NEPAL: CPN (Maoist) abuses are unacceptable in the 'people's war'

The execution-style killing of eight police officers who were among 28 who surrendered to members of the CPN (Maoist) at Toli, Dailekh district, early Saturday morning is in clear violation of minimum humane standards applicable in the 'people's war' in Nepal.

Amnesty International is also seeking information from the leadership of the CPN (Maoist) about scores of people currently held captive by the armed opposition group. The organization has urged the CPN (Maoist) to inform the captives' relatives of their fate and give them the opportunity to communicate with them through the International Committee of the Red Cross.

'The CPN (Maoist) leadership should publicly pledge that it will respect basic human rights and abide by international humanitarian principles,' Amnesty International said.

These standards are laid down in particular in Article 3 common to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, which forbids governments and armed opposition groups alike to torture to deliberately kill civilians taking no part in the fighting, to harm those who are wounded, captured or seeking to surrender, or to take hostages

For more information on the conflict see http://www.web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/index/asa310012000 /p>