Govt asks OHCHR-Nepal to end mission, leave in six months
- NC, UML seek 1-yr extension
- Rights body to be ‘non functional’ from today
Despite assurances from political parties of a year-long extension, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Wednesday asked the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR-N) and its headquarters in Geneva, to end operations in Nepal within six months as agreed during the last term extension in June.
However, the two main opposition parties—Nepali Congress and CPN-UML—strongly objected to the government’s decision, citing an understanding among the parties to offer a final term extension.
“We do not accept the unilateral decision of the government,” said NC leader Ram Sharan Mahat.
“The issue of the OHCHR-N is related to the peace process. The decision is highly objectionable. The government should scrap its decision immediately and we will take stern steps if it does not.”
Mahat raised the issue in parliament on Wednesday.
UML leader Pradeep Gyawali said the UN body should be allowed to stay until the constitution is promulgated. Though our priority is to strengthen national institutions, OHCHR is needed to assist in the process and until the transition is over, he said.
According to Mahat, in a meeting of four parties, including the Madeshi Morcha on Sunday, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had said that the OHCHR-N would be given a year-long “last extension.”
Prime Minister Baburam
Bhattarai had also told journalists on Monday that there will be one final extension.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, writing two separate letters to the OHCHR headquarters in Geneva and its country office in Kathmandu, the MoFA said no new decision has been taken by the government and that by default the year-old decision was in force.
It asked the OHCHR to take steps to pack up within six months.
The government and the OHCHR had agreed in writing a year ago that in case there was no extension, the UN rights body would be allowed a “six-month automatic extension” followed by a short “wrap-up” time.
The current term and mandate of the OHCHR in Nepal expires on Thursday.
According to government officials, the OHCHR- N should, from Thursday, remove its signboard in its office, making the rights body “non functional.”
Posted on: 2011-12-08 07:28
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