Who we work with

Protective Accompaniments

PBI currently provides accompaniment for Nepalese human rights organizations in Kavrepalanchowk, Palpa, Kaski, Kanchanpur, Baglung, Dhading, Dhanusha, Bardiya and Kapilvastu Districts.

Advocacy Forum (AF)

Since October 2006, the project provides protective accompaniment to Advocacy Forum for key cases of conflict-related human rights abuses that they are filing on behalf of victims’ families. Their work throughout the country, related to torture, disappearances and extra-judicial killings, includes the investigation, filing and prosecution of cases.

PBI-Nepal began providing protective accompaniment to AF during the fourth quarter of 2006. Since then, PBI has developed a strong working relationship with AF and has accompanied Advocacy Forum staff from their head office, four regional offices and seven district offices, while filing cases on behalf of victims and victims’ groups. By providing protective presence to AF, PBI contributes to the empowerment of those who play a strategic role in protecting vulnerable groups.

Conflict Victims’ Committee (CVC)

Since February 2007, PBI-Nepal has been accompanying the Conflict Victims’ Committee (CVC) from Bardiya. Bardiya has been one of the most conflict-affected regions and has the highest number of cases of disappearances in Nepal. CVC is a 200 plus-member human rights victims’ group fighting for justice and against impunity. Initial meetings were carried out in November 2006 while PBI field volunteers were visiting the Midwest Region. Since then, protective accompaniments have been provided on a regular basis, mostly in Banke and Bardiya Districts, since CVC members are facing risk while organizing committees and working on documentation.

Lawyers’ Forum for Human Rights (LAFHUR)

In August 2007, Jitman Basnet, a lawyer, journalist and Secretary General of the Lawyers’ Forum for Human Rights (LAFHUR), in Babarmahal, Kathmandu, requested PBI-Nepal for accompaniment.

In 2002, Mr. Basnet was arrested and detained by Maoists for photographing destroyed buildings. Then, in 2004, he was arrested by members of the Bhairabnath Army Battalion, Kathmandu, and arbitrarily detained incommunicado for 258 days and tortured. After his release, Mr. Basnet was repeatedly harassed by members of the army and, as a result, finally left Kathmandu. In March 2007, Mr. Basnet published a book, entitled 258 Dark Days, relating to his prolonged custody in Bhairabnath Battalion’s facilities. Since then, Mr. Basnet has been receiving threatening phone calls. 

PBI has been accompanying Mr. Basnet in Kathmandu and coordinating his security plan together with OHCHR, AF and PD-N.

Looking to the future

One of PBI’s priorities for the upcoming years is to expand its protection work. With the continual emergence of conflict victims’ groups throughout Nepal, seeking justice for past human rights violations, PBI expects to receive additional requests for international protection both in Kathmandu and other regions.

At the regional level, in particular, human rights journalists continue to face difficulties with regard to the freedom of expression.  PBI-Nepal expects to receive further protection requests from this targeted group as well as others, including internally displaced persons (IDPs).While some humanitarian assistance is already being provided to IDPs, many are not able to return home due to security concerns.  The PBI-Nepal Project is in a good position to facilitate the creation of a favorable environment for the return of IDPs, and for other post-conflict reconstruction work carried out by local NGOs.