by Mina Sharma Tiwari, Editor SOLIDARITY
At 7.30 a.m. of May 24, more than 13 armed security personal went my room at tyanglaphant of Kirtipur, Kathmandu and circled the location. I was with my children and making tea on that time. They ordered me to go with them. First they told me that I was going there for few hours about moe investigation. They forced to go in vehicle and closed my eyes with black clothes.
I guessed that I was kept in `Ceda Hall` of Singhadurbar (the biggest administrative building of Nepal). They started to give me the mental torture and light physical torture. They didn`t give me the chances to see the location and chances of talks also. They made the sensitive environment there that the hall was the exact torture place. I heard t here that the voice of beaten and most tortured condition. I heard that “this is enough, this is completely mad, you want direct death and other unbearable tragic words were used there”. The security personnel transferred me to ward police station of Anamnagar. Police personnel behaved me as on humanitarian ground, there were other brothers who were kept there as suspected rebels. They helped me and provided me the food of that evening.
The army come there at 11 am of may 25 and they brought me in different places of capital. I couldn`t know the places because my eyes were closed by black clothes. After 2 hour they returned me on some places. I stayed Anamnagar for 2 nights. That night I couldn`t get the chances of food also.
At the 7 a.m. o 25 may, army men brought me to `1 No. barrack of Balaju`. They started me to give torture. I used to face electric current bitting and mental torture with savage and rough words. Sometime they used to order me to make the trench for my body. That was the open ground and no female security personnel were there. I was kept in temporary investigation center. No chances of hearing, reading, meeting and freshing made me the more mental torture. I heard the word of bullet and sound of torture there. Mosquitoes were free to bite me.
After 5 days, Mr. Binod Tiwari, Co-Editor of my magazine was also brought to my near places. He was more tortured. I heard his very sensitive sounds of more torture.
Probably, after 15 days, I was transferred to the next military barrack (which was Jagadal Battalion of Royal Army of Nepal ) in Chhauni and they started to ask me about my publication, connection and my husband`s activities on the process of so-called investigation. I can give a small picture of that situation:
They asked me: What is `Solidarity?”
I answered them- Solidarity is a monthly magazine.
“Why you are involving in this magazine?” they asked
“I am A master degree student of Journalist and I want to make my profession.” I answered.
“Why didn`t you involved in other profession”, they asked
“Journalist is my interest” ,I answered.
“Is this mouthpiece of terrorists?`” they asked
“No, this is independent magazine which is on profession.` I answered.
They bit me by Iron stick and asked again
“This whole magazine is sponsored by terrorists. Why you are telling lie?” they asked again
`No this isn`t true. You can investigate more” I replied
They again hit me by their strong back of shoes. They used rough words and hit on my head again.
I told them “u can kill me her. I have nothing to say more than this”.
They again asked me showing the correspondence, representative and customer list of our magazine. “They all are Maoist”?
I replied them, “some may be sympathizers among the list but most of them are not.”
Why you are emphasizing the constituent assembly in your 1st Issue? they asked
“Constituent assembly may be the peaceful solution of Nepalese problem. Even rebels are wanting to meet on this issue”.. I added there that Nepalese people are not getting the chances of making the constitution. Constituent Assembly is the most democratic exercise.
They intervened me and bit again and asked “Where is your husband”? They asked me “You have your last desire?” You have any message to tell your small children?
“I have nothing to say ” I replied again.
They told me that `You are very near with death`.
“I am agree”, I replied.
They again told me that `help us by saying the links of maoists. You must tell about your husband.
“I have no information about Maoists but my husband has gone to New Delhi, India for his treatment” I replied them
They asked more and more questions day by day. I stayed there for 16 days. Then after they transferred me to Ward Police station of Sorakhutte, Kathmandu where I met my Co-Editor. Same day they transferred me to the Zonal police center of Hanuman Dhoka, Kathmandu. My eyes were opened after 29 days. They kept me 10 days in that police station and sent me to `Central Women Jail`. (Prison Center). There were no different facilities for journalist and political prisoners. I met my children and relatives there. There was no chance to appeal on court because there was state of emergency on the country. We know the custody death of famous journalist Krishna Sen and other sensitive stories of co-called encounters. In the time some of our representative from Belgium and our customer opposed the `weapon bargaining visit `o f Deuba, who was the prime minister at that time. The security Personnel again warned me about the international network of my magazine. The first prison letter was for 3 months and they added me foe next 90 days. On the same time the national and international press organizations and human rights organization (Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters Sanfrontiers, International Federation of Journalists, Amnesty International, Federation of Nepalese Journalists and other dozens of Nepalese Human Rights Organization) pressured to clear the where about of journalist and release without condition. The previous gvt was known as the black administrator. I am feeling that my release (on Nov. 5) after 166 days of my arrest is the result of strong solidarity from national and international organizations. The govt. head Mr. Lokendra Bahadur Chand is saying that he is fully committed to press freedom but we are not knowing the intention of Govt. It may be the `Bargain Test` of Govt. because the security personnel were warning on the release moment of Nov. 5 at 18 P.M. that “not to be sure as freed. You all are in our direct control and don`t forget our custody”. This warning voice of personnel means there may be A new intension of our release. Our official and physical property are not released. The computers, fax machine and other publication materials are still with security forces. I have no alternate profession. That was my total property.
I request you for more solidarity on as follows:
i. Release of all Journalists
ii. Return of our all physical materials of publication
iii. Creation of free environment for publication
iv. Demand of Judiciary probe commission about the death, torture and arbitary arrest of journalists.
v. Compensation to the Journalists.
I want to request more that `the release of physical body is not complete without the release of our expression rights of ideology`.
Mina Sharma Tiwari
Editor
SOLIDARITY
