Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, February 17:

Amnesty International has said that a human rights “catastrophe” is looming in Nepal following the declaration of the state of emergency. It has urged the authorities concerned to restore fundamental rights of the people and has called on the Maoists to abide by the international humanitarian law.

The conflict between the Maoists and the armed forces has seen a sharp deterioration of human rights situation in the countryside, and now the same is happening in urban areas, taking the country to the brink of disaster, the AI said.

An AI delegation led by secretary-general Irene Khan was in Nepal from February 10-16 to assess the rights situation.

AI is concerned that the emergency “has reduced the prospects of a political process towards peace and increased the likelihood of escalation of conflict that could lead to even greater human suffering and abuse.”

During the team’s visit to Nepal, King Gyanendra granted audience to Khan and he “assured her of his commitment to uphold human rights and Nepal’s international obligations.” According to AI, key providers of military aid to Nepal such as the US, UK and India should pressurise the government to guarantee human rights. It called on the international community and donors to suspend all military aid to Nepal.

The AI has called on the government to “open a political process” to resolve the ongoing conflict and to protect human rights defenders and journalists.

It has urged the Maoists to stop targeting civilians and called on both the warring factions to “agree on” a human rights accord to ensure “respect” for human rights.

It further called on the international community to appoint a Special Rapporteur at the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to scrutinise Nepal’s human rights record.

It emphasised the need to set up a mission of the UN High Commission for Human Rights in the country to protect human rights defenders, support the National Human Rights Commission and strengthen the judiciary.