Rupandehi, November 5:

Former member of the National Human Rights Commission Sudip Pathak today said that the human rights situation in the country had not improved as expected after the ceasefire between the government and the CPN-Maoist.

Pathak was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of a workshop on basic human rights organised jointly by the NHRC and Nepal Jaycees’ human rights cell in Butwal.

Pathak pointed out that 305 cases of rights violations were registered at his organisation’s central office within six months of the ceasefire. “The Maoists are the accused in 90 per cent of these cases,” he said. Eleven cases are related to murder, extortion, capture and torture, he added.

The Maoists have not made public the whereabouts of 173 civilians and security personnel after abducting them. In the case of the government, the number of those missing is 530, Pathak claimed.

He urged both the government and the Maoists to honour the ceasefire code of conduct and said that nearly 1500 complaints are lodged regarding this issue with the Code of Conduct Monitoring Committee.

Pathak also urged everyone to realise that since the issues of the Maoists’ arms management and the future of the monarchy have already been dealt with in the 12-point agreement, there was no need to doubt the agreement’s efficacy.

Rupandehi chief district officer Dhruvraj Wagle, Butwal Yuva Sangh chairman Nawaraj Shrestha and Nepal Jaycees chairman Rajeshmohan Pradhan also expressed their views on the occasion. Branch presidents of Nepal Jaycees from the far west are attending the three-day workshop.