KATHMANDU: A high-profile Canadian national Peter John Dalglish was arrested on the charge of being child sex offender from Mandan Deupur-6, Kavre on April 7, 2018. A single bench comprising of Judge Arjun Adhikari convicted Dalglish one month ago for a sexual offense against children.

Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police raided the residence of Dalglish to arrest him following the fortnight investigation (for 15 days). In the process, Police rescued 12 to 14 children who had fallen victims to the sexual offense of this pedophile.

A founder of Street Kids International, a Canada-based non-government organization (INGO), Peter John Dalglish first visited Nepal way back in 2002 as the chief technical advisor to the United Nations Child Labor Program. Since then, he has been a regular visitor to the country.

According to DSP Kabit Katwal, Peter being a pedophile made it a point to play safe by floating INGO for the welfare of street children only to abuse them sexually. He even built his own house in Madan Deupur, Kavre.  Peter John Dalglish, though worked as a representative of UN-Habitat Afghanistan in the past, never stopped being a pedophile and has been accused of sexually abusing many children.

How did Peter land in the police net?

Acting on a tip-off based on a child abuse complaint filed against him, a team led by the then DSP Kabit Katwal arrested Peter John Dalglish from his residence in Kavre. A police investigation found that Dalglish was indeed involved in sexually abusing children placed under his care. The CIB (Central Investigation Bureau) team carried out investigation for as long as 21 days after a complaint was filed against him by a victim of child sex abuse. Finally, Dalglish was arrested by Nepal Police on the night of April 7, 2018, and all the boys kept as sex-slaves were rescued from his farmhouse.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many such cases which have gone unreported and hence have not come in public view. Other five raids were carried out by Nepal Police led by DSP Katwal to nab child sex offenders to bust the pedophile ring in Nepal run by high-profile foreigners and seven foreigners were arrested for being directly involved in it.

11 pedophiles held in last three years

According to CIB records, a total of 11 pedophiles were arrested in the last three years and not less than 15 children were rescued from their net. These sexual offenders were caught on the spot red-handed.

List of foreigners accused of child sexual abuses

British national Iain Robert Cole was arrested for pedophilia from Kalimati, Kathmandu on January 19, 2019

Indian national Ajay Poddar was arrested from Kalimati, Kathmandu on the similar charge on January 19, 2019.

On July 22, 2018, French national Christophe Guilloux, 42, and Danish national Matthew, 38, were arrested for pedophilia from Gaushala, Kathmandu.

Dutch Piet Hein Van, 66, held for pedophilia from Thamel, Kathmandu on June 13, 2018.

Canadian national Peter John Dalglish was arrested from Mandan Deupur-6, Kavre district on April 7, 2018.

German national Hans Jurgen was arrested from Bhotebahal, Kathmandu held for pedophilia on January 3, 2018.

Dutch national, 75, held for pedophilia from Koteshwor, Kathmandu on November 9, 2017.

Austrian national Markus Kendler held from Thamel of Kathmandu on September 6, 2018.

German national Albert Fred, 63, was arrested from Thamel, Kathmandu on June 29, 2017.

American national Kenneth Joseph, 48, was held from Thamel, Kathmandu on September 9, 2016

Fearing the heat from law enforcing agencies in Nepal, some pedophiles succeeded to flee to their respective countries. ‘French national Gerard Philipe left for France in May 2014 only after sexually abusing 15 Nepalese children when he was in Nepal,’ says the record of the Department of Immigration. All those who have been arrested for child abuse are above 50 years of age and are divorcees.

Child sexual abuse under a garb of social service

Pedophiles have been targeting Nepali children from the poor economic background and also those belonging to uneducated families. It is easy to lure them for money and food in name of social services. Meanwhile, the government has established Child Helpline (1098) in collaboration with CWIN Nepal (Child Workers in Nepal) in order to respond immediately to a distress call from children in need and to curb child sexual abuses across the country.

The investigation has shown that street children and those living on the outskirts of the Kathmandu Valley tend to be the frequent victims of sexual abuses.

According to a report of Global Studies on Sexual Exploitation of Children in Travels and Tourism, ‘Nepali children have been the easy targets of foreigners walking around the country as pedophiles.’

Existing legal provisions on child sexual abuse

Section 225 of Criminal (Code) Act, 2017 states that if anyone takes a child to a secluded place with an intention of engaging in sex, touching his/her sexual organ or forcing them to touch sexual organs of offenders will constitute a child sexual abuse.

According to law, if a person is convicted for child sexual abuse, he/she will be sentenced to three years imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 30,000.  Similarly, if a person is involved in unnatural sexual intercourse, he/ she will be imprisoned for 10 to 20 years depending on the age of children so abused.

How to curb sexual abuses?

Public awareness program should be launched to curb existing sexual abuses. Nepal government has established a child helpline (1098) in collaboration with CWIN-Nepal and the same has been partnered with community police for curbing crimes of sexual offenses against children (or any other child abuse). Former DIG stresses the need for organizing public awareness programs vigorously at every nook and cranny of local settlements as such crimes are committed secretly and children are the silent sufferers because of their positions of life.