Visiting United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, has called upon both Nepal government and Maoists to sign the Human Rights Accord (HRA) prepared by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Addressing the Conference on Human Rights and Peace organized by the NHRC in Kathmandu Monday, Arbour called upon the Nepal government to fully implement the human rights commitments made by it on 26 March 2004.
She also called upon the CPN -Maoists to end, immediately, the recruitment of child soldiers and to desist from using children in any way to further their military goals. She also urged them to allow full access to NHRC monitors to all areas under their control.
Arbour further urged the Nepal government to ensure safety and security of its people in full compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law. “The Maoist insurgents, for their part, do not operate in a legal vacuum: they are equally bound under international law,” she added.
Referring to experiences of conflict-ridden regions around the world, Arbour said injustice fuels violence and violence fuels only greater violence. “One generation’s loss becomes the next generation’s rallying cry. This is particularly true in a country such as Nepal where half of the population is under 18 years of age,” she added.
Addressing the conference, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba blamed the Maoist insurgents for what he said deteriorating human rights situation in the country.
The premier said common people were forced to leave their villages because the Maoists were abducting students and teachers from schools in the rural areas. “At a time when the Maoists are killing unarmed civilians and extorting money, human rights is a far-off thing for the Nepali people,” said Deuba. He, however, said that he was fully committed to the human rights commitments made by the previous government.
The premier said the government was engaged in a serious study of the Human Rights Accord proposed by the NHRC. He also used the occasion to repeat his earlier remarks that the government was left with no other alternative than pushing ahead with general elections ‘to activate the constitution and restore peace in the country’ after the Maoists refused to resume peace talks even after repeated requests by the government.
Addressing the conference, chairman of NHRC, Nayan Bahadur Khatri, said on the one hand the Maoists clearly consider themselves beyond the law of the land in justifying their violent activities, while on the other hand, the security forces have also been found to be involved in human rights violations. “Of major concern is the growing number of disappearances of civilians and the lack of information on those who have been held in incommunicado detention,” said Khatri.
The NHRC chairman said the derailment of the democratic process has further undermined the rule of law, and consequently, resulted in the development of a culture of fear and insecurity, widespread impunity, and the worsening of the human rights situation. He also called upon the government and rebels to sign on the Human Rights Accord prepared by the NHRC and said it would constitute a step forward in building confidence between the parties and opening the way for ceasefire and negotiations.
The two-day conference will discuss the role of human rights organization in peace building, upholding people’s fundamental rights to resolve the conflict, interrelationship between human rights and peace, and the role of NHRC, among others. nepalnews.com by Jan 24 05
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