Summary:

In the latest United Nations expression of concern over events in Nepal, a senior human rights official today called on the Government to withdraw a draft code of conduct for all national and international ‘social organizations,’ declaring it would violate the Himalayan kingdom’s international obligations.

http://www0.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=16510&Cr=Nepal&Cr1=

10 November 2005 – In the latest United Nations expression of concern over events in Nepal, a senior human rights official today called on the Government to withdraw a draft code of conduct for all national and international ‘social organizations,’ declaring it would violate the Himalayan kingdom’s international obligations.

Provisions exerting governmental control over access by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working to address human rights concerns to funding from international donors, are among some of the those that are of particular concern, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative on human rights defenders, Hina Jilani, said in a statement today.

“The Special Representative is deeply concerned that the adoption of many of the provisions… would lead to violations of the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms – otherwise known as the Declaration on human rights defenders – as well as other international human rights standards,” the statement added.

Other provisions “of particular concern” included the issuance of directives to NGOs or the exercise of supervision over NGOs by the Social Welfare Council, asserting controls over the locations in which NGOs can work, imposing collective responsibility of officials and staff for activities conducted by an NGO, and stipulating that NGOs should not endanger social harmony.

“The Special Representative calls on the Nepalese Government to reconsider introducing this code of conduct which, if adopted and implemented would violate Nepal's international human rights obligations,” the statement concluded.

Last month, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) deplored new restrictions on press freedom and freedom of expression, and a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) report said Nepal was experiencing a “grave human rights crisis” marked by killings of civilians, disappearances, torture and crimes against children.

The report documented how human rights abuses go largely unpunished in the country, where Maoist rebels have been waging war since 1996 and King Gyanendra has been exercising all executive authority since dismissing the Government in February.

In September the UN Commission on Human Rights Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak, found that both the Nepalese police and military and the rebels practised torture.

SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON TORTURE SAYS PRACTICE OF TORTURE IS SYSTEMATIC IN NEPAL

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• 09/11/2005: Ugandan people 'need protecting' (9 November 2005)
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• 08/11/2005: The Pakistan quake: Why 10,000 schools collapsed (8 November 2005)
• 07/11/2005: ZAMBIA: CAFCHIN and the report of the community youth awareness project (17 October 2005)
• 07/11/2005: ORISSA: Report on special seminar for the parents of child labour (26 October 2005)

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Last updated 23/11/2005 13:47:26

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