June 24, 2005

LALITPUR: Seeking justice for crimes committed against them by the police, Maoist victims today submitted a memorandum at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) at Harihar Bhawan, and called for resignation of Home Minister Dan Bahadur Shahi for refusing to acknowledge them as victims. “The government has failed to recognise our status as victims; so we are submitting a memorandum to the NHRC seeking justice,” said Dharma Raj Neupane, chief of the Maoists’ Victim Association. The victims are awaiting a response on a case filed by them at the Supreme Court on June 9 regarding a June 5 incident. They allege that police looted their temporary settlement at the Khula Manch. They have also blamed the home minister of not acknowledging their status as Maoist victims for which they said they have ‘proof’ — papers certified by the CDO office. “The minister has refused to recognise us as victims, and accused us of coming here for our own personal benefits,” Neupane said. “The government has not shown any serious concern regarding us.” Neupane added that if the home minister could dismiss the Maoist victims’ struggle and the injustice meted out to them, then he had no right to hold on to his position. He called on the NHRC to help them get justice and said: “If the NHRC fails to act on our behalf, then we will be compelled to believe that human rights in the nation is non-existent and that the NHRC is useless.” However, he did express hope that the NHRC would help them get justice. NHRC commissioner Sudip Pathak assured the victims that the rights body would look into their case. Pathak also showed the victims files of investigation being conducted by the NHRC regarding the injustice done to the victims.

Movement for democracy positive: ILO

POKHARA: A nation’s well-being rests on its people’s sovereignty, Dr Fansul Ahn, an ILO representative, said today while addressing a regional workshop organised by the Nepal Trade Union Congress Western Committee. The government is receiving pressure from the world community for resolving the people’s agonies, he said, adding, the ILO is not hopeful that dictatorship of any nature can give relief to the people. Nepalis are agitating for restoration of their democratic rights and in this context, the election of the Trade Union Congress of Nepal to the ILO Governing Council is a very positive development towards raising hopes for restoration of democracy in Nepal, Dr Ahn said. Extreme rightists and leftists are all set to uproot the democratic base of Nepal, president of the Nepal Trade Union Congress, Laxman Bahadur Basnet, said. They have been been pushing the country to the past by destroying development infrastructure, he went on to add.