5 Conclusion
Dang is one of the districts worst affected by the conflict. Its headquarters, Ghorahi, was brutally attacked by Maoists on 23 November 2001: three days later the government declared an emergency in the country, which in Dang lasted four years. The district remained consistently in the headlines of national newspapers because of the brutal incidents occurring there. Dang is considered one of the principle territories of the Tharu community and many Tharus were badly affected by the conflict. Dalits and other marginalised communities were also highly affected.

The simple people, who never knew the meaning of the emergency, became the targets of the guns of the security forces, at festivals or in forests and for no reason. Even those who were simply thatching their roofs were brutally murdered. These innocent people who were killed by the state, are still considered as Maoists by the government that has made no effort to investigate and find the truth. Even the 12 people from Sarki, identified as innocents by the NHRC and eligible for Rs 50,000 compensation, have received nothing to date.

After the deaths of the male heads of the family, who were the breadwinners, women with low economic status are having trouble to feed their children. Unable to bear the pain of their husbands’ deaths, some women like Radha Nepali have committed suicide. On the other hand, some widows like Meghi BK are leading social transformation. There are women who were physically abused by security personnel when looking for their missing husbands. Doctors have failed to identify the disease that has afflicted women like Sita Basnet, who have lost their beloveds. Doctors have advised them to laugh, but not having the medicines that could aid them to laugh, these women are living in a pool of tears. Women, whose husbands were killed by the Maoists, like that of Sabitra KC, are treated cruelly even by their own family. Although we see few women killed during the conflict, they are the ones who are most affected by it.

6 Recommendations
The government should provide interim relief as recommended by the NHRC as soon as possible to the families of the twelve persons, including Dev Bahadur Sharki of Kauwaghari village, who lost their innocent family members to the security forces.

The government should immediately conduct the necessary investigations and provide justice and compensation to the victims of mass killings, whether perpetrated by Maoists or security forces.

There should be a government provision for the education of conflict-affected children.

The government should arrange psychosocial counselling for women victims of the conflict.

The government should help families victimised by the conflict to manage.

NGOs should conduct reconciliation programmes to minimise the desire for vengeance that has engulfed society.

Civil society should create pressure at the local level to provide justice to victims.

Afterword: Following publication of the Nepali edition of “Sighs of the conflict”
After publication of the Nepali edition of this book, we saw the following changes.

1)Twelve families of victims in Kauwaghari village received Rs. 10,000 each from the Chief District Officer in August 2007 although National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) originally recommended that the CDO should provide Rs. 50,000 to each as compensation.

More coverage has been seen in local and national media of victims’ voice and of their situation, more articles published in the print media and conflict victims gaining a forum to share their experience.

2)All victims filed a petition at the District Administration Office and Human Rights Commission to demand compensation and justice.

3)The Nepal Bar Association has made a commitment to provide free legal aid to conflict victims.

4)More NGOs are supporting conflict victims.

5)SEED's programme coverage has increased:

When this book was published SEED had only one long-term and one short-term partner. We now have three major programmes: a women’s rights programme, a Quality Education programme for conflict affected children, and a right to primary education programme; all as a result of long term partnerships. Before we were limited to villages in five VDCs of Dang district but now the volume of our work will increase: we are now working in 11 VDCs and 1 municipality.

Before publication of “Sighs of the conflict” we were working only for women’s empowerment and income generation and other very short initiatives. Now our programme is focusing on organizing people, capacity building for right holders, education campaigning, research and publication, media advocacy, income generation, building construction, campaign for equal wage for equal labour, anti-discrimination campaign etc..

References:

Ganyari. Tharu Newspaper
Kantipur　Rastriya Dainik, 18 September 2006
Kantipur Rastriya Dainik, 29 September 2006Naya Yugbodh, 2006. National Daily


Central Bureau of Statistics. 2003. National Census 2001
Chaudhary. Mahesh. 1994. Telawa Monthly.
District Development Committee of Dang. 2006. District Profile Dang 2005/06
Gopal. Dahit. 2005. Short Introduction of Tharu Culture.
INSEC. 2003. Nepal Human Rights Year Book 2003.
INSEC. 2004. Nepal Human Rights Year Book 2004.
INSEC. 2005. Nepal Human Rights Year Book 2005.
INSEC. 2006. Official Profile.
Tharu Santram Dhar Katuwa. 2005. Chitkal Bawana.