Nepal records least human rights violation in South Asia
Despite the fact that Nepal is undergoing political instability and seeing no respite from violence even after the end of armed rebellion by the Maoists, it has been ranked a good performer in safeguarding human rights compared to other South Asian nations.
According to the new report published by Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) Friday, Nepal ranked sixth among the seven nations in the region. India also stands on the same position.
ACHR points fingers at Sri Lanka (with 52 points) to be the worst human rights violator in South Asia followed by Bangladesh (45 points), Bhutan (43 points), Pakistan (41 points), Maldives (23 points), Nepal (24 points) and India (24 points).
In 2007, human rights remained more positive than during the conflict in Nepal, ACHR said. The biggest concern in Nepal was not so much state violation but rather de facto absence of state; an absence that in 2007 facilitated political violence by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and the proliferation of armed groups and violence in the Terai.
The Maoists and Madhesi armed oppositions groups were responsible for more violations than the security forces in 2007.
On the right to life, Nepal performed poorly. An estimated of 33 persons were killed by the security forces in 2007 while Maoists and Madhesi armed opposition groups were also responsible for significant numbers of killings. Torture remains systematic in Nepal.
"Nepal's peace is not a given. Nepal lives under the shadow of a highly politicised anti-democratic Army, the Peoples Liberation Army and the Youth Communist League and a host of other armed criminal gangs who are not accountable to anyone except themselves," stated the Asian Centre for Human Rights.
ACHR also praised the role played by United Nations Mission to Nepal (UNMIN) and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the peace process, confidence building and addressing human rights violations.
"However there is a vested interest at work against the UNMIN and OHCHR's missions. This is a dangerous strategy given the high potential of the situations in Nepal deteriorating into wider conflict to the detriment of long term and durable peace," the report further said.
ACHR said the indexing system is based on comparative assessment of nine thematic issues crucial for the enjoyment of human rights: political freedom, right to life, judiciary and administration of justice, status or effectiveness of national human rights institutions, press freedom, violence against women, violations of the rights of the child, violations of the rights of the minorities and indigenous/tribal peoples and repression on human rights defenders.
While Sri Lanka is the worst in the region, the report also underlines that all countries in the region have very poor records. The regional analysis also shows a high level of commonality in human rights patterns. Discrimination is endemic, institutionalised and in many cases legalized, the report stated.
The regional human rights watchdog suggested for reform of archaic and punitive criminal and penal laws and the regime of sovereign immunity for the government and its personnel and reform of the official mindset with regard to human rights.
However, it said, reform will not happen if human rights violations, committed both by the security forces and armed groups, are not promptly, thoroughly, independently and impartially investigated and those responsible brought to justice, and if the system which allowed them to commit those crimes remains intact.
ACHR adds that south Asia is becoming increasingly a victim to internal conflicts as a result of the failure to reform where impunity to the security forces and the Armed Opposition Groups is the rule. nepalnews.com ia Aug 01 08
