H.E. Dr. Ganesh Yonzan Tamang
Ambassador of Nepal to Japan
7-14-9 Todoroki, Setagaya
Tokyo, Japan

June 30, 2008

Request for proper investigation into the murder case of Ms. Laxmi Bohara

Your Excellency:

The Asia-Japan Women’s Resource Center (AJWRC) is a feminist organization based in Tokyo working for women’s human rights in Japan and in Asia. We are seriously concerned about the murder case of Ms. Laxmi Bohara on June 6, 2008, and the subsequent investigation process by the District Police Office.

According to the information provided by the Women Human Rights Defender Network (NAWHRDs), Ms. Bohara, a member of NAWHRDs, had been harassed and beaten by her husband, Tek Raj Bohara, and her mother-in-law, and even thrown out of her house ten days before her death. Her husband was suspected as the murderer of his wife by severely beating her and then poisoned her. NAWHRDs points out that there were evidences of blue marks and severe bruises all over her body.

However, according to NAWHRDs, while the father of Ms. Bohara submitted a First Hand Information (FIR) to the District Police Office stating that his daughter has been murdered by the son in law and his mother, it was found out that the FIR registered by the father of Laxmi Bohara was actually not in his name but it was registered by the family of the Tek Raj Bohra. NAWHRDs further claims that their members have been harassed by the District Police and that the father of Laxmi Bohara was told that without any legal and strong evidences, his FIR cannot be registered.

AJWRC should like to request the relevant authorities of Nepal to conduct proper investigation into the incident, taking consideration of the nature of gender-based violence, and that the perpetrators, if found so, be penalized accordingly. We also should like to ask all the relevant authorities to ensure safety of members of NAWHRDs and other women’s rights defenders, as well as children of the victim.

Thank you very much for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

The Asia-Japan Women’s Resource Center
14-10-211 Sakuragaoka Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0031, Japan
Tel: +81-3-3780-5245/ Fax:+81-3-3463-9752/ E-mail: ajwrc@ajwrc.org