Kathmandu, December 9:

Impunity particularly for serious human rights abuses, must end, said Lena Sundh, chief of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal. She also spelt out the need to deal with the past human rights abuses by investigating, conducting prosecutions and bringing the guilty to book.

Addressing a programme organised by the Human Rights Home today, she said: “Those who hold positions of power must be accountable to the public, not least the security forces. It is essential to create a new culture within the security forces, of being accountable before the law, to ensure that there is no repetition of human rights violations,” said Sundh, emphasising that rights violations were committed by both the government and Maoists.

“There will be dangerous consequences for future rights protection if these are merely swept under the carpet,” she said.

Subodh Pyakurel, chairman of the INSEC, said there should not be a political appointment of the members at the National Human Rights Commission.