Issuing a joint press statement on the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the NDC and OHCHR-N said among the recommendations made by UN member states in Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva recently was to end discrimination.[break]
While lauding the government for its commitment to enact into law the Bill on Caste-based Discrimination and Untouchability, the OHCHR-N has also said it stood ready to support the government on concrete action needed to implement the UPR recommendations. “The Government is urged to swiftly adopt the bill on caste-based discrimination and untouchability in line with the highest international human rights standards,” the statement quoted Jyoti Sanghera, Head of OHCHR- Nepal, as saying.
The statement said OHCHR and the NDC through their monitoring have verified continuing incidents of physical assault, arson, forced displacement, sexual violence and labor exploitation resulting from caste-based discrimination. “Despite the obligations under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Interim Constitution of Nepal and other national legislation, caste-based discrimination and untouchability remain a reality for many Dalits in Nepal,” the statement further said.
“Caste-based discrimination must be defined as a crime and strong legal provisions be put in place to penalize the perpetrators, bringing an end to impunity for such acts. The adoption of the Bill on Caste-based Discrimination and Untouchability is paramount in providing the victims with proper and speedy access to justice,” the statement quotes Bijul Bishwakarma, the Chairperson of the NDC, as saying.
New constitution to be dalit friendly
Chairman of the Constituent Assembly (CA) Subas Chandra Nembwang has pledged to draft a dalit-friendly constitution.
Speaking at a program on the occasion of the 9th anniversary of the National Dalit Commission on Sunday, Nembwang urged all to institutionalize the legal provisions announced against the caste discrimination as guaranteed by the new constitution after its promulgation.[break]
He said the constitution writing process has reached into a crucial point adding that completion of the peace process and writing of the new constitution were the major tasks of the present hour.
Likewise, secretary of the Commission Jiban Pariyar expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of implementation in practice though the country abolished caste discrimination.
On the occasion, 11 different personalities from dalit community including Bishwo Bhakta Dulal ´Ahuti´, writer of television serial ´Dalan´, the Nepali to reach Antarctica Bhuvan Singh BK, Kamal Nepali, singer Yesh Kumar and others were honored.
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