NEPAL: An 8 year old boy is in critical situation after being shot by army security personnel in Sunsari District

NEPAL: An 8 year old boy is in critical situation after being shot by army security personnel in Sunsari District

NEPAL: Right of Children; Ill treatment of Children
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Dear friends

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is gravely concerned that an 8 year old boy was shot by army security personnel in Sunsari District on 16 December 2003. The victim is in the B. P. Koirala Memorial Hospital in Dharan for medical treatment and is currently in critical situation. According to the doctor who examined the boy, the veins of his neck were crushed, and he has lost use of both legs. However, the local authorities have not yet taken any serious action to investigate this case. Your urgent action is required to request the local authorities to correct this matter. 

Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Name of the victim: Akash Sharma, 8, a student at the Thalaha Primary School
Alleged perpetrators: Royal National Army (RNA) security personnel in the Madheli Village Development Committee (VDC)-3, Sunsari District 
Date of incident: 16 December 2003

Case details:

An 8 year old boy, Akash Sharma, is currently in critical situation after being shot by the plain-clothed army security personnel in the Madheli Village Development Committee (VDC)-3, Sunsari District on 16 December 2003. 

In the morning of 16 December 2003, Akash Sharma, the son of rickshaw-puller Govinda Sharma and student of the Thalaha Primary School, received a bullet wound in his neck while he was relieving himself in the open field near his house. 

According to an eyewitness of the incident, Bhola Nanda Sharma, three local people were urinating at the canal. When the three saw the plain-clothed army security personnel with weapons, they started to run away. The army then ordered Asha Ram Sharma, who was one of the three fleeing from the site, to halt, but he did not. “So the army fired at him, but hit Akash instead,” Bhola Nanada said. 

After the incident, army security personnel, who shot Akash Sharma, rushed him to the B. P. Koirala Memorial Hospital in Dharan and gave Rs. 700 (about U.S.$ 9) to the victim’s parents for expenses. According to the doctor, Nabin Kumar Karna, who examined the victim, the condition of Akash Sharma is very critical, as the veins of his neck were crushed and he has lost use both of legs permanently. 

Meanwhile, the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) spokesperson, Col Deepak Gurung said that Akash Sharma was wounded in a crossfire between the army soldiers and Maoist rebels. “However, it could not be ascertained whose bullet hurt the boy,” he added, assuring that the army will investigate into the incident. However according to the reliable information, there was no crossfire at the time of the incident and the victim was shot when the army personal targeted to those persons who were running away. 

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter, fax or email to the addresses below and express your concern of this serious case.

1. Surya Bahadur Thapa, 
Prime Minister and Minister of Defence 
Prime Minister’s Office 
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, 
NEPAL
Fax: + 977 1 4 227 286 

2. Army Chief 
Human Rights Section 
NEPAL 
Tel: +977 1 4 269 624 
Fax: +977 1 4 269 624

3. H. E. Gyan Chandra Acharya 
Ambassador 
Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of Nepal 
81 rue de la Servette, 
1201 Geneva, 
SWITZERLAND
Fax: +4122 7332722 
E-mail: mission.nepal@ties.itu.int

4. Mr. Theo C. van Boven 
Special Rapporteur on the Question of Torture 
OHCHR-UNOG
8-14 Avenue de la Paix
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND 
Fax: +41 22 917-9016 
E-mail: secrt.hchr@unog.ch

 

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