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KATHMANDU POST Kathmandu, Thursday December 26, 2002 Paush 11, 2059. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thailand jails hold 39 Nepali prisoners Post Report KATHMANDU, Dec 25 : At least 39 Nepalis are languishing in three different jails of Thailand. This is the finding of a survey conducted by Victim Support and Rehabilitation Programme (VSRP), a non-governmental organisation (NGO). The survey has found that the Nepali nationals have been convicted on charges of drug trafficking. Among the 39 Nepali prisoners in Thailand, six of them are women. The convicted have lamented non-existent efforts from Nepal’s side to secure their repatriation, "although all the inmates are ready to serve the rest of the term in Nepali prisons". While women convicts have been detained at Lard Yao-based correctional centre, there are 13 men at Bangkwang Prison and 20 at Klong Prem Prison. Again, while 11 are serving life terms, the rest have been sentenced for periods ranging between six to 50 years. Although until this May, there were nine women, two of them were released in September while another prisoner managed to secure extradition to Germany. Another woman, identified as Dawki Devi, is too old, yet still continues to serve life imprisonment. However, all the men prisoners have been found guilty of drug trafficking with the exception of Sanu Kaji Maharjan, who has been convicted on theft charges. "Nepalis serving jail sentences in Bangkok are heavily discriminated against. Inmates are entitled to receive US$ three per day, but jail authorities pay far less," said Dinesh Neupane, Executive Director of VSRP, the agency which conducted the survey. Neupane had visited Thailand between December 12-18 in this connection. As Neupane told The Kathmandu Post, the pleas from the Nepali convicts for fair treatment or individual requests for extradition have fallen on deaf ears. In fact, the concerned officials based in Bangkok have not taken up the issue of extraditing them in a serious manner. Neupane recalled an instance of Thai authorities seeking the extradition of two Thai girls from Nepal some years ago, after their conviction on drug-trafficking charges by a Nepali court. While Samtu Gurung, who was convicted and given a 34-year sentence, has served 18 years, Wangale Ghale, who has been given a life sentence, has served 17 years. Others have served sentences ranging from one to 12 years. Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Gyan Chandra Acharya said the government and Nepal’s mission in Bangkok were aware of the matter. "Something is happening to secure their repatriation but can’t tell when," he said. He however pointed out at the cost involved and ensuing legal battle. "We will first have to see to it that the convicts get the same amount as stipend as they are getting now. Additional problem is that we do not have much space in our jails," he further said. Acharya, however, ruled out Nepal making a plea to the Thai authorities for the release of the convicts, since Thai laws are extremely stringent when it comes to drug related offences. He also debunked claims that the government was silent on this "humanitarian issue." Interestingly, the families of the convicts in Kathmandu have denied any knowledge about the whereabouts of their family members, with some of them saying "wrong number" when contacted for comments.
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