KATHMANDU: Various human rights organisations today expressed their serious concern toward human rights violation during the bandh called by the Unified CPN-Maoist and have urged the latter to call off the Nepal bandh.

National Human Right Commission (NHRC), which monitored

the bandh today, urged the CPN-Maoist to call off the bandh and

restrain its activities.

Issuing a press statement here, the constitutional rights body stated that it has been closely monitoring the bandh and discovered that the common people were bearing the major brunt of the bandh followed by educational institutions, industries and transportation services, which came to a complete standstill nationwide.

The statement further stated that it had noted some untoward incidences and sporadic clashes between the police and the protesters in various parts of the Kathmandu Valley.

NHRC has urged the law enforcing agencies not to use excessive force while controlling protesters.

Likewise, Human Rights Organisation Nepal (HURON) has also drawn the attention of the bandh-organisers and the government over the problems facing the general public.

In a statement, HURON said

that the bandh had greatly distressed the people and generated a feeling

toward the political parties, which

it said were unable to forge a consensus.

HURON further accused the Maoists of not being serious toward drafting the new constitution and imposing bandh on the nation and declaring autonomous republican states. To the government, HURON has urged to end the present political stalemate.

On a similar tone, Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES) has condemned today’s bandh. It has vehemently condemned the physical assault meted out to human rights activist Govinda Prasad Pokhrel, branch president of HURPES of Parbat. HURPES has asked the government to investigate the incident and punish the culprit promptly.