Chief of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal Ian Martin (File Photo)

Chief of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal Ian Martin (File Photo)
The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) representative in Nepal, Ian Martin, has urged the Maoist leadership to reflect their commitment of respecting human rights in practice.

Martin appealed the Maoists to treat captured RNA personnel in accordance with international standards and release them at the earliest. “I am glad to receive assurance from the Maoists of respecting human rights in general terms. But that must be reflected in practice,” he said.

He revealed that he has been establishing direct contact with the CPN (Maoist) leadership of different levels. He did not elaborate. Ian was speaking in an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club in the capital Friday.

About army allegations that dozens of its men were executed after being captured he said, “Such allegations need to be carefully verified. A full and independent forensic examination of the victims should be carried out.”

On a query of peace talks mediation between the warring factions he said that his office had no mandate to be involved politically. “My mandate in Nepal is strictly to promote the observance of human rights and humanitarian law. It is not a political mandate,” he said.

He, however, said that UN sees no military solution of Maoists insurgency in Nepal and urges resumption of peaceful negotiations among political and civil forces ‘before more Nepalis, mostly young Nepalis, mostly Nepalis from poor families, are killed in this conflict.’ He also appealed to RNA to be careful on rights violations while carrying out security operations.

The OHCHR, Nepal chief also lauded journalists. He said he was ‘extremely impressed by the courage and determination that many journalists have shown in their insistence on the importance of reporting on aspects of the human rights situation and on cases of human rights violations’.

Martin, appointed chief of the UN human rights monitoring operation in Nepal in May, said the office would be operating in its full capacity by October. He was appointed head of the UN monitoring operation following an agreement between the Nepal government and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on April 20 this year.