Kathmandu, Mar. 16: A two-day western regional conference organised under the joint auspices of the Human Rights Protection Joint Forum far western regional conference organising committee and Grinso-Nepal has concluded in Pratappur of Kailali district.
Chief speaker and president of the Human Rights protection Forum Padma Ratna Tuladhar on the occasion spoke of the need for working unity within the human rights campaign, adding that talks should be held between the government and the Maoists and both sides should stop violence and killings.
The conference emphasised the need for building a unified forum after holding wide-ranging discussions on the obtaining human rights situation in the country.
The conference also issued a joint “Pratappur (Kailali) Declaration” which includes a five-point declaration on formation of a human rights protection joint forum, a nine-point declaration the present status of human rights in the country and another outlining the immediate steps to be taken in this regard.
The conference also constituted a five-member executive committee under the chairmanship of Manorath Joshi from Kanchanpur.
Twenty-one representatives from the far-western development region had taken part in the conference.
The Pratappur declaration states that the fundamental rights of the people guaranteed by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal-1990 as per ideals established under the multi-party democracy in the country were being abused by the state, the state has failed to make arrangements for the protection of the weaker sections of society such as the elderly, women, children, the oppressed and indigenous people.
Instances of administrative repression, extra-judicial arrests, torture of undertrials, denial of legal protection and counselling and killings and abduction of innocent people are going on on the pretext of the Maoist conflict, the declaration states. Similarly, the declaration said various social anomalies such as untouchability on the basis of caste, girl-trafficking and violence against women were still being practiced and that international covenants and declarations to which Nepal has pledged its support, have not been implemented fully.
The declaration also points out that the general public was being deprived of accessible development facilities because of implementation of costly and big projects implemented under the dictate of international donors and investors.
No initiatives have been taken to banish the Kamaiya system of bonded labour even at the threshold of the 21st century and neither have any initiatives been taken for abolishing the Badi and Deuki social systems in the far-western region and the Rautes (the only community which lives by hunting and gathering in Nepal) have not even drawn the slightest attention, the declaration reads.
As for the immediate steps to be taken, the declaration states that an autonomous, independent and powerful human rights commission acceptable to all parties should be constituted immediately, the Torture Compensation Act should be implemented in an effective manner and the government should stop arbitrary arrests, oppression, extra-judicial killings, custodial torture and abductions.
It points out that an acceptable investigation committee should be constituted to monitor human rights violations, its report made public and the culprits brought to book.
The declaration also points out that a peace initiative should be immediately launched in order to stop violence and terrorism and reprisal attacks taking place in the name of the Maoists “people’s war” and efforts made for starting talks between the government and the Maoists.
Likewise, the declaration calls for the annulment of all acts and regulations that run counter to the constitution and human rights and discouragement of all efforts to re-introduce the bill designed to amend some laws relating to internal administration.
Calling for an end to the Kamaiya system, the Pratappur Declaration suggests a dignified and humane solution to the Badi and Deuki systems and introducing of a special programme for the Raute.