Dungal killings – a report

In the evening of January 14th 2000, 9 persons died on the spot during a police intervention, at a cultural program organised by the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) on the grounds of Kalika Primary School, Ward No. 3, Dhaku Village Development Committee (VDC) of Achham District in Western Nepal. A 4-member fact-finding team of human rights activists – Human Rights and Peace Society chairperson Krishna Pahadi, treasurer Suresh Chandra Pokhrel, Central Committee member Kumar Ghimire and the Secretary of Kathmandu branch Advocate Homekant Choulagain went to Achham District on 7^th Magh, to investigate the events leading to these killings. During this field investigation, they made direct contacts with and listened to the testimonies of 82 persons, including:

-relatives of the people killed,

-injured people,

-eyewitnesses of the killings and allied events

-victims of torture during and subsequent to the event,

-local elected officials (chairman and members of district development committee, various VDC chairpersons)

-Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and Assistant Sub inspector of Kamalbajar local Police Post

-Representatives of Nepali Congress Party, CPN (UML), CPN (ML) and National Democratic Party

Report of events

The Maoists had just finished holding cultural programs in Janalivandali, Kuntivandali and Shera. One day before the program in Dungal, on the fourteenth of January, a three-person team entered Dhaku VDC and requested villagers for food offerings for the cultural team that was to perform the next day at the local primary school. During this evening, a group of 60 – 70 Maoists, including 5 women arrived in Dhaku.

The first group of Maoists arrived at the primary school Dhaku VDC 3 on Friday, 14^th January, afternoon. The school always closed at 1 P.M on Fridays. The teachers and students were all invited to the cultural program. They remained on the school premises. A mass meeting was held at 2 P.M. and the cultural program started at 3 P.M. when villagers had gathered in the school compound. From the beginning, school children and village women were present in significant numbers. The children and women started to return to their homes as the evening advanced. The time was now about 5.30 P.M. The last part of the cultural program was dedicated to ‘Nyaule khel’ (Popular folk song tradition of dialogue evoking daily life and social relations through music and song – famous in far western region of Nepal).

The police was informed that the Maoists were organising cultural programs in different VDCs in Achham. A meeting was held in this regard at the District Headquarters. A 14-member police team headed by Inspector Sudhir Giri arrived from Ramaron (Kalikot border) at Kamalbajar Police Post. They travelled through Santada, Binayak, Bayala VDC. They had information that Maoists were travelling with cultural programs, but they were not informed that a cultural program was going on in the neighbourhood, at Dhaku VDC. They hardly spent five minutes at Kamalbajar Police Post, (when they were informed about the cultural program going on close by), they left their baggage at the police station, and asked the way to Dungal and went there. None of the policemen of that team were from Achham. If they were informed before arriving, they could have taken a shorter way according to local residents.

How 9 civilians were killed

When police approached the program venue, Maoists had already escaped. Hearing the sound of bullets, 50-60 people who were watching the program tried to run in haste. There were four teashops near the school. One was owned by Jaharsingh Chalaune and Ambar bahadur Chalaune (father and son). Another was owned by Ramsingh Chalaune. According to eyewitnesses, police fired without warning. As the crowd tried to escape the bullets, they entered the teashops of Jaharsingh Chalaune, Ram bahadur Chalaune and Ramsingh Chalaune, seeking a hiding place. When the police entered, firing uninterruptedly, the people had already dispersed, and trying to hide, there was nobody left on the spot. Nobody was killed at the program venue.

While he was trying to escape, Dhange Damai was caught and fell. Police shot and killed him as he lay on the ground. The audience of the cultural program, had taken shelter in the tea-shops, the armed police fired through the windows into the shops. In this way, Jaharsingh Chalaune, Madan Chalaune and Teke Kami were killed. Padam Dholi died near the door. Because of the firing inside the tea shop injured Amber Bahadur Chalaune was shot dead while running. The owner of another shop Ram Abrader Charlene also tried to escape. Police fired into his shop and he died, caught by a bullet. Two others were killed at the night 2.00 am and 4.00 am (next morning). When police advanced to the spot those two Maoists were drinking tea at the shop. According to eyewitnesses, when the crowd entered in to the shop in haste, they also pushing into the shop. Because of the pushing pressure of the crowd they could not escape. The government source did not publicise their name. Their names were Man Bahadur Budha and Manbire Damai, as they told to police, according to the eyewitnesses. Police inquiring them time-to-time and shot to death on January 15 (8 and 10 hour later than event). All 9 persons who killed were unarmed.

Brief account of the persons killed by police shooting

Among the dead persons was Jaharsingh Chalaune-a 50 year old small shopkeeper near the school. He died due to a bullet shot from the window into his waist. The next person killed was 22 year old Ambar Bahadur Chalaune, the son of Jaharsingh Chalaune. He was killed when he was trying to escape-in a injured condition due to police firing in his shop through the window. He died in the field 50 meter distant from the shop. His stomach came out. The police pulled his body in the field (Bari- a farming field without irrigation facility). His muffler and blood was founded remaining.

25 year old Ram Bahadur Chalaune was a volunteer worker at Kalika Primary School, according to the district education office. There was a small one-roomed shop beside the school. He died by a bullet fired by the police when he was running out from his shop. The police fired at the shops, he was killed 40/50 meter far from his shop.

Madan Kumar Chalaune , a 10 class student at Jalpadevi secondary school, Dhaku, was born in 1^st of June, 1985. He was sitting at the tea-shop of Jaharsingh Chalaune as the police arrived there. He was killed by the bullet police fired from window. The bullet hit him under his chin.

30 year old Teke Kami was killed by a bullet fired through the window. The bullet passed through his back / his waist to the chest.

25 year old Dhangre Damai came there to buy a cigarette for the spiritual celebrators of his grandfather's death and stopped to watch the cultural programme. Before shooting him he was beaten by the rifle's bat while lying down on the ground, said eyewitnesses. The bullet hit his side-stomach where the inner part came out. The son of Rati Dholi, Shera VDC was 3 years old. 17 year old Padam Dholiwas on the way to his uncle's house to participate in his grandfathers death ceremony, and stayed there on the Maoists requests' request. He was killed while standing beside the door of the tea-shop near school. The bullet hit him under his ear. Hearing the firing sound, the terrified crowd constituting the audience pushed 2 Maoists into the shop. They were drinking tea. They said their names were Man Bahadur Budha- Jumla and Manbire Damai- Kalekanda of Achham. Manbire Damai, whose blood was rising in his foot (possibly because of the bullet) requested to police that he was used only to show the way to Dungal by Maoists.

On January 15, the police killed them using gun shots at about 2.00 and 4.00 o'clock behind the school. Both were young and the bullet passed through the back and chest. The dead-bodies were lying about 20 meters distant from each other.

Among the dead serially: 1) Jaharsing Chalaune-50 years, Dhaku VDC Ward no.2;

Injured

Wounded by gunshot: 1) Naule Damai-13 years, Dhaku Dungal

2) Chandrasingh Kami (Chandre Kami)- 50, Dhaku Dungal

3) Ramsingh Chalaune-59, Dhaku Dungal

4) Nar Bahadur Chalaune-20, Dhaku Dungal

5) Shivram Chalaune (not by gunshot, but through torture by the police.)

Four are injured by police bullets. The social team met them all in Nepalgunj and Mangalsen. Ramsingh Chalaune, the shopkeeper besides the Kalika school is injured on the left hand by a piece of bullet and his son Nar Bahadur Chalaune was shot in the knee of the right leg. They both are taking medical treatment at the local Mangalsen hospital. The hospital sources said that they cannot diagnose their actual injuries because of the lack of the X-ray technician, even though there is a X-ray machine, with the 15 bed capacity of hospital.

The other two Chandre Kami and Naule Damai are admitted in Bheri zonal hospital, Nepalgunj. The bullet passed from the vertibra of Naule Damai and Chandre Kami was shot in his leg's back muscle. According to Chandre Kami, on the first shot Teke Kami died. On the second time Madan Chalaune died and the bullet third hit him and he was been unconcious. There was not any information from the government side on injured persons brought for medical treatment. On the 17^th of January, Ramsingh Chalaune and Nar Bahadur Chalaune left to Mangalsen for treatment. On the same day two others were brought from Kamalbazaar to Nepalgunj by Helicopter. After thefiring, police beat seven class student Kamala Kumari Chalaune, as told to us by her father.

The process of hostage taking and torture started after the killings

After murdering 7 civilians, police ordered all who were inside the shop to put their hands up and brought them to the school ground. It was about 6.30. (the words expressed by police are not mentioning here because of the social morality were used to cursing people).28 persons were taken out from the shops. Before locking them into the class room everybody was laid-down and beaten by the stick, rifle but and boots. By this way also some persons were injured. Even as he was saying "I am an old, I came only on the pressure of maoists", 55 year old Shivaram Chalaune was beaten up by the police who used very bad words. He said that he was hidden inside the shop, but the police searched and beat him in his hand and back. He complained that his hand is still paining and difficult to move. All 28 were searched of their bodies in the school ground and locked in a classroom of Kalika Primary school. (???) Before being locked, another victim of police torture was the technician of the district office of the drinking water. He arrived there on his field work process of that day. The next victim was the brother of dead Ram Bahadur, a local elected chairperson of ward no.2. He was beatenup with a stick. The next staff of district drinking water office was Chaturman Rai. There was not showed any kindness during whole night's lockup. The hostages were forced to toilet inside and nothing excessed to eat. During the police inquiry the villagers told them that the two persons are not of their village. About 2.00 Man Bahadur Budha and about 4.00 O' clock Manbire Damai (both two) were gunshot to death. On these base of information police seized the bags left by maoists from some houses. All the materials seized were burnt by Police in the schoolground on same morning.

The local residents told from the side of maoists also made some explosions very far from the spot, at the night of 14^th of January. On the same night, the maoists were also firing to the school from very far, the detained persons said .

On the 16^th of January the police exploded a powerful bomb little down than scool, saying that the maoists had left this.

Thename of persons detained by police are:

Shivaram Chalaune, Kamala Chalaune- student-class-10, Binod Kumar Chalaune- class-10, Dan Bahadur Chalaune- class-7, Ram Bahadur Chalaune- class-8, Dirgha Bahadur Chalaune, the Brother of died Madan Chalaune, Dan Bahadur Chalaune, Latte Damai, Tek Bahadur Chalaune- chairman of ward no.2, Chander Chalaune, Dabale Chalaune, Sukai Jaisi, Piru Damai, Dhansingh chalaune, Kammansingh Chalaune, Chame Damai, Kalu Lohar, Debu Damai, Lali Damai, Kalu Sawad, Ram Sunder Mandal, Chaturman Rai, (killed at night) Man Bahadur Budha and Manbire Damai.

The customs of cremation

The day of event happen was the last of Paush. For the next day to celebrate "Maghe Sakranti" there were collected firewoods in the village. Among 28 detainees 7 were taken out and ordered to collect the firewoods to burn the 9 deceased bodies at 6 O'clock of January 15^th. Those collected firewoods were brought (to Bhaunakhola). All of those 9 dead body were not postmortem and there was not completed any legal procedure also, what we knew. Police didn't accept to provide the deadbodies (7) to their family members. The police prohibited to come locals near the spot. Police ordered and carried for a deadbody by four people and brought to Bhaunakhola about 100 meter near the school, packed in a blanket. All 9 were burnt in same fire {pier (chita)}. The deadbodies were burnt in presence of VDC chairman Lalit Bahadur Chalaune. But, there was not made any opinion collection paper (muchulka), said VDC chairman. After made to carry the deadbodies rest of the detainees were released about 1.00 pm. When the deadbodies became unidentified (in a "chita") then police departured from there. The rest of the deadbodies, which were not burnt, the villagers manage to make pit.

The relatives of dead person says:

According to Vijay Singh the nephew of dead Jaharsingh Chalaune, the condition of the family is very critical. The mental condition of Mrs. Lalsobha wife of the dead Ammar Chalaune is being worsening. Ujjirsingh Chalaune the elder brother of dead Ammar Chalaune said if police didn't shoot again he could perhaps alive.

Ratan Bahadur Chalaune the elder brother of dead Ram Bahadur Chalaune claimed that his brother was not gone in cultural programme, he stayed at the shop and he was killed while running when police fired towards shop. He added police killed innocent and ordinary people. Mother's eyes are still soaked day after the death of Madan Chalaune, said brother Sarbsingh Chalaune. The mother Mandari Chalaune murmuring unconsciously time to time. The team of peace society visited the families and the customary bearers (kriyaputri) in Dungal village. The eyewitness of carrying and burning of dead bodies Bhuvansingh Chalaune said he was restricted to move until not finished all the process of burning.

Dungal Killings: An Investigative Report

(This report is published in various Nepali newspapers and it is translated from "Janadesh weekly" a national popular newspaper)

Background

Report of events

How 9 civilians were killed

Injured

The process of hostage taking and torture started after the killings

The customs of cremation

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