A 17-Year-Old Rape Victim's Demand for Justice Gains Momentum in Nepal

The students of National Medical College at Birgunj (Nepal) participating in a candlelight rally showing their solidarity in the on going agitation against the gang rape in Birgunj, Nepal & New Delhi, India. Image by Manish PAudel. Copyright Demotix (24/12/2012)

The students of National Medical College at Birgunj (Nepal) participating in a candlelight rally showing their solidarity in the ongoing agitation against gang rape in Birgunj, Nepal & New Delhi, India. Image by Manish Paudel. Copyright Demotix (24/12/2012)

A recent op-ed by a gang rape victim in Nepal has caused a stir in the mountainous country. Rape and other kinds of violence against women are prevalent in Nepal and many of the perpetrators get away.

Puja Bohara, a student in her final year of school, says she was drugged and raped by Sagar Bhatta, a book shop owner, and Amar Awasthi, a photographer, in March 2012 when she visited Bhatta's store to buy some papers. The two men were sentenced to 13 years in prison and fined Rs 50,000 (about 500 US dollars) each by the Baitadi District Court for the crime. But the following year on April 28, 2014, the Mahendranagar Appellate Court overturned the decision and acquitted them.

On December 16, 2014, Nepali-language newspaper Kantipur Daily published a touching open letter to Nepal's Law Minister Narahari Acharya by Puja, requesting that the men who raped her be punished:

अन्त्यमा माननीय मन्त्रीज्यू, मेरो किटानी जाहेरीले पक्राउ परी दोषी सावित भई १३ वर्षका लागि जेल चलान भएका ती बलात्कारीहरू छुट्नु भनेको के उनीहरू निर्दोष अनि मचाहिँ दोषी हुँ त ? यदि म दोषी हुँ भने मलाई तुरुन्तै कारबाही गरियोस्, हैन भने ती बलात्कारीहरूलाई पुनः पक्राउ गरी सजाय सुनाइयोस् ।

पूजा बोहरा

Before I end this letter, I would like to ask the law minister about those convicted who were sentenced to 13 years in prison and again set free into society. Are they innocent, those who ruined my life? It raises a moral question for society regarding the crime, and society is unsure of who is innocent and who is guilty. If you are convinced and have got enough evidence, than you can arrest me under the law. If not, then those rapists should face the consequences of the law and be rearrested — give me justice.
Regards,
Puja Bohara

17-year-old Puja comes from Baitadi district, the farthest western regional district of Nepal adjacent to Jhulaghat, India. Puja’s father, who is a farmer, doesn't have enough farmland on his own, so he has been working the farmlands of a rich man house to maintain his family. Puja struggled much to be in school, walking more than an hour and half to get to class, and was one of the brightest students of the school, securing first place in class every year. 

Puja’s open letter became the talk of the town this week as people started raising questions about the appellate court's decision and voicing their support for her. 

In an interview with Nepali-language Himalaya TV earlier this month, Puja asked, “Those who had raped me, are they deemed innocent after the court verdict?”

Puja also urged the law minister to make harsher laws for convicted rapists, including the death penalty. In current Nepalese law, there is no death penalty.

On December 17, 2014, Law Minister Narahari Acharya commented on the issue, assuring justice for Puja. Prominent politician and former Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai commented, “Puja’s letter made me cry.”

Menuka Thapa, chairperson of Raksha Nepal, the NGO which is providing shelter for Puja, is also speaking out to demand justice for Puja.

People are using Twitter to voice their support as well:

Why the government is silent? Quick justice needed # #JusticeForPuja

After publishing of the open letter, civil society, rights organisations and media have escalated pressure on the government to act. The law minister has assured that Puja will get justice. Now Puja has hope, at least for now.

7 comments

  • […] (A 17-Year-Old Rape Victim’s Demand for Justice Gains Momentum in Nepal) […]

  • Himal

    Thank you for support !

  • Menuka Thapa

    Dear all thank you so much for
    your valuable support to raise this voice globally.

    We need a collective voice from the
    universe for these cases,,,, WE WANT JUSTICE , THANK YOU FOR YOUR SOLIDARITY.

    Menuka Thapa

    Founder/Chairperson

    Raksha Nepal (www.rakshanepal.org)

  • Lazlo

    Injustice to all women is intolerable. Womanhood, stand up and be proud of being one half of the human race. A true man does not threaten,demean or disrespect women, neither does he use physical strength against them.

  • Menuka Thapa

    http://www.onlinekhabar.com/2014/12/223813/

  • craigbhill

    Such is the freedom of patriarchy in too much of human “society” allowed to run rampant, including within the “legal” system. Unfortunately, barbarism does not only reside in Nepal.

    2403 years ago the Greek playwright Aritophanes found a solution to end war, including war on women, in “Lysistrata”, wherein the women announced they would not sleep with men until they stopped warring. But that would require women to band together under their own global leadership and curb their own lust for the common good of womankind, or this sh*t will NEVER end.

Join the conversation

Authors, please log in »

Guidelines

  • All comments are reviewed by a moderator. Do not submit your comment more than once or it may be identified as spam.
  • Please treat others with respect. Comments containing hate speech, obscenity, and personal attacks will not be approved.

Receive great stories from around the world directly in your inbox.

Sign up to receive the best of Global Voices!

Submitted addresses will be confirmed by email, and used only to keep you up to date about Global Voices and our mission. See our Privacy Policy for details.

Newsletter powered by Mailchimp (Privacy Policy and Terms).

* = required field
Email Frequency



No thanks, show me the site