According to the report made public in the capital on the occasion of the 64th International Human Rights Day on Monday, altogether 276 complaints related to murder, abduction, torture, displacement and explosion, among others, were registered during fiscal year 2011/12 at the constitutional human rights body compared to 345 complaints in fiscal year 2010/11. [break]
Altogether 29 complaints related to murder have been registered at NHRC during this fiscal year as compared to 40 in the last fiscal year. "Both the number and trend of human right violations have decreased but it is neither satisfactory nor frustrating," said Spokesperson for NHRC Gauri Pradhan.
A function at NHRC office. (Photo: Bhashwor Ojha)
According to the report, 15 complaints related to disappearance and 40 complaints related to torture and misconduct were registered this year. Likewise, 10 complaints related to disappearance were registered this year.
Altogether 12 complaints regarding child rights and 16 related to women rights were registered this year.
Rights activist Subodhraj Pyakurel said that despite the decrease in number of human rights violations the state is heading toward impunity.
"Withdrawal of criminal cases, non-implementation of Supreme Court (SC) verdicts related to criminal cases and adding a new clause in the NHRC Act that the constitutional body cannot look into cases of human rights violations more than six month old, among others, are not good signs for the human rights situation in the country," he added.
Pradhan said majority of recommendations made by NHRC regarding punishment to the guilty have not been implemented by the government. "The government has spent Rs 100 million to provide compensation to the victims but the status of punishment to the guilty is not satisfactory," he added. NHRC had made 104 recommendations to the government this year.
Asked about the challenges facing human rights, Pradhan said, "Lack of rule of law and superstitious beliefs and traditions like witchcraft and dowry system in the society are the major challenges facing human rights."
Pyakurel said the state has turned a deaf ear to concerns raised by rights activists and organizations. "We have been raising various issues but they have fallen on deaf ears," he said.
Addressing a function organized by NHRC on Monday, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai said the government alone cannot do much to improve the human rights situation in the country. "The government´s efforts alone cannot yield results. So, there should be support from all quarters to address human rights concerns," he said.
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