Dear Brian,

This is a copy of a press release by WFN regarding the marriage of an underage girl and the complicity of the police in this illegal act! 

RENU SHARMA AND OTHER ACTIVISTS ARRESTED . . .

For the last 4 years, Mina Chaudhari, age 14, previously a permanent resident of Beluwa VDC, Dang, has been staying in a home at Jorpati, Kathmandu, which is run by the Women’s Foundation NGO. She is a student in Grade 6 at Mahendra Boudha Secondary School at Boudha.

On the 12^th July, 2008, a young man, Sunil Rai, aged 25, who has been staying at Jorpati VDC Ward No. 3, Nayabasti  with his sister, but who was previously a permanent resident of Darjeling,  persuaded Mina, 14, to leave the home and  elope with him.

The workers of the Women’s Foundation searched for the girl with the help of Police from Nayabasti, Jorpati. The Police found both of them at Boudha Pipalbot on 13^th July 2008, and handed them over to the Ward Police Office at Boudha. Due to the girl’s young age, DSP Ek Bahadur Pal and Police Inspectors at the Ward Police Office, Boudha, said they would keep the girl safe, under Police protection, until her family arrived, so consequently Mina was left in their trust.

The Police arrested Sunil Rai.

On the 15^th July 2008,  Dayabadan Katila, the Secretary of Dang district branch of Women’s Foundation arrived at the Police Post along with 4 relatives of Mina’s, including her cousin, Ramesh Chaudhari, sister, Shila Chaudhari and her neighbor Hariom Chaudhari.

 A meeting was held to discuss Mina’s situation, but her relatives and the WF were informed   that Mina had already married Sunil Rai.  The marriage had taken place during the time   that she was under Police protection, with the full knowledge of the Police.

Both the WF and, particularly, Mina’s family, were very distressed about what had happened.

Whilst protesting against the illegal activity of the Police, in allowing an under-age child to get married when she was in their security, DSP Ek Bahadur Pal detained Human Rights activist and President of the Women’s Foundation, Renu Sharma, together with 13 other Human Rights activists and the guardian    of the girl, in police custody.

The Police were extremely disrespectful. They were drunk and subjected them to abusive language. Other human right activists such as Charan Prasai, Bishnu Pukar Shrestha,  Basu Sigdel, Basu Devkota, Devendra parajuli and people from other civil society organizations made  strong protests against the action of the Police in keeping the Human Rights activists in illegal custody.

At 2 a.m. the following day, the Police released the activists as a result of public pressure.

 We demand  that a thorough investigation be undertaken regarding this issue.

 DSP Ek Bahadur Pal blatantly contravened the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, to which Nepal is a signatory country, in allowing this marriage of a child, whilst she was under Police protection.

The DSP behaved in an arrogant, abusive and totally irresponsible manner, failing to discharge his legal duties and the investigation should lead to suitable and relevant punishment for his illegal actions.

Kamala Upreti, General Secretary
The Women’s Foundation, Nepal

Comment by Webmaster: As a Unitarian Universalist minister for over 40 years, I have always believed that anyone involved in social change or social activism who has never been arrested is going too soft on those who uphold the status quo.  Cheers for Renu and her friends for their action.  They have become a thorn in the side of perpetrators of injustice.  What are you, the reader, doing to change the world in a way which really irks those who stand firm for injustice and the status quo?