PHA-Exchange> Press Statement against Human Rights Violation in Nepal

[Mathura P Shrestha]

Press Statement against Human Rights Violation in Nepal

November 12, 2003

The meeting of Civil Society for Peace issued following statement after a serious discussion:

  1.. The 'Basic Guidelines of Institutional Operation' of a cluster of INGOs appeared as advertisement in different newspapers in Nepal on November 7, 2003. The Civil Society for Peace wholeheartedly welcomes the initiatives and hopes that all institutions in Nepal - national or international - will be people-oriented to serve the people better and in the line of international humanitarian laws. We also hope that all conflicting parties will support the provisions in the basic guideline and formally instruct all their subordinate bodies, units and personnel to facilitate unhindered humanitarian services to the people, especially to the poor and vulnerables.
  2.. We also support the appeal of different human rights organizations, civil societies and Amnesty International to oppose the government's proposed village armed groups in the name of self-defense. Creation of such armed groups, in stead of solving the already deteriorated problems of armed conflict in Nepal, will put the rural people at more risks of further human rights violations, torture, communal violence, organized-group crimes, and rampant killings at he hands of multiple unprincipled and indiscipline armed groups and gun culture. This will violate the government's obligation to protect and abide by the principles of Geneva Convention. 
  3.. We oppose proposed formation of so called Human Rights Promotion Center headed by Prime Minister. This is obviously sideline the National Human Rights Commission and to put smokescreen to the widespread human rights violation, torture, extra judicial killings from the side of security forces.
  4.. We oppose the development of so called integrated and unified command system that are negating and will continue to negate civil governance and administration. This is a naked attempt to militarize the governance and administration. This is specially dangerous when all the constitutional processes and democratic practices are unconstitutionally blocked. Parliament is dissolved. In addition, there is a total absence of governance by elected representatives or bodies at all levels - from village to the centre. 
  5.. Finally, we hope that all concerned personnel will realize that there can be no military solution to the present armed conflict, and come back to dialogue table to settle the differences by appropriate conflict transformation and conflict management by addressing its root causes in generic terms.
Professor Mathura P. Shrestha, President Civil Society for Peace.



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