The Human Rights Yearbook 2011, published by the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), records 670 casualties from 485 incidents because of illegal use of Small Arms and other Portable Lethal Weapons (SAPLWs) across Nepal. Out of them, 250 mishaps took place on roads and paths followed by 226 at home - the second highest -, killing 192 and injuring 478 people.
The report, covering January to December 2010, mentions that females account for 134 casualties, and males 536. While 492 men were injured and 137 killed, 118 women were injured and 37 killed. This indicates that the perpetrators target males more than females. Men are more likely to be involved in violent activities both as perpetrators and victims.
The segregation of fatality by caste shows that indigenous nationalities (Janajatis) top the list followed by the Madeshis. 195 Janajatis and 154 Madeshis (excluding Tarai Dalits, Tharus and Muslims) fell victim to the SAPLWs. The Muslims suffered the least with 13 casualties. The Kshetries, Brahmins, Dalits and Tharus followed Janajatis and Madeshis.
September and October witnessed 113 and 112 casualties respectively. The perpetrators must have used the SAPLWs for extortion to meet their growing expense, and excessive consumption of alcoholic drinks made them violent as the major festivals like Dashain and Tihar fell on those months. There is a corresponding relationship between drinking and violence.
In terms of development regions, the eastern region had the highest number of people wounded – 240 followed by 180, 152 and 78 in the mid-western, central and western regions respectively. The far western region appears calmer compared to the rest with 20 injured. Ecologically, the Tarai had 369 casualties while the Hills and Mountains combined had 301 cases.
Killing, maiming and injuring were highest in Morang with 119 cases and lowest in Chitwan with 1 among the 20 districts in the Tarai. Casualties were higher in the districts having major trade and transit points with India. Morang, Banke, and Dhanusha are among those districts.
Causes of the misuse of the SAPLWs are myriad. Personal dispute was the biggest cause. 342 casualties were the result of personal dispute followed by domestic violence 84, politically motivated attacks 76, robbery and theft 56, and disputes related to profession 42. Others include mob activities, accidents, gang fights, abductions, suicidal attempts, ransom seeking, and assemble of explosives.
The weapons used vary from knife and khukuri to improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Knives and khukuris were used in incidents that resulted in 320 casualties, other weapons (unspecific) in 163, firearms in 109, the IEDs in 41 and unknown in 38. The growing use of firearms and the IEDs can be linked with the burgeoning armed groups and the easy access to such weapons.
Out of 670 casualties, 512 were literate, 156 illiterate and 2 unknown. Reasons behind the attacks on the literate particularly the male could be their higher mobility, argumentative nature and involvement in violent activities. In terms of profession, the farmers were the worst hit. 262 farmers, 113 students and 104 employees were attacked. Businesspeople and political workers were among other targets. Even infants were not spared.
As a result of the politicization of crime and criminalization of politics and the culture of silence among the so-called intellectuals, rights activists, duty bearers – particularly the security personnel and policy-makers including the battalion of mute spectator Constituent Assembly members – crime is imminent to flourish in Nepal in an unfettered way.
The study has pointed out some serious issues: The rising access of people to the SAPLWs due to poor law and order situation and 1,852 kilometre-long porous open border with India. The increased access has bred hundreds of armed groups in the Tarai. The outfits have been intimidating, injuring, maiming, abducting and killing people for ransom and vengeance.
Although the Maoists had launched the ‘People’s War’ for political reasons, the decade-long armed conflict provided an opportunity to the criminal-minded youths to wield such weapons for their personal benefits like extortion, and to settle scores. This is in the process of enculturation, which has already been proven disastrous for Nepal.
Laws should be formed, reformed, toughened and strictly enforced. The licensing of small arms should be reviewed. The illegal use of small arms and conventional lethal weapons should be contained. As criminal activities are the corollary of gambling and drinking, the brewing, selling and consumption of alcoholic drinks, and gambling in any form must be prohibited.
Perpetrators mostly extort, loot and abduct people for ransom and spend the money on drinking, dicing and drabbing. The duty bearers do not punish them because most of them are unscrupulous; drink like a fish; have nexus with criminals; and none of them or their family member has been victimized. Rights activists ignore to right the wrongs. Most of them are affiliated to political parties. Therefore, they talk about ‘right and left’, not rights.
Living in a society also entails disputes, quarrels and conflicts. We should strive to prevent, minimize, and settle them. As personal disputes have resulted in 342 casualties out of 670, it has already become alarming. The cases of domestic violence are 84. Most of the cases of domestic violence are caused by gambling and excessive consumption of liquor.
Why should a poor country like Nepal promote casinos and the production, sale and consumption of liquor whose infants are dying from hunger and of easily treatable diseases like cholera, diarrhea? Even (safe) drinking water has become a luxury for a considerable number of people. The gastroenteritis that claimed the lives of poor people in Jajarkot last year must be taken into account.
The tradition of using firearms during various occasions among certain communities and the practice of importing toy arms and providing them to children, as if they were books, are detrimental and would prove disastrous soon. It would be sad but unsurprising if a child grown up playing with toy guns opens fires at people when s/he becomes an adult.
As a result of the politicization of crime and criminalization of politics and the culture of silence among the so-called intellectuals, rights activists, duty bearers – particularly the security personnel and policy-makers including the battalion of mute spectator Constituent Assembly members – crime is imminent to flourish in Nepal in an unfettered way.
Sedhai is a freelance writer & Subedi is associated with INSEC
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