‘Endured Torture During 18 Months of Detention, Family Fragmented; I Still Fight for Justice in Court’
Summary of the news with review. Transport entrepreneur Purna Prasad Paudel from Surkhet has revealed that he endured severe torture during 18 months of detention in the decade-long armed conflict. Despite favorable rulings and recommendations from courts and commissions, the state has failed to implement them, prompting him to continue his fight for justice. He expressed the pain of losing his business and having his family torn apart during the conflict, including the loss of two sons.
Purna Prasad Paudel, a transport businessman from Surkhet, was detained and tortured for 18 months by security forces during the decade-long Maoist armed conflict. He shared that not only was his business impacted by the conflict, despite his non-involvement, but his family was also fragmented. While he was in custody, his home was raided, family members were tortured, and two of his sons died due to long-term effects, Paudel revealed. He voiced frustration that despite favorable decisions and recommendations in his favor by the courts, the National Human Rights Commission, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, none have been implemented.
Paudel occasionally travels to Kathmandu to ensure enforcement of judicial orders and participate in hearings of ongoing cases. In an edited excerpt of an interview concerning the pain he and his family endured during the conflict, his struggle for justice, and expectations from the state, Paudel stated:
Why do you come from Surkhet to Kathmandu from time to time?
I have come to Kathmandu seeking justice and medical treatment. Some of my cases are currently pending at the Supreme Court. Previously, court rulings were made in my favor but those rulings have not been enforced.
The judiciary has decided, but the concerned authorities have failed to execute the decisions. That is why I have to repeatedly come to Kathmandu in search of justice. The conflict robbed me of my business and two of my sons. Family members have suffered physically and mentally. I myself am still not fully healed due to the torture, and I require support for treatment.
How did the 2001 (2058 BS) incident affect your life?
At that time, I was the district chairman of the Mid-Western Taxi Transport Entrepreneurs’ Association and also chaired a school management committee. My family ran a shop, and my four children were attending school. A clash erupted in the Barahatal area of Surkhet between two sides during which a driver, Maniram Chaudhary, died. There is controversy over whether the police or Maoists fired the shot. Both sides have different claims. After the incident, police asked our transport committee to provide a vehicle for retrieving the body. Due to difficult roads, we sent a heavy-duty vehicle. However, after pressure from both Maoists and police, the driver returned the vehicle midway. We were unaware of this at the time. After the vehicle was sent back, what happened? Police personnel came to the transport counter accusing us of not cooperating with the Maoists.
