Nepal likely to face Item 9

Kantipur Report

KATHMANDU, March 10 - Various human rights activists on Thursday said that upcoming Geneva Convention is likely to pass the Item 9 resolution against Nepal since the human rights violations are on the rise.
Speaking at an interaction program in Kathmandu, human rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar argued that Nepal would face Item 9 resolution as it has failed to show seriousness on human rights issues even after the convention passed Item 19 resolution.

Right activist Kapil Shrestha alleged the government of violating the resolution of Item 19.

Saying that imposition of Item 9 resolution against Nepal is similar to smearing black on the face, Shrestha said, "Such a situation is coming to Nepal due to irresponsible acts of the government."

He also held Maoists equally responsible for human rights violation.

Similarly, Gopal Siwakoti and Charan Prasai said that Nepal was rapidly moving in the direction of Item 9 resolution.

However, Diwakar Pant, secretary at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, ruled out such possibility. "Human rights activists are acting as the political activists," he charged.

ICRC resumes visits to barracks

After about one year of suspension, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has resumed visiting Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) barracks, ICRC's Kathmandu office said on Thursday.

In a statement, ICRC said it resumed visits to the barracks this week after RNA reached an understanding allowing ICRC to resume its visits countrywide to detainees held in RNA barracks.

ICRC, which had been visiting the barracks since December 2002, suspended this task last April following RNA's refusal to provide it unhindered access to barracks where suspected Maoist rebels were kept.

ICRC, as per its mandate, visits detainees in the control of both government forces and the rebels, recommends to the detaining authorities or rebels to improve detention conditions and conveys messages to the families of the detainees.

The ICRC officials at the time of suspending their visit to the barracks had said they reached the conclusion that they should stop visiting barracks after RNA officials failed to respect ICRC modalities.