Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 18:

The high-level Human Rights Peace Committee set up by the government will only weaken the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) instead of strengthening it, say human rights defenders. “It is just an attempt to prove that the government is committed to protecting human rights but in reality it will weaken the NHRC,” said Purushottam Dahal, the chairman of Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES). He further said that the committee has no significance at all. Sushil Pyakurel, an NHRC member, said the committee has a similar mandate to that of the commission’s. “Thus, the committee’s formation has created a confusion,” he said, emphasising that the NHRC does not need any human rights committees for support.

All that the commission needs is cooperation from the government. However, Diwakar Pant, the national director of Human Rights Promotion Centre said the committee has been formed solely to facilitate and strengthen the NHRC and coordinate with the commission in implementing its recommendations to the concerned ministries and authorities. It will not do the NHRC’s job such as monitoring and investigating cases concerning human rights violations.

“The committee’s formation reaffirms the government’s commitment to human rights protection as per its 25-point human rights commitment made public on March 26 last year,” he said. According to him, there has been a confusion concerning the committee’s formation among human rights defenders.