KATHMANDU, April 2: Maoist-led government is not extending the term of Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights beyond June 10, based on the conclusion that extending the term would be against Nepal´s national interest. [break]
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According to Maoist mouthpiece Janadisha daily in its Thursday´s edition, an anonymous source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said there is no need for the UN office as country has already got rid of conflict.
"As the office was set up during the conflict time, it helped, to some extent, contain royal terror at that time," the source was quoted as telling the Maoist newspaper. "Now there is no conflict in the country, and…bidding farewell to the office at the soonest would be in the interest of the country."
The OHCHR chief, Navi Pillay, during her meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on March 20, had urged the government to extend the OHCHR-Nepal´s term by three years. The term expires in June.
Dahal had told Pillay that the government was positive about the term extension and would take a decision "in two weeks" after consulting with political parties. With the PM out on Europe visit, it is unlikely that the UN office here would be hearing from the government within the two-week deadline that expires Friday.
The newspaper said since the agreement (to set up the office) was made in that (conflict) circumstance, the office has become a hurdle for the government.
"In fourth article of the agreement there is mention about murder, violence and conflict but it does not match present situation," said the newspaper.
The source was quoted as saying that the OHCHR-Nepal has been making naked intervention in government´s initiatives to form disappearance commission, and truth and reconciliation commission on the ground of the mandate given by Article 5. The source termed it a direct intervention in the work done by an elected government.
It is worthwhile to note that a Maoist representative in the National Human Rights Commission has blasted OHCHR-Nepal for interfering in the work of the NHRC.
The paper also mentioned the provision for easy access of the OHCHR-Nepal to secret government and offices as another reason behind the government plan not to extend the term.
