UNHRC welcomes peace accord, calls for respect to human rights

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has unanimously adopted a resolution on Nepal welcoming the comprehensive peace agreement reached between the government and the Maoists that stressed commitments to respect human rights.

The resolution by the second session of the council held on Monday states, "The Council calls upon all stakeholders to ensure full respect for human rights in line with the recommendation of the OHCHR and by remaining committed to peace process."

The resolution further reads, "The Council underlines the need to address the considerable challenges ahead, such as the consolidation of the rule of law and strengthening of the protection due to the victims of the human rights violations."

The council welcomed the ongoing cooperation between the OHCHR and the Nepal government and the government's readiness to extend the mandate of the OHCHR as well as its cooperation with the special procedures of the Human Rights Council.

"The council welcomes the significant improvements of human rights situation of Nepal with the success of the democratic movement, the restoration the democratic institutions, as well as the conclusion of the comprehensive peace agreement, stressing the commitments to human rights and including the establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission" the resolution reads further.

The resolution was in line with the report presented by OHCHR Nepal chief before the council on September 18.

Speaking on the occasion, ambassador and permanent representative of Nepal to the United Nation in Geneva, Gyan Chandra Acharya, said, "After several interlocking steps that were taken in the past few months to move forward the process, a historic and decisive step was taken in Nepal last week to formally and unequivocally bring to an end the decade-long conflict with the signing of a comprehensive peace accord between the Government of Nepal and the Nepal Communist Party (Maoist)."

Acharya informed the council that the accord covers issues such as political, economic and social transformation in the context of conflict management, management of arms and armies, ceasefire and the termination of conflict, formation of interim legislature, interim government and elections to a constituent assembly in order to write a new constitution.

He further said, "The government and the people are now geared, with single-mindedness and zeal, towards its full and effective implementation. We are all aware of the arduous task ahead and also of the onerous responsibility the accord has imposed on all of us."

"But guided by an indomitable spirit and the clarity of vision, we are ready to summon all the necessary courage and demonstrate our determination to follow it through to its logical conclusion of creating a new Nepal," he added. He also sought full understanding, support and cooperation of the international community in meeting the commitments. nepalnews.com ia Nov 28 06