2003-03-12 - press release - NHRC२०५९-११-२८ - प्रेस विज्ञप्ति - रामाअआ

Archive ref no: NCA-18776 अभिलेखालय सि. नं.: NCA-18776

Date: 2003-03-12
Project Review Meeting
A Project Review Committee meeting of the Capacity Development Project of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) jointly initiated by His Majesty’s Government and United Nations Development Program was held today in the National Human Rights Commission. Representatives of donor countries and agencies from Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Switzerland, among others, attended the meeting. Chairman of NHRC Rt. Hon. Nayan Bahadur Khatri, NHRC Commissioners Rt. Hon. Dr. Gauri Shankar Lal Das and Hon. Mr. Sushil Pyakurel, and Ms. Alessandra Tisot, the Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP addressed the meeting. The Meeting was organized to discuss on the Annual Project Report and solicit suggestions regarding the ongoing activities from both the Donor Group and representatives of His Majesty’s Government. In this regard, NHRC Commissioner Hon. Sushil Pyakurel presented the proposed plan of activities for the coming year while NHRC Acting Secretary Mr. Kedar Poudyal presented the details of the various activities and achievements of the Project in the previous year. Project Advisor Dr. Bipin Adhikari answered to various questions raised about the Project activities during discussions in the Meeting.

NHRC Chairman Rt. Hon. Nayan Bahadur Khatri stated at the Meeting that the Capacity Development Project has been crucial for the Commission in a number of ways. The activities being supported include the promotion of human rights through education and outreach; protection of human rights through a complaint and investigation mechanism; legislative review and treaty compliance process; effective implementation of human rights through monitoring and advisory functions, and the provision of human rights policy advise to the Government. The Project has also supported the development of the Commission’s administrative and management capacity.

Chairman Rt. Hon. Khatri made a particular mention of the efficiency of the Commission to deal with many current issues of the day. The Commission has increasingly become vigilant of violations of human rights throughout the country. Issues are regularly taken up with the concerned Ministries and departments of His Majesty’s Government, the police and security forces, and the general administration, calling for their accountability on matters under our mandate. The relations of the Commission with the print and electronic media have been further strengthened. With the help of the media and through various awareness programmes, the image of the National Human Rights Commission has been further enhanced and its voice is reaching to a wide spectrum of the Nepalese society. The National Human Rights Commission had repeatedly called for the materialization of the long awaited ceasefire between the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) and the Government in order to sort out the conflict with a human rights approach to peace building. As part of the next phase of the peacemaking process, the Commission has also called on both the Government and the Maoists to sign a formal ceasefire agreement inclusive of a code of conduct or guiding principles, which should include a list of do’s and don’ts to facilitate the dialogue. It is also the belief of the Commission that human rights issues should be a major agenda in the process ahead, which should involve the government, the political parties as well as all members and institutions of the civil society in the protection of the rights of all people, specifically the rights of the victims of the conflict.

Similarly, NHRC Commissioner Hon. Sushil Pyakurel spoke about repeated requests to the Government and the CPN (Maoist) to formalize a ceasefire agreement with enough provisions for human rights monitoring. He also highlighted on the various activities of the Commission including the drafting of a model ceasefire agreement and interaction with human rights NGO’s and other components of civil society to reinforce peace and the human rights agenda. He elaborated on the ongoing interactions with political parties; senior officials of HMG (including the Army, Police and general administration); ceasefire monitoring training of volunteers; and orientation training to regional administrators on human rights, international human rights law and ceasefire to respond to the current situation.

NHRC Commissioner, Rt. Hon. Dr. Gauri Shankar Lal Das concluded the meeting with a vote of thanks and representatives of His Majesty’s Government and the Donor Group appreciated the achievements of the Project and offered appropriate and valuable recommendations for the smooth functioning of the Project activities in the coming years.

*Project Review Commettee Meeting, Speech of Chairman N.B. Khatri