GYANENDRA KHADKA

Haikam Singh Rai and his wife Purna Maya show a picture of their daughter Indra who was detained by police in Dharan three years ago. She was never seen again.

. Narita Chand was at home in her village in Banke that night in May 2001. A group of armed guerrillas surrounded the house, dragged her husband Bhoj Bahadur out and killed him. Since then, it has been a struggle for Narita to raise her four young children. No one has an answer about why her husband was killed. "I asked the Maoist commander, what wrong did my husband do, but he still threatens me," says Narita.

. Banchu Rokaya also has four children, and her husband was also killed by guerrillas in their home near Lake Rara four years ago. She has been living as a refugee in Banke since then. Like Narita, she has never got an answer why her husband was killed. Banchu has returned to Mugu with her children but her family property has still not been returned.

. Debi Pun of Kohalpur had two sons: Jang Bir and Jit Bahadur. "They say there is now peace in the country, but our sons still haven't returned," says Debi. Jang Bir was disappeared by police in 1999 while Jit Bahadur was taken away by soldiers and never seen again. Debi has been to Kathmandu to find out about her sons, but no one will even tell her whether her sons are dead or alive.

. Chakrapani Gautam's brother was killed in the crossfire while cutting grass in a forest near his home in Tanahu three years ago this month. Since then, Chakrapani has been helping his disabled sister-in-law take care for her eight children. Later, Chakrapani himself was accused by soldiers of feeding Maoists and was so severely tortured in detention that he is still unable to work. "We are poor, we don't have a voice," says Chakrapani, "please tell them about our suffering."

. Haikam Singh Rai's 20-year-old daughter, Indra, was on her way to take her exams in Dharan three years ago when she was detained by police at the Dharan Bus Park on suspicion of being a Maoist. She was never seen again. In complete despair, Haikam has been visiting the local shaman, who has told him his daughter is happily married and has two children. Sixty-two-year old Haikam and his wife Purna Maya (pictured) find solace even in that slim hope.

. In August 2003 the army raided the Bungmati suburb of Lalitpur and detained nine people. They were taken to the infamous Bhairabnath Battalion barrack in Lazimpat and eight of them were released 18 months later. Padam Narayan Nakarmi never came home, and probably died during torture. His wife Ram Maya (pictured) still remembers that night four years ago when soldiers stormed into her bedroom after scaling the balcony and took away her husband. "Don't worry, we'll send him back in the morning," she remembers the soldiers
telling her.

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