Kathmandu, January 5:

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, today called for full respect for international humanitarian and human rights law in Nepal’s armed conflict, following the end of a four-month unilateral ceasefire by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).

“It is a tragedy for the people of Nepal that full-scale armed conflict may now resume. But there need not and must not be the same gross violations of international humanitarian law and human rights standards that have been perpetrated during previous phases of the conflict,” said Arbour in a press statement posted at Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ official website today.

She said: “Nepal is a party to the Geneva Conventions as well as to most international human rights treaties: Its security forces are aware of and must fully respect their legal obligations. The leadership of the CPN (Maoist) has made general commitments to observe international humanitarian law and respect human rights: I call on them to declare publicly their acceptance of all that these principles require, and to explain to their cadres their responsibility to respect them in practice.”

She also said that those on either side of the conflict who commit violations must be held accountable: not only the perpetrators but also those in command of forces which commit such acts may be subject to individual criminal responsibility before a court of law. “I remind the CPN (Maoist) that this includes government officials, the families of security personnel, and persons alleged to be informers,” Arbour added: “I remind the state security forces that this includes unarmed persons thought to be Maoists or to have aided the Maoists.”

“My Office in Nepal will be closely monitoring the conduct of both parties in the period ahead, and I will be reporting accordingly to the Commission on Human Rights,” the High Commissioner said.