United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour (L), addressing a news conference upon her arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, Friday afternoon, Jan 19 07. nepalnews.com/rh

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour …
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, has said the end of the 11-year conflict has been a great achievement, and the process of building lasting peace and an inclusive democracy is a great challenge.

Addressing a brief press conference at Tribhuvan International Airport upon her arrival on a six-day visit to Nepal today, Arbour said the historical change in Nepal is an opportunity for ending the racial and gender discrimination by including all in the nation-building process through the election to constituent assembly.

She also stressed the need to making human rights violators accountable to their crimes committed in the past.

She also said the culture of impunity should not be promoted in new Nepal, adding impartial investigations is a must in serious abuses of human rights of the past.

She informed that the purpose of her visit is to show her direct support for human rights and the peace process in Nepal, both to the government and the people of Nepal.

Arbour, who last time had visited Nepal in January 2005, just before the royal takeover, said, “I want to affirm that my office will continue to work with all the people of Nepal to ensure that the protection and promotion of human rights remains at the centre of this process.”

“Monitoring the human rights situation in communities where they are most vulnerable will continue to be among the highest priorities of my office in Nepal,” she added.

She also informed that she would be meeting members of the government including Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chairman Prachanda, victims of human rights violations, groups representing victims and their families, the human rights community and civil society representatives during her stay in Nepal.

Arbour informed that she was visiting Nepalgunj and Bardiya of mid-western region and Sindhupalchowk of central development region during her six-day visit.