, hands and backside when the policemen beat her with sticks and boots. In Durbar Marg Police station, Kala Rai was kept for one day and asked to pay Nepali rupees 1800 to compensate the policeman, Nava Raj, otherwise, she was threatened to be jailed for 6 moths and to pay a fine up to Nepali rupees 28,000 on a public offence charge. Poor Kala Rai (who is living with her already compromised immune system), became scared and agreed to pay as much as she could. Yesterday evening, 25th September, she was released after she paid Nepali rupees 1000 with the support from BDS members.

During the day (25 the September 2005), Blue Diamond Society called the National Human Rights Commission and Human Rights Cell of the Nepal Police to come and monitor/report the case. Both of them refused by saying 'it seems to be a fight between a meti gang and a Police gang' and they couldn't get involved. FWLD's lawyer Rup Narayan Shrestha came to help at the Durbar Marg Police Station and suggested "It's better for Kala to compromise with the police as her position in this case is too weak and police can twist the case around to give Kala more trouble."

Last week, I was excited to send the Nepal draft LGBT Charter around the world for support and solidarity. However, I now realize that the draft Charter is not clear enough in its fundamental thinking - that is: "There is no rule of law in Nepal for sexual/gender minorities and there is no legal institution that is ready to stand with us whenever we are in crisis. Compromise seems to be the 'watchword' - but that leads nowhere in this situation.

We have recently been warned by a few 'friendly' junior Policemen who are partners of metis of the Nepal Police's policy against metis and Blue Diamond Society: "high level Police officials believe in cracking down on the root of this social and cultural pollution from society now, otherwise it will be ou of their hands."


Sunil B Pant
Blue Diamond Society
Kathmandu, Nepal
www.bds.org.np

Nepal LGBT Freedom Charter (From LGBT - Nepal_

We, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people of Nepal, recognize the importance of democracy, equality and human rights in our country. With the support of our human rights allies in Nepal and worldwide, we call for the following human rights reforms as part of the struggle for a free and democratic Nepal:

1) Comprehensive hate-crime laws to protect all Nepalese, including women, LGBTs and people with HIV

2) Strengthen and enforce the laws against incitement to violence and murder, including incitements to assault and kill LGBTs

3) Outlaw incitement to hatred against all vulnerable social groups, including women, the disabled, religious minorities, LGBTs and people with HIV

4) Police training in human rights issues, including challenging sexism and homophobia and ensuring police awareness of, and sensitivity to, women's, LGBT and HIV issues

5) The monitoring and recording of all hate crimes, including hate crimes against women and LGBTs

6) Education in human rights as part of the school curriculum, including understanding and respect for racial, religious, gender and sexual diversity

7) Awareness training in LGBT issues for all trainee medical staff and teachers to ensure sympathetic and non-discriminatory treatment for all patients and pupils, regardless of sexuality and HIV status

8) Legalisation of same-sex relations between consenting adults, to end the criminalisation and harassment of LGBT people.

9) Outlawing of the rape of a male/transgender to protect against sexual exploitation and harassment.

10) The legal right of Nepalese to form associations to promote understanding, acceptance and the human rights of LGBT people.

11) We condemn the repressive use of police and military power against the people of Nepal, including detention without trial, torture and the disappearance of dissenters.

12) We oppose the suppression of Nepali voluntary and civic associations, human rights activists, labour unions, and the press.

13) We call for a democratic government, which respects the human rights of all the people of Nepal.

In solidarity

Sunil B Pant
President
Blue Diamond Society