NHRC tells warring parties to respect human rights

Kathmandu, October 17:

The National Human Rights Commission has called on the government and the Maoists to conflict to respect human rights and cease destructive activities and human rights violations and pave way for the peace process.

“We urge both the parties to pave way for the peace process and we are willing to be involved in getting them together,” said NHRC member Sudip Pathak. Although the government is yet to announce ceasefire, it should immediately halt killings, disappearances, torture and incommunicado detentions and follow the rule of law,” he said, while speaking at a press meet organised by the NHRC here today. The NHRC received a total of 19 complaints including cases of abduction, disappearances, illegal detention throughout public holidays in Dashain.

The commission’s Protection and Monitoring Department in Kathmandu and three regional offices remained open throughout the festival. Pointing out that the Maoists are not clear about their stance on the ceasefire, he urged the rebels to make their approach to the unilateral ceasefire clear and stick to it. “Mass abductions and cases of extortion have been reported even during their unilateral ceasefire which in no way can be regarded as the rules of truce,” he said.