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Himalayan Times  April 26, 2002 .. page 1


Nepalese Youths' Dream Rot in Thailand's Jail.

Mukund Dahal/Mohan Singh Lama
Kathmandu, Basaikh 12

Pushkar (Nima) K.C., Twelve years ago with the dream of becoming a career
footballer in Europe, has gone in that direction.  But unfortunately, that
of his dream is rotting in Thailand's Jail.  He is burning his dream
in a country that thought to be crazy about football, in the unacceptable
correction house.  

Not only Pushkar, but dreams of many Pushkars likewise burning and rotting 
in different jails in Thailand.  Possibly there are one hundred.

In my mission, I have got the chance to meet 19 people whose conditions are 
heartbreaking.  If it does not hurt one's related one's feelings, it
sure hurts one American Ben Park's feelings and tells the Himalaya Times.

Ben, who has been involved since last two years in the mission of freeing 
the Nepalese, who have been put in different prisons in Thailand for
unfortunate and various reasons, tells that the Nepal Government has
not taken any steps nor has any plan to free them.

By meeting them and looking at their family background structure, they seem
to be good.  They seem to be 25 to 34 years of age and in the account of
education, they are not uneducated.  Ben, who has been a guardian of hope
for the Nepalese, who have been living as prisons, also claims that they are
not guilty.

The Nepalese in the prison are caught for smuggling drugs.  Among them, many
were sentenced for life.  The minimum sentence was 25 years.  Thai government 
does feel uncomfortable about the Nepalese jailed in Thailand.
It is Nepal's problem.  The Nepal Government sees this that the Thai
Government is cooperative for the liberation of the jailed Nepalese in
Thailand; the Government here has not taken any steps.

When I talked about the Nepalese prisoners in Thailand, the Thailand
based Nepalese Embassy sees me as a troublemaker; and has not shown much
interest tells Ben, an electronic engineer by profession.

Despite Ben's claims against the Royal Nepal Embassy in Thailand, the 
Embassy disagrees with Ben's claims and the embassy has taken many
steps that it tells.

Based on the sources, in four different jails in Thailand, with three women
one hundred seven Nepali prisoners are accounted; among them 35 death
penalty, 36 more than 50 years and others less than 50 years sentenced.

Sources tells that to bring the prisoners back to Nepal, steps have
been taken with Nepalese Government, but from the Government side no
steps has been rendered.

Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka, during his visit to Thailand in
January has visited different jails there and has known about the Nepalese
prisoners.  Sources tells that, the Royal Nepal Embassy has officially
informed, including the Royal Palace, about the situations of prisoners.

Currently Thai Government has been effecting strict laws on the drug
traffickers and users.  Both Thais and foreigners, there are more
than thousand suspects in jail.  Thai Government's harsh punishments against
criminals and actions that have begun to kill them, it is assumed that
Nepalese prisoners would fall prey to this practice.

About prisoner exchange (transfer of offender and an cooperation in the
informant of penal sentence), Nepal and Thailand until today, there has not
been reached any agreement; therefore, to free the Nepalese prisoners has
been delayed, the Nepal Government Foreign Ministry told the Himalaya Times.

According to Ben, there is a necessity of the Nepalese Government delegation.  
Among these, many Nepalese has spent 18 years in Thai jails, tells Ben.  
According to Ben, two Nepalese died there, and because  of Thai police not 
understanding the language, many innocent Nepalese are suffering unnecessarily.

In this work, Ben claims without having any self-fulfillment interest, tells
that Nepalese in Thai jails, because of the situations, could fall prey to
HIV Aids, Tuberculosis and Hepatitis.  To come to better understanding
between Nepal and Thailand,  meetings which supposed to take place every
year between Nepal-Thailand Association Committee has not taken place since
last three years.  The committee's fourth meeting which supposed to take
place in Nepal by initiation of the Nepalese side, because of the lack of
interest, until today there has not been a finalization tells the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs.


Translating Author: volunteer

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