Kathmandu, May 23:

The Amnesty International has stated that many of the promises made in the agreements between the political parties and the CPN-Maoist were vaguely worded and few have been fully implemented.

In its annual report released today, the AI has acknowledged that the political transition, cessation of hostilities and relaunching of a peace process led to improvement in the human rights situation and raised expectations that long-standing issues would be addressed. However, it adds that key challenges remain, including ensuring accountability for past human rights violations.

The report states that the National Monitoring Committee formed in mid-November had found 913 cases of violation of the Code of Conduct. “However, no action was taken and the committee was dissolved at the end of November,” it added.

Saying that the role of the National Human Rights Commission remained unclear, the report raised concern over the “under-representation” of marginalised groups in the peace process. “Neither the seven-party alliance nor the Maoists included women in the peace process,” points out the report.

It also draws attention to the “continuing” reports of killings, abductions, torture and ill-treatment of abductees, extortion and threats by Maoists despite commitments.

It raises concern about the ongoing armed violence in the Tarai carried out by the Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha.

“The Army Bill adopted by the parliament in September contained provisions to bring the army under civilian control but did not adequately address concerns regarding the jurisdiction of violations of human rights and humanitarian law by the army men,” the report adds.

“The authorities were reluctant to proceed with criminal investigations into past rights violations despite detailed reports by local human rights defenders and the OHCHR,” the report said, adding, “Neither the security forces nor the Maoists took concrete steps to strengthen accountability within their ranks,” it adds.

The report states that the violence against women is not widely recognised as a human rights issue.