It is useless to have a rights body when the govt does not implement its recommendations
status since its inception for performing its duties in an autonomous, independent, neutral and impartial institution.
After the law governing the NHRC was amended through an ordinance and its office bearers were appointed through it, the office bearers started acting like the liaison office of the executive branch, and thus they failed to keep the legacy of the rights body. The rights body failed to protect the interests of the victims of rights violations even when the government made the erroneous decision to pardon criminals recently. The NHRC condemned the government's decision only after civil society members intensified their protests against the decision. On Constitution Day, President Ramchandra Paudel gave general amnesty to those who should not have been pardoned as per Nepal's law, which clearly states who could be pardoned and who could not be.
Rights activists are worried that if the NHRC's status is downgraded, which is very likely, to 'B' status, it would send a message to the international community that Nepal lags behind in its commitment to protect and promote human rights. The NHRC would also be barred from taking part in major sessions of GANHRI or in other major decision-making processes.
It would be a big embarrassment to the national rights body. In order to avert the risk of the NHRC being downgraded to 'B' status, the government should submit an action plan to GANHRI to address the latter's concerns within six months. As time is running out, the government has now given theoretical consent to amend the NHRC Act, which was not enough to convince GANHRI. GANHRI's major concerns are that the NHRC's commissioners and its chief were not appointed as per the existing law, which gives it full autonomy to investigate cases of human rights violations, and the government is bound to implement the recommendations made by it. It is meaningless to have a rights body in place when the government is not bound to implement its recommendations. The government, therefore, needs to amend the NHRC Act in line with the Paris Principles to which it has shown full commitment.
Road accidents
It's tragic to learn that at least 18 people were injured in four separate road accidents in Dhading on Wednesday, with some sustaining serious injuries.
Twelve people were injured in a single accident involving a bus, a car and a motorbike. The bus headed for Kathmandu is said to have been speeding when it hit the motorbike coming from the opposite direction.
They were all returning after celebrating the Dashain festival in their ancestral homes. That four accidents occurred on a single day in Dhading means that the roads in the district are particularly prone to accidents.
With the end of the Dashain festival, people are starting to return to their workplaces, and the flow of vehicles, both private and public, is overwhelming.
Thus, extra vigilance on the roads is necessary to prevent any untoward incident. Precious lives could be lost due to a small mistake on the part of the driver or the condition of the roads or that of the vehicle. The traffic police on the highways must ensure that the drivers are not speeding. On the other hand, the passengers who have more to lose must themselves alert the driver if he is found speeding or driving under the influence of alcohol.
A version of this article appears in the print on October 27, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.