Kathmandu, June 2: The European Union has welcome the decision by Prime Minister Koirala’s government in Nepal to extend the mandate of the Deuba Commission which has been set up to create a cross party consensus among the country’s democratic groups and pave the way for negotiations with the Maoist insurgents. In the European Union’s view a negotiating process offers the best chance of resolving Nepal’s problems for the longer term, a French Embassy press release said.
The European Union has observed with growing concern the escalation of the internal conflict following the declaration of the people’s war more than four years ago. Maoist attacks against representatives of the democratic state are always unacceptable, and frequently, barbarious. The avowed aim of the insurgents is to overturn the democratic order, the statement stated.
The European Union upholds the Government of Nepal’s right to defend the country’s newly established democracy in countering this terrorist insurgency. The European Union notes that the democratic state has the sole right to use legitimate force to preserve the rights and security of its citizens, the statement further noted. The European Union believes that the authorities in Nepal must seek to establish basic security and an environment in which development efforts to overcome poverty can be pursued, and that the insurgency hinders the development process.
The Union notes that a number of international authorities including the UN Special Rapporteus on extra judicial killings, Amnesty international and the US State Department have reported on extensive human rights abuses by both the insurgents and the Nepal Police following the Maoists declaration of the people’s war.
The European Union calls on the Maoist insurgents to call an immediate halt to their violence and on the Nepalese government to ensure that its representatives act uniquely within the bounds of the law, the press release said.
The European Union also recalls that it is the responsibility of the government in Kathmandu, through effective leadership and proper governance, to investigate allegations of extremely serious human rights abuses by the police, including extra judicial killings, torture and disappearances and systematically to prosecute those responsible.
The government must in the view of the European Union, issue strong and clear guidelines to the police to avoid the recurrence of such abuses in the future. The culture of impunity must be ended, the statement noted.
The European Union therefore strongly urges both parties to redouble their efforts to create the necessary conditions to enter into early and serious negotiations leading to a full and permanent peace, the press release said.