The final report of OHCHR on human rights situation in Nepal is being presented at the 19th session of Human Rights Commission in Geneva this week. The rights body whose mandate in Nepal expired in early December has, in its last report called on the government to ensure a transparent and accountable transitional justice mechanism. Referring to the pending bills on Truth and Reconciliation and Disappearance committee, OHCHR has expressed concerns that the bill may either be in permanent limbo or passed without adequate provisions to implicate war criminals.
The report also takes note of public statements made by leaders including Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, calling for reconciliation at the cost of truth. The Maoist leadership have been adamant about forming the commission and insisted it is in the interest of everybody to ‘forget and forgive’.
The OHCHR, along with other rights bodies including International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly urged the government not to grant blanket amnesty in the name of political agreement and few weeks back German Minister Gudrun Kopp warned that government’s decision to grant amnesty in cases of grave human rights violation could even upset German aid to Nepal.
The latest OHCHR report is in continuation with international community’s efforts to pressure the government to abide by international norms in dealing with war crimes and comes days after government’s decision to withdraw over 300 cases of serious natures against leaders and cadres affiliated to the ruling coalition.