NHRC withdraws monitors from Tarai for want of security

KATHMANDU: The National Human Rights Commission said it withdrew its monitoring teams deployed in Tarai-Madhes citing "lack of environment."

The constitutional human rights watchdog resorted to withdrawal from its duty after its monitoring team was attacked by protesters in Nawalpur of Sarlahi on Thursday. While the NHRC vehicle was torched, their documents and cameras were also burned by the agitators.

An emergency meeting of the Commission made the decision on Friday.

"Till the environment for carrying out constitutional duties is not made," NHRC spokesperson and member Mohna Ansari said in a statement today, "The Commission has recalled its monitoring teams."

"The Commission has concluded that such incidents have seriously affected independent monitoring of the protest carried out by the Commission."

The Commission, meanwhile, urged the government, protesters and stakeholders to protect human rights defenders, mediapersons and personnel involved in humanitarian services.

The Commission said protesters in the region also torched ambulances and medicine-laden trucks while burned various persons alive.

Such incidents are against sentiments of the Constitution, UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders 1998, of which Nepal is a signatory, and other international laws, maintained the Commission.

It has urged the protesting parties to look into the cases and find the culprits.