Kathmandu, March 28, 2008

The National Human Rights Commission today warned of blacklisting anybody not obeying its directives to stop human rights violation.

“We will blacklist persons and officials who do not abide by our directives,” NHRC member Ram Nagina Singh said. He also flayed the government for not punishing those engaged in human rights violations.

“This is nothing but a culture of impunity,” Singh said while addressing a programme organised to mark the second death anniversary of NHRC employee Dayaram Pariyar. He was killed in a police firing while on human rights monitoring duty. Singh also added that human rights defenders are at risk while performing their duties. The government is yet to punish Police Inspector Prakash Raj Sharma who had killed Pariyar and a political activist Ram Chandra Yadav in Janakpurdham two years back. NHRC secretary Bishal Khanal called the government to implement the rights-body’s recommendations and punish the wrongdoing officials.

“The Supreme Court had issued a mandamus order to the government authorities to file a First Information Report (FIR) against the Police Inspector and proceed the case accordingly but the authorities are yet to prosecute him,” said chief of Protection Department Yagya Adhikary said. “The NHRC consulted about the case with Home Secretary Umesh Mainali and IGP Om Bhakta Rana some three months back but they are yet to take any major step to punish him,” Adhikary added.

Tarai armed groups’ ultimatum to govt

Kathmandu, March 28, 2008

The government’s effort to hold talks with four armed groups of the Tarai seems to have hit a snag as the latter gave an ultimatum to release their cadres by 3 pm tomorrow.

“Release of our cadres is not a demand, but a precondition to make conducive atmosphere for the dialogue. If the government does not meet the deadline, the possibility of talks will end and we will choose our own course,” threatened Pawan, the Co-ordinator of Sanyukta Jantantrik Mukti Morcha, one of the four groups invited by the government for the talks.

The other groups that are invited for the talks are Jantantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha led by Rajan Mukti, Madhes Mukti Tigers led by Rajan and Tarai cobra led by Nagraj. “We have shown maximum flexibility by withdrawing two days’ general strikes, now the ball is in the government’s court,” Pawan said over phone. He blamed the government for not showing real desire to hold talks with them. “Any reason to withhold the release of our cadres is just a pretext,” he charged. Peace and Reconstruction Minister Ram Chandra Poudel blamed the armed groups for delaying talks. “It seems that they are not serious about dialogue, but are just trying to get their cadres released from custody,” he told this daily.