| Username |
Post |
| Ex-Godavarian |
Posted
on 07-Dec-01 11:48 AM
I am an ex-godavarian, batch of 1989. I knew Father Moran quite well, although I was not one of his 'favourite' students (now I am glad I was not after hearing Sonam dai's story). Sonam ji (dai), I am truly sorry that you had to go through so much in your life and remember one thing that God will punish the evil and one day you will be showered with happiness and you will feel and do better in life.
I do believe that Father Moran and many other Jesuit priests has abused many children in Nepal. I remember my teachers in Godavari scolding us for spending too much time with Fathers and Brothers in thier rooms. Now I know WHY. Also many of my uncles and friends who are now in their late 40's have told me stories about Father Moran and others doing "those" kind of acts with small kids. It is very very sad that things like this goes on and we don't seem to open our eyes. It is not easy to blame but if it is true then, something must be done about it and the offender must be brought to justice.
Nepal has always been a 'paradise' for pedophiles, and there in no LAW against pedophilism. Many foreigners come to Nepal just for that purpose and they are taking advantage of our poverty and lack of education. This is just one among many abuses and sad things that goes on. We cannot allow these kind of exploitaion being done to our children. Somebody needs to open an oraganization or something to protect our children against sexual abuses.
Well, Again thank you all for reading and GOD bless Nepal.
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| Tired |
Posted
on 07-Dec-01 12:07 PM
I feel sorry for Sonam and everyone else who may have been sexually abused but I am a little tired of this issue - maybe this should be discussed in the GAA website or some place other than GBNC - why are we discussing issues related to one now dead Jesuit priest from a school in Nepal on a forum that caters do a much wider audience?
Also, this Ranjit Rana - Dipak Dhalke Topi Bista, thing is getting a litle annoying. I do understand this website is not exculsively for people from Boston, and neither should it be, but I think this forum in not the appropriate plce to discuss high schools issues or personal issues in the case od Mr Rana.
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| Puru |
Posted
on 07-Dec-01 01:53 PM
Tired,
If you are tired of this issue then just click off and move on to different thread. This forum is open to discuss any issues and don't try telling people what is appropriate.
I have heard similar comments like yours "why are we discussing issues related to one now dead Jesuit priest ....", "GAYAKO KURA KINA LAYUNE? KA PAIEN CHHA" and " CHUP LAGNU PARCHA, LAZ HUNCHA " etc. That is why, because of people like you, tired, we are not getting anywhere regarding any issues. I don't know if Mr. Moran is really guilty but it is a concerns we need to listen and look at. if we let it go, it could again happen to anyone of our children.
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| SIWALIK |
Posted
on 07-Dec-01 02:39 PM
I disagree with "Tired" about appropriatness of this issue. It is appropriate for TRUTH to be sought anywhere. This issue of abuse and pedophilia is not just a GAA matter. It involves our society at large and our lack of preparedness to protect againt such evil. We need to wake up and guard against being a safe haven for sexual abusers, terrorists, and what not...
PEACE.
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| villageVoice |
Posted
on 07-Dec-01 06:04 PM
This is perpahs the most interesting GBNC thread now. If someone's tired of it, well, just skip it.
I remember many of my frends who went to Godavari saying how this Father and that Father used to fondle kids. But I never realized the scale of the problem until I read a confession here. I understand some Godavarians get irked by the topic, but they have to stop playing spokemen every time the name St. Xavier's is mentioned. Our concern shouldn't be to hush things up, but to expand this discussion so much much that are boarding schools are free from paedophiles.
Granted, St. Xavier's has over the years produced great citizens, but that should not be an excuse to mask its obvious failure to take care of the vulnerable children, preyed on by paedophiles. I laud all Xavierians who have come out with stories of their taumatic past. I hope it has helped their healing. Let's make a world a better place for you and me.
Peace.
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| anepalikt |
Posted
on 08-Dec-01 09:39 AM
Ex-Godavarian pointed out that Nepal is a sort of paradise for pedophliles and it seems it still is. Besides the Father Morans of the world, who hid under their habits, the westerners who now prey on young children still come under the guise of "helping" kids. I for one was suspicious when I saw many many "orphanages" and houses for "disadvantaged children" in Kathmandu run by bideshi men, who really did not seem too dialed into the rest of the community. Who knows, _BP said in another post, who knows. All I can say is that, folks from godavari and xaviers who suffered abuse from the padres need to be believed. It seems to me it is high time the School and the church take responsibility for the atrocious acts of terror and betray played out by the clergy they sent to our country to live our Christian lives of "love".
And as for Nepal, we need to get educated about and aknowledge Child sexual abuse and other predatory behaviour whether the perpetrators are Nepali or Westerners and of course. These are not isolated incident. There needs to be some legal recourse as well as support for recovery.
I am also amazed at the kind of horrible responses that survivors have gotten. What is wrong with people? Does anyone know whether the fathers in Nepal right now are aware of this and if so, what they think?
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| arnico |
Posted
on 08-Dec-01 01:24 PM
I think a few things are becoming clear from this:
Some of the worst suffering is often hidden from public view, and there are many people who would rather not learn about it, and many more people who have trouble treating victims with respect... but given the right condition, enough people share their experiences together that the general public is forced to accept the revised understanding of reality. Perhaps this case can learn from the east asian "comfort women" case (where women from Korea and some other countries were forced into prostitution to serve Japanese soldiers during the second world war). How did the women finally speak out, and what did it take to get some recognition for their plight?
On the other hand, let us be careful not to make generalizing assumptions all too quickly. There may also be foreign run orphanages with nothing but good intentions. And there may also have been foreign teachers at St. Xaviers who had nothing to do with this. For some reason only one name gets mentioned, while people talk in plural...
Meanwhile, I encourage everyone visiting this forum to be respectful about the intense pain and difficullty faced by victims of pedophilia, and to respect the strength needed to finally speak out... and to the people sharing experiences: I want you to know that you ARE being listened to.
Arnico.
-------
Below is an article pulled from the September 24, 1999 issue of the Kathmandu Post (off the nepalnews archives). It seems like our Prime Minister's wife was involved. Does anyone know the current status?
Note that I would have posted just the URL were it possible to have the full URL displayed, but for some reason nepalnews nowadays only lists www.nepalnews.com for any page on it.
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Law on paedophilia soon
-By a Post Reporter
KATHMANDU, Sept 23 - Two different committees comprising representatives from government and non-governmental organizations have been formed today to draft a law against paedophilia in the country.
Formed under the convenorship of Dr. Arzu Deuba, the core committee comprises ministry officials, academics, medical practitioners, law practitioners, and NGOs; while the law drafting committee comprises senior lawyers, officials and NGO workers, according to a press release issued here today by SATHI, an NGO.
"Representatives from Home, Women and Social Welfare, Education, Health, Labour and Law and Justice Ministries, Nepal Police, Tribhuvan University, and Kanti Children’s Hospital are members of the core committee," the release said.
"The NGO sector is represented by Happy Home Orphanage, Child Welfare Society, CWIN, Concern Nepal, Child Development Society, SATHI, Nepalese Youth Opportunity Foundation, Asaya Balghar and Redd Barna," it added.
Likewise, the law drafting committee comprises of Kashi Raj Dahal of the Supreme Court, Narendra Pathak of the Attorney General’s Office, R P Bhandari of SATHI, Bhesh Raj Sharma and Krishna Devkota of SWC, another NGO.
No existing laws contain legal provisions to punish paedophile, despite countless reports about such heinous crimes in recent times. Several cases of the release of paedophile due to lack of legal provisions have led to the realization of an urgent need for a law.
Recent researches conducted by the Social Welfare Council and the Child NGO Federation have also laid thrust on the need to amend the Children’s Act, 1991, so as to provide complete protection to Nepali children from sexual exploitation and discourage the prevailing rate of such crimes.
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| arnico |
Posted
on 08-Dec-01 01:25 PM
--------------
and the following is an article pulled from the July 1, 1999 issued of the Kathmandu Post:
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Fraser’s release flayed
-By Somraj Ghimire
KATHMANDU, June 30 - Just as activists were putting their heads together today to consider measures to curb paedophilia in the country, they received a shocking news: an alleged paedophile had just been released from the police custody.
On June 26, the Kathmandu district court ordered the release of Christopher Fraser, a Briton charged of sexual assaults against children, on bail of Rs 20,500, a police officer said. Christopher, who has been living in Nepal for the last 10 years on a tourist visa, runs a child home in Pokhara.
He was arrested by police on May 19 from Manakamana Guest House in Thamel where he was allegedly forcing street children into sex. "It is due to the shortcomings in our legislations that Christopher has been left scot-free," said Ganesh Rai, Deputy Superintendent of Police at District Police Office, Hanumamndhoka.
"The job of police is to collect evidences against offenders and forward it to the court. And it is the court that decides whether the person is guilty," Rai adds.
Earlier, police, while considering the option of trying Christopher in British courts, had asked the Immigration Department whether it would be possible to deport him to Britain. But the Department said no offender would be allowed to leave Nepal until his case is resolved here.
Meanwhile, NGOs and academics today asked the government to set up a separate juvenile court to try those offending against children, calling for amending the existing legislations. "To keep more street children safe from being sexually abused by unscrupulous foreign paedophiles, the government--if it is really serious on the issue--should set up a separate juvenile court," said Dr Arzu Deuba, Chairman of Samanata, an NGO.
Dr Deuba also suggested that the minimum age of marriage of a woman be extended to 20 if child related crimes are to be reduced. For girls, the minimum age for marriage is 16.
Dr Chiranjibi Nepal from Tribhuvan University said lack of coordination and net-working among NGOs working in the field of child welfare have further worsened the children’s status.
"NGOs are more keen about showing off their individual identity rather than the exposing the burning issues regarding child crimes," Nepal said. "The NGOs have to give wake-up calls to the government to resolve issues related to crimes against children."
Other participants suggested the judiciary to initiate immediate actions to resolve cases related to children and women and not treat them as any other mundane cases.
According to police, Christopher Fraser was arrested red-handed while having sex with children. A case seeking action against him was registered on the very day of his arrest. Since there are no specific legislations to initiate action against paedophiles, Christopher was tried under the Public Offence Act. Christopher has denied all the allegations.
Child NGO Federation Nepal had filed two separate cases against Christopher and an alleged French paedophile in Kathmandu district court seeking legal action against the offenders. The French national still remains in the police custody.
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| _BP |
Posted
on 08-Dec-01 02:26 PM
Again, I don't think there is a lack of sympathy for victims of sexual abuse. There IS a reluctance to believe those who claim they have been abused. My experience is people who really have been abused do not proclaim it in detail to the public at large. No one can argue that victims need to get support. I think that a lot of people are reacting to the way the supposed victims are making their claims on this site. If you look at some of the apparent "nay-sayers," most of them do admit that their were some improprieties by the Jesuits.
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