Speaking at a press conference organized at the Reporters´ Club in the capital on Monday, Sabitri Shrestha, sister of Ujjan, said if the government pardons Dhungel, the family of the deceased would take the law into their own hands and take action against the guilty.[break]
“We would like to warn the government not to commit the mistake of pardoning Dhungel as we can never forgive him,” said Sabitri.
Ujjan´s son Niraj Shrestha urged President Dr Ram Baran Yadav not to pardon Dhungel.
“After 11 years, the victim´s family had had the feeling that they were going to get justice at last, but political leaders are trying to protect the guilty by giving the murder a political color,” said Sabitri in a statement, adding, “If the government fails to give us justice, the current prime minister and the home minister should be held responsible for any steps taken by the victim´s family.”
The kin of the deceased have demanded implementation of the court verdict. They have also urged human rights activists and journalists to exert pressure on the government to halt the process for extending clemency to Dhungel.
“We will take Dhungel´s case to the international court to get the guilty punished if the government does not implement the SC verdict,” reads the statement issued by Sabitri.
Ujjan was shot dead by the Maoists at Tarkerabari-7, Okhaldhunga district on June 24, 1998, allegedly for spying on the Maoist party. Dhungel, who won the Constituent Assembly (CA) election from Okhaldhunga-2 in 2008, is still a free man as the court verdict has not been enforced.
Meanwhile, the CPN-UML has expressed serious concern over the government´s bid to begin the process of pardoning Dhungel.
“While a Truth and Reconciliation Commission bill is under consideration and even Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai himself has expressed his commitment to the formation of the commission, such a move will only institutionalize impunity in the country,” said CPN-UML General Secretary Ishwor Pokhrel in a press statement on Monday.
He warned the government not to move against the sprit of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the interim constitution, the rule of law and human rights.
Pokharel said that pardoning Dhungel will only encourage a criminal mentality in the country. The CPN-UML has also urged human rights activists to protest the government´s move.
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