The Asian Human Rights Commission has launched an online signature campaign to pressure the Nepali authorities and the insurgent Maoists to take immediate and effective measures to end the massive disappearances and arbitrary killings in the country despite their ongoing conflict.

"The situation is so grave and urgent that by every passing hour human life is lost in Nepal either by military action or by opposing Maoist counteraction. The savage attack on innocent people must be stopped now," said Basil Fernando, executive director of the AHRC, a Hong Kong-based regional human rights group.

Individuals and groups across the world are urged to join the campaign in demanding His Majesty’s Government of Nepal and good offices of the United Nations to act by signing a petition posted on "Stop Disappearances in Nepal" at http://nepal.disappearances.org, a new Web site run by the AHRC. 

The Web site also contains a cyber memorial with information of 897 men, women and children as young as 13 years old, who have been forcibly disappeared in Nepal. "Disappearances and arbitrary execution cannot be justified by means and no cause could be held reasonable for summary killings," the AHRC said.

The AHRC will send the petition and the signatures collected to the office of King Gyanendra and other high-ranking officials of the government.

The online appeal will also be forwarded to the U.N., including its senior human rights adviser to Nepal, the special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, and the special rapporteur on the question of torture and disappearances.

Sign the petition now!