Feburary 5, 2003
KATHMANDU, The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in separate letters to Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand and the chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), urged both sides to use the cease-fire as a gateway towards lasting peace and make it result-oriented, to respect human rights and implement the same effectively and to be honest in abiding by humanitarian laws.
In its letter to the Prime Minister, the Commission has stated that the cease-fire holds no meaning and neither can it contribute to durable peace unless the people can feel that it has affected their life and unless they can become free of fear and engage in their daily activities with their families.
Similarly, in its letter to the CPN (Maoist) president, the Commission has said it expects the party’s full commitment to honest respect for human rights and to the formation of a human rights culture for a peaceful way out of the economic, social, cultural and political problems which stand as the basis of violence.
Calling upon both sides to draft a written letter of understanding that would outline what is to be done and what is not to be done during the cease-fire period, the NHRC in both the letters called for public commitment from both sides to such an understanding.
The NHRC has also stated that it is willing to assist in the formulation of such a letter of understanding.
Calling for international assistance in the restoration of human rights, the NHRC has stated that the assistance of UN agencies especially the office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and international agencies and organisations working in the human rights field has also been requested.
In both the letters, the NHRC has requested both sides to formulate a code of conduct on the basis of people’s participation and to express their public commitment to its implementation in order to guarantee human rights and make peace durable.