US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice (Photo source: en.wikinews.org)
The United States has expressed over what it said human rights abuses by both the Royal Nepalese Army and the Maoist insurgents in Nepal.
In a statement issued on the occasion of International Human Rights Day (Dec. 10), US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice recalled that during the State of Emergency early this year, the United States government had urged His Majesty’s Government to release all political detainees.
“We continue to be concerned about restrictions on free speech through the new media ordinance and raids on independent FM radio stations,” she said.
She quoted US President George W Bush as saying in his message on Human Rights Day 2004: “During this observance, we encourage all nations to continue working towards freedom, peace, and security, which can be achieved only through democracy, respect for human rights, and the rule of law.”
The United States and, we are certain, the Nepali people want to see a peaceful, prosperous, and democratic Nepal, and upholding of human rights is essential to that shared vision, she said.
“Freedom, democracy, and human rights are not American principles or Western values,” Ms. Rice – dubbed as the most powerful woman in the world politics– said. “These ideals are shared by all people. They are the non-negotiable demands of human dignity.”
On Human Rights Day, December 10, the United States and the international community celebrate the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the declaration
and honor those who work to promote and protect those rights. In the United States, all citizens have the opportunity to voice their opinions, practice their faith, and enjoy the blessings of freedom.
”After the tragedies of World War II, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms the inalienable rights of people everywhere. In the time since, progress has been made in ensuring that human dignity is respected, and we have witnessed the rise of democratic governments around the world. No other system of government has done more to protect minorities, secure the rights of labor, raise the status of women, or channel human energy to the pursuits of peace,” Ms. Rice said in her statement.