Nepal: NHRC submits human rights report to President

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has submitted its 2007/08 annual human rights report to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav.

Speaking on the occasion NHRC Chiarman Kedar Nath Upadhaya said, “Last year was full of challenges as the Kapilvastu incident occurred the same year at a time when the NHRC office bearers were appointed and the Constituent Assembly (CA) election was held.”

Thanking the NHRC for coming up with a report that included the country’s human rights situation, President Dr Yadav said, “Human rights cannot be felt without democracy and we all should be sensitive towards the rights as its situation betokens a country’s prestige.”

“NHRC has a bigger responsibility to improve human rights situation in Nepal,” he added.

The president suggested the NHRC delegation to run human rights awareness programme for the CA members in order to make the new constitution human rights friendly.

NHRC member Gauri Pradhan drew the attention of the president towards lack of initiatives on the part of the government to implement the NHRC recommendations.

This is the first report of the NHRC after it was recognised as the constitutional body by the Interim Constitution and appointed its present officer bearers.

The report includes the activities launched by the NHRC from mid-August 2007 to mid-June 2008 to protect human rights, including investigations into the Kapilvastu riots, displaced persons and various conflict related forensic work.

It also said that some of the major challenges faced by the organisation next year will be to look into the fate of the disappeared, handing over of all seized properties to the rightful owners, among others.  

Date: 15 October 2008

Source: eKantipur.com