Govt in 'consultations' to seek Lama's release

KATHMANDU, Jan 12: The government has started consultations with the ministries concerned and legal professionals to help secure the release of Colonel Kumar Lama, who was arrested in the UK last week over his alleged involvement in torturing detainees in Nepal some seven years ago during the Maoist insurgency.



The move is in line with a government decision to step up both diplomatic and legal efforts to secure Lama´s release and allow him to rejoin his duty station in South Sudan, where is serving as a senior liaison officer with the UN Peace Keeping Mission there.[break]



A meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Lila Mani Paudyal was held at the Foreign Ministry Friday afternoon to discuss means that Nepal can adopt to secure Lama´s release.



“Though we discussed several options, no decision was taken at the meeting. There will be another meeting to discuss what the Nepal government can do,” said a meeting participant.



The secretaries of the foreign and law ministries and other senior government officials concerned were present.



Among other things, the meeting discussed various options including sending a high-level government team to the UK and also writing a formal request from the Attorney General´s Office to the UK Attorney General´s Office.



Sources said the government is also separately holding consultation with legal professionals on legal remedies.



While maintaining that the arrest made under ´universal jurisdiction´ went against international law and the ´general principle of sovereign jurisdiction of a country´, the government has already lodged a strong protest with the UK government, demanding Lama´s immediate release.



Besides handing over a protest note to UK envoy to Nepal John Tucknott, Nepal´s embassy in London has also stepped up its diplomatic efforts.



Nepal has argued that the decision of the UK government to invoke ´universal jurisdiction´ was inappropriate as Nepal was still passing through a transition period and the process of forming a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to address conflict-era human rights violations was underway.



However, a large section of civil society and human rights activists have welcomed the move of the UK Government, saying it would help end growing impunity in Nepal.

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