All doors open for talks

Sher Banadur Deuba, Prime Minister, Nepal

Since Joining the UN in 1955, Nepal has put unflinching faith in the UN Charter, the principles and purposes of which form the corner stone of the country’s foreign policy. Nepal has always called for collective efforts and common solutions for international peace, security, disarmament and development, with the centrality of the United Nations as a pivot of multi-lateralism in global affairs.

Nepal has actively been engaged in UN peacekeeping operations since 1958 and has already contributed more than 48,000 troops including in most difficult UN peacekeeping missions around the world. It is also a matter of great pride and satisfaction for us that the professionalism and dedication displayed by the Nepalese blue helmets have received wide international appreciation.

As a true believer in international peace and disarmament, Nepal is looking forward to relocating the UN regional Center for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and Pacific region to Kathmandu as soon as possible. We earnestly hope that this will give a new boost to the "Kathmandu Process" for the promotion of confidence building measures in the region.

The United Nations has also worked effectively against global poverty, hunger, illiteracy and pandemic diseases. The Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Goals are the testimony of international commitment to make the world a safer and a decent place of humanity.

In order to achieve these goals, the international community needs to redouble its efforts for the effective implementation of the internationally agreed programmes of actions, especially aimed at the developing and least developed countries, which are increasingly marginalized. Needless to say, Brussels Programme of Action, Almaty Programme of Action, Monterrey Consensus, and Johannesburg Plan of Action figure prominently among such resolves of the international community.

Nepal is presently facing tremendous hardships and developmental challenges, which are compounded by the violence and conflict perpetrated by the Maoist Insurgency. His Majesty’s Government is committed to achieving durable peace in the country and has kept all doors open, with all sincerity, for constructive dialogue with the insurgents.(Excerpts only: Remarks made by the author on the occassion of 59th UN day celebration in Kathmandu)

What all the people of Nepal want is peace!

Matthew Kahance, UN resident Coordinator, NEPAL

The efforts of all Nepal’s development partners have been increasingly constrained over the last year by the resumption of conflict and violence, and by direct threats to the work and safety of our staff. To be able to deliver the necessary goods and services to the poor and marginalised, we must have safe access to the people and the territories where they live. If we cannot operate safely and effectively, it is the poor who will suffer most. We urge the leadership of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) to ensure that Nepal’s development partners, including the UN, can indeed work safely and effectively to fulfill people’s rights, in accordance with the Basic Operating Guidelines which were issued by the bilateral donors a year ago, and by the UN in February this year.

It is a desperately sad fact that human rights abuses in Nepal have multiplied in the last year, with the resumption of an armed conflict characterized by great brutality. The various "special procedures" of the UN Commission on Human Rights have received extremely alarming numbers of reports of disappearances, summary executions (in other words murders), rape, and torture - the gravest violations of the fundamental rights to individual life, liberty and dignity. Human rights violations, no matter by whom they are carried out, offend the personal integrity and dignity of those who are victims. If carried out on a wide scale and with impunity, such violations corrode the very fabric of society and the nation’s institutions. It is the firm belief of the Member States of the United Nations that the protection and promotion of human rights are particularly important at times of internal crisis. Respecting fundamental human nights is the only way to win the hearts and minds of the people who are caught in the middle of this conflict and whose only desire is to have peace.

I wish to draw particular attention to the problem of "disappearances".

Disappearance" is an ongoing crime, which makes family and friends suffer until the situation of the victim is clarified. It is also a practice, which makes those responsible for the "disappearances" complicit; it is a refusal to be honest with one’s fellow-citizens. We hope that positive steps will be taken to address this issue, including finalizing arrangements for a visit of the Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances in early December, as has been agreed in principle by His Majesty’s Government and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

The UN is ready to expand and deepen its cooperation with other institutions of the State, the National Human Rights Commission, and the many human rights activists and organizations in Nepal.

It is clear to all that what all the people of Nepal want is peace. Violence is no way to address political issues or differences; it makes ordinary people suffer cruelly it embitters everybody and it provides no solution. The UN calls on everybody to abandon violence and to return to the political process."

It is only by the resumption of a peace process among the Nepali parties that a solution can be found to the conflict, a conflict that cannot be resolved by military means. Peace is essential for the respect of human rights and for development, in favor of the "victims of violence, oppression, poverty, hunger, illiteracy and disease.

In conclusion, let me re-affirm the readiness and commitment of the United Nations system to support all efforts for peace, human rights and development in Nepal, in whatever way may be most helpful.

(Excerpts only: Remarks made by the author on the occassion of 59th UN day celebration in Kathmandu)

NHRC needs to be more vigilant

Nayan Bahadur Khatri, Chiaman, Nepal Human Rights Commission

"Peace is the prerequisite for development and development is an important guarantee for peace. "

We are well aware that most of the root causes related to the ongoing conflict are also related to the lack of balanced socio-economic development in Nepal.

While the UN has worked hard since its establishment for the betterment of humankind, it is perhaps also pertinent to touch upon the responsibilities of States to contribute to the UN actively contributed to the cause of the UN, particularly in the area of peacekeeping. The Royal Nepal Army and the Nepal Police have participated in several peacekeeping missions around the world and have received a lot of praise and accolades for their impeccable service in the cause of keeping peace and thereby promoting freedom and human rights. But it is surprising as to why the security forces have not been able to attain the same level of reputation at home.

NHRC’s reaction to the spiraling human rights disaster in Nepal has been in the form of monitoring and investigation campaigns that seek to highlight the ever-increasing violations of rights. Based on the many monitoring and investigations that have been carried out we are clear in our conclusion that both the insurgents and the security forces are to be blamed for the increasing rights violations and the development of an overall environment of insecurity and impunity. Particularly alarming is the growing number of disappearances- the National Human Rights Commission has already received more than 1400 complaints regarding disappeared persons and a majority of the cases are related to disappearances by the State.

We have also attempted to convince the concerned parties to abide by and respect the minimum conditions aimed at reaching a peaceful settlement of the conflict. In particular we have stressed to all concerned the need to act in accordance with the letter and spirit of the Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. Similarly, we have also proposed to the parties to sign on a Human Rights Accord. We believe that such initiatives will help towards establishing a human rights approach for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

We surely have not been very successful at putting a stop to all kinds of rights violations. Our efforts might be obscured by the ever-deteriorating situation of human rights. But I am more convinced than ever that as a national institution we have a crucial and important role to play in the situation of conflict. We have to be more vigilant and act to the utmost for highlighting human rights issues and the need for greater protection of human rights. If the Commission is to keep mum, the human rights situation could deteriorate further and also enhance the prevalence of impunity.

(Excerpts only: Remarks made by the author on the occassion of 59th UN day celebration in Kathmandu)

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