Nepalgunj, February 24:

Spokesperson for the OHCHR office in Nepal, Kiran Dayar, said today the high commissioner, Ian Martin, is holding talks with the international community for the restoration of peace here as rights situation will not improve without peace.

The UN secretary-general Kofi Annan is concerned over the situation in Nepal. He recalled that Annan had asked the Maoists to declare a unilateral ceasefire.

Speaking at a programme in Nepalgunj today, he said the OHCHR

is helpless to realise the aspirations of the Nepalis that it should do something for peace revival in the country.

“You wish to see mediation of the OHCHR for peace revival, but it cannot do so. We can

just check human rights violations”, he said.

He urged both the state and the Maoists to abide by the international humanitarian law.

Both the parties have not shown seriousness towards preserving human rights, he said, calling on them to live up to their commitments.

“We are holding talks with both the parties so as to put pressure on them to respect their commitment for the protection of human rights,” he said.

As long as the conflict continues, cases of human rights violation will continue to increase and peace will remain an elusive dream, he added.

On the occasion, chief of the OHCHR office in Nepalgunj, Andrew Macgrakar, said cases of rights violations have multiplied in urban areas also.

Stating that explosions and firing in Nepalgunj have panicked the people, Macgrakar asked the warring sides to respect human rights and humanitarian laws.