Ten Western donor countries have urged Nepal to speed up a promised investigation into the fate of hundreds of people who disappeared during the country's civil war.

More than three years after the end of the ten-year civil war between the army and Maoist rebels, more than 1,200 people are still missing. The International Red Cross says the issue is a major obstacle to reconciliation and a lasting peace.

The appeal was made today to mark the 26th International Day of the Disappeared. Commemorations are being held around the world, including in the Netherlands, where various organisations have called on the government in The Hague to ratify the international UN treaty against disappearances.