Nepalnews.com Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd.

Envoys meet Sitaula to raise concern on disappearance bill

Heads of Missions including the British, US, and the Danish ambassadors along with the French Chargé representing the EU Presidency and a representative of the European Commission called on the Home Minister, Krishna Sitaula, on Monday and expressed concerns over the draft bill on disappearances and the police investigation into the death of Maina Sunuwar.

The diplomats urged Sitaula to uphold Nepal's own standards by acting in line with the Supreme Court ruling of June 1 to form an independent, impartial and credible commission on disappearances, based on international human rights standards.

Ensuring adequate powers for the commission to initiate inquiries of its own accord, provisions in relations to protection of witnesses and clarity of mandate are some of the aspects that should be included in the bill to make the investigation commission powerful, the diplomats said.

The Heads of Missions, including Norway and Finland, also urged the Home Minister to enact a law to criminalise enforced disappearance that will have retroactive effect.

"We look forward to a Bill on disappearances being passed by Parliament and we urge the government to draft a Bill in accordance with Supreme Court rulings and international standards, following open consultation with the key stakeholders including OHCHR, NHRC, civil society and victim groups," a joint statement issued by British embassy quoted the ambassadors to have said.

The delegation also asked the Home Minister to carry out a complete and credible criminal investigation into those alleged to have disappeared at the Bhairabnath Battalion and the death of Maina Sunuwar.

They said, "Those who are guilty of crimes, both state and non-state actors, must be brought to justice if Nepal is to become a society where violence is not tolerated. Government action on disappearances and past human rights violations is key to tackling the wider issue of impunity in Nepal and an important step towards building a peaceful society based on the rule of law."

Earlier, the delegation had met with Peace and Reconstruction Minister Ram Chandra Poudel and expressed similar concerns. nepalnews.com ia Jan 15 08