National 3 (Spotlight Weekly)

Miserable Situation

The country observed the International Human Rights Day amid dismal picture in home as incidents of rights abuses increase with the intensification of internal strife

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) observed this year’s International Human Rights Day – commemorating the 55th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Human Rights charter by the United Nations on December 10 in 1947 –by releasing the names of 709 people who have ‘disappeared’ in the last couple of years due to the conflict in the country.

This, in itself, is an indication of the gloomy scenario in the country. Amid the intensifying conflict, the incidents of human rights abuses have started to swell. Every kind of fundamental rights including the right to education, right to health, right to life are under threat.

This year, the NHRC chose to mark the day by pleading on behalf of the ‘disappeared’ people. Majority of the people who have ‘disappeared’ are said to have been illegally detained by security forces while others are reportedly abducted by the Maoists.

The commission released the names based on the complaints it has received from the family members of the victims whose whereabouts are unknown. The NHRC also released a report on the human rights situation in the country, on the occasion.

Chairman of the commission Nain Bahadur Khatri expressed grave concern over the deteriorating rights situation in the country and called for both the conflicting parties to respect minimum human rights even during conflict.

On the eve of the 55th International Human Rights Day, Khatri deplored the ‘feeble commitment to the human rights’. “If the objective of the conflict is to provide benefit to people, then the people’s human rights must be respected and that would be the point of victory for both sides,” Khatri said in his statement.

Another indicator of the worsening rights situation is the report released by the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC), a rights body. According to its report since the beginning of the Maoists’ people’s war, the state has killed 5781 people while the Maoists have killed 2740 people. After the breakdown of ceasefire on August 27, the state is killing people, on the daily average of 11.37 while the Maoists are killing people, on the daily average of 4.28, it claims.

Not only domestic rights bodies but even international ones are expressing concern over the rights situation in Nepal. Resident representative of the United Nations Matthew Kahane, speaking at a program on the Human Rights Day, stressed that respecting human rights was more important at times of conflict. “Respect of human rights of Nepalese today will the shape the future of Nepal tomorrow,” he said. “If carried out (rights abuses) in wide scale and with impunity, it will corrode the fabric of the institution of nation.”

Meanwhile, the government has formed the Human Rights Promotion Center (HRPC), which it says will coordinate with the NHRC and help implement its recommendations. The HRPC will function directly under the Prime Minister’s Office. The cabinet meeting last week had finalized HRPC’s function, duties and rights. Dr. Kul Ratna Bhurtel has been appointed as the member secretary of the center.

While the domestic and international rights bodies had criticized the government for deciding to set up a parallel rights body when there was an independent NHRC active, the government says the function of the center will be only to coordinate. Only opening new institutions may not be the answer to the deteriorating situation in the country, say rights activists.