"While this obstruction (in the way of due legal process in human rights cases) continues, it will inevitably have an impact on our ability to conduct the normal relationship which we would like to enjoy," British Ambassador Andrew Hall said at a public program in Kathmandu on Monday. "As one example, I have felt compelled to postpone a human rights symposium that was due to start today, as the Nepal Army shows such little sign of good faith," he added. [break]
British experts were supposed to conduct the symposium on international humanitarian laws, jurisdiction of court marshal, accountability, among others, for army officers, representatives from the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, OHCHR-Nepal, Nepal Bar Association, International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and Advocacy Forum. The symposium was first of its kind since 2008. The army was informed about the postponement last week.
This development, human rights activists say, follows two major incidents: a) army´s refusal to hand over Major Niranjan Basnet to police in connection with probe into Sunar´s killing, and b) receiving and seeing off of British Army Chief General Sir David Julian Richards by Lt Gen Toran Jung Bahadur Singh who faces human rights violation charges. Richards visited Nepal in February.
A rights activist affiliated with an international organization told myrepublica.com that national and international human rights organizations, including OHCHR, were not happy to see the British army chief greeted by Toran. They had informally lodged their dissatisfaction to the British Embassy and questioned the British commitment to promote human rights in Nepal.
"That was a big issue among the members of the human rights community when Toran received the visiting British army chief and saw him off at the airport," said the activist preferring anonymity. "The strong public statement against the army by the British ambassador [on Monday] seems to aim at correcting the damage caused during the British army chief´s official visit to Nepal," he added.
National and international human rights organizations, including OHCHR, were not happy to see British army chief Sir David Julian Richards greeted and seen off by Lt Gen Toran Jung Bahadur Singh, who faces human rights violation charges, when Richards visited Nepal in February.
Welcoming the postponement of the symposium, rights activist Mandira Sharma said, "Had the symposium been conducted, that would have been considered as giving legitimacy to human rights violations from the army."
Nepal Army Spokesperson Ramindra Chhetri refused to comment.
Addressing the program, Hall further said that his country´s relations with the NA have been "constrained" as the latter has not cooperated on conflict-era human rights issues. He revealed that British Army Chief Richards had conveyed this message to his counterpart Chhatraman Singh Gurung in February.
"The army´s approach [to deal with human rights issues] is at odds with the Nepal Government´s own political commitments and its international obligations," he said, adding that his government attaches utmost importance to human rights and justice in its dealing with Nepali institutions, including the Nepal Army.
He was of the view that the army´s obstruction in the legal process is damaging Nepal as well as the army´s reputation.
Hall also tried to respond to criticism that the international human rights community is biased by not raising human rights violations by Maoists. "The Government must recognize that truth, justice and reconciliation are an immediate and important pillars of the CPA, and ensure that both Maoist and State actors account for the past."
Senior journalist Kanak Mani Dixit said Nepal´s peace process would not be considered successful unless the victims -- both those victimized by the army and the Maoists -- were given justice.
kiran@myrepublica.com
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