Govt directed to take diplomatic initiative to bring Col Lama home

KATHMANU, March 13: A parliamentary committee today directed the government to immediately take meaningful diplomatic initiatives to bring Colonel Kumar Lama back home at a time when the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappeared have already been formed.

Colonel Lama is facing a case of violation of human rights at a court in UK.


Today's meeting of the Social Justice and Human Rights Committee directed the Defense and Foreign Affairs ministries to take necessary steps through diplomatic channel to settle the case soon, saying it has been linked with the country's sovereignty and prestige.

Lama was arrested on January 3, 2013 in UK, when he was there to visit his family members, on the charge of human rights violation in course of the 10-year conflict.

The government of Nepal had sent a letter to the UK government for Lama's release as well as taken much initiative for the same.

The then Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai had also sent a letter to his British counterpart in this regard.

In response, the British government had drawn the attention of the government of Nepal regarding the questions to be raised from the side of human rights violation while returning Lama back home at a time when the two commissions to carry out investigation against human rights violation have been already formed.

The government had also formed a seven-member committee under the leadership of Defense Secretary for necessary coordination for Lama's release.

The committee had invited Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) to inform the progress made so far to release colonel Lama but due to hectic schedule both of them were absent.

Responding the query of lawmakers, Minister for Law Narharai Acharya on the behalf of the PM informed that the government was serious in the issues.

He expressed commitment to make further efforts to release him.

On the occasion, lawmakers urged the government to take more initiations from the diplomatic sides to withdraw the case filed against him and release his as the country itself is capable to study such cases of internal affairs inside the home land.

Some of the lawmakers even said that the case was the matter of direct encroachment over the nationality and sovereignty. RSS

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