End Impunity

THE United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has expressed satisfaction over the efforts of the government to improve the human rights situation in Nepal after the success of Jana Andolan II last year. Issuing a statement on the occasion of the first anniversary of the April Uprising that restored democracy and human rights, the OHCHR has demanded that those who were responsible in suppressing the people's rights should be punished to end the culture of impunity in Nepal. It is absolutely true that the culture of impunity must end, and all those responsible for human rights abuses must be brought to book. The tendency of impunity has continued in Nepal, which is one of the reasons for human rights violations at different times. After the 1990 political change, there had been a demand from human rights activists and civil society members to punish those who suppressed the people's movement and violated the rights of the people. The Mallik Commission, the panel formed to investigate the atrocities during the 1990 movement, had clearly pinpointed at some people responsible for violating human rights, and had recommended necessary action against them. However, the governments formed after the 1990 political change could not take any action against them. These people again became active during the king's authoritarian regime and suppressed people's rights. Had action been taken against those pinpointed by the Mallik Commission, the king would not have dared take over power.

We must now learn lessons from the past. The Rayamajhi Commission has also found some people guilty of suppressing the movement last year and violating human rights. Thus, it is necessary that action be taken against them so that the culture of impunity is ended once and for all. All previous atrocities and human rights violations must be thoroughly investigated and action taken against the culprits. Against this background, there has been a demand for the ratification of the International Criminal Court, which is popularly known as the Rome Statute that deals with investigation into the atrocities perpetrated on the people and punishment for the perpetrators. Nepal so far has not ratified the Rome Statute, as a result of which the international criminal investigation body has not been authorised to probe crimes against humanity and book the culprits as per national as well as international humanitarian and criminal laws in Nepal. Now this treaty needs to be ratified as early as possible. Although there has been marked progress in the human rights situation after the establishment of Loktantra, Nepal, as stated by the OHCHR, needs to be done to institutionalise these achievements on the human rights front.

Source: The Rising Nepal, April 26, 2007