Nepal Human Rights Year Book 2020 published by Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC) was launched in a program held at Lalitpur on 19 February 2020.
The book was launched by the Chief Guest of the program; Founder Chairperson of INSEC, Former Commissioner of National Human Rights Commission, the former Political and Human Rights Expert to the President of Nepal, Mr. Sushil Pyakurel. This is the 28th edition of the book.
Since 1992, this book has been published compiling all the incidences of human rights violations and abuses. In the launch, the founder Chairperson Pyakurel emphasized Transitional Justice and how the government needs to be victim centralized to protect the citizen’s Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. He pointed that government could bring two different armies together on a table for reconciliation, but failed to give conclude other works related to Transitional Justice. Pyakurel further added; the government should stop the series of impunity.
INSEC’s founder Chairperson also remembered how in the year 1990, after the re-establishment of democracy, Prakash Kafle came up with the concept of documentation after the government agreed on committing to human rights protection while running the state. INSEC has been publishing this series every year with new subject matter which is not biased to power and politics, he said.
Remembering Nanda Prasad Adhikari who fought for justice and whose corpse is still remaining in the Teaching Hospital and also Maina Sunar whose cremation is still incomplete, he added; until we aren’t victim centralized, there won’t be justice.
Govinda Sharma Paudyal, member of Nepal Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said the book published by INSEC reflects the reality of the society. He added, the women and Dalit commissions are still vacant and now by the amendment of NHRC code, they are trying to create obstacles. To make the NHRC code more human rights friendly, they should reach the conclusion of Transitional Justice, he added.
Vice-Chairperson of the Planning Commission- Province 1 and INSEC’s Immediate Past Chairperson; Mr. Subodh Raj Pyakurel said it is necessary to become sensitive towards the justice for victims which is pending from 13 years and there should be an environment to provoke the state for justice by showing the collected data and facts related to human rights violation. He said lack of resources resulted as the conflict in the form of culture and politics. He also mentioned that Province 1’s first five-year plan was prepared and every expenditure was planned, incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Beyond Beijing Committee’s Chairperson, Shanta Laxmi Shrestha said 80% of the cases mentioned in the Nepal Human Rights Year Book 2020 were related to Women Rights Violation which showed that wrong culture and unethicality existing worldwide victimized the women. She questioned the accountability of assimilating Human Rights culture in formal and informal education from early ages. Chairperson Shrestha added, the subject of Economic, Social and Cultural rights should be understood and said the main reason behind violation is discrimination.
Dr. Prakash Bhattarai, the Chairperson of Centre for Social Change suggested also adding data focusing on Nepal’s Constitution’s Fundamental Rights while the incidences in the Nepal Human Rights Year Book is being collected under six big treaties. He also emphasized on how local level’s legal units are trying to go against the law and advised to evaluate if works done by the provinces are human rights friendly or not. He pointed the need to present the data collected by INSEC in the past 28 years should be shared in other programs and organizations as well.
INSEC’s Chairperson Dr Indira Shrestha showed concern regarding the unsolved question of Transitional Justice even after 13 years. She said INSEC has published Victims Profile of those killed or disappeared during the time of armed conflict and also it has presented details on the people who were enforcedly disappeared and their whereabouts. Chairperson Shrestha added, the incidences of the transitional period representing Human Rights Violation cases have been published in this edition with the topic- ‘Unforgettable Realities’.
Executive Director of INSEC Mr Bijay Raj Gautam shared the data of human rights violation and abuse of 2019 in which there were 6642 victims whereas in 2018 the number of victims were 5110. In 2019, the number of victims of human rights violations is 930 among which 68 were females and 862 were males. Similarly, there were 5712 victims of human rights abuses which include 5058 females and 654 males. In comparison to the data of 2018, there has been an increase of 1532 victims.He further informed that this year there were seven deaths caused by police shootings – two in Bhojpur, one in Saptari, two in Sarlahi, one in Rupandehi and one in Kapilvastu. There were 13 victims of torture, 702 of arrests, 62 of discrimination, 40 of inhumane behaviour, 98 victims were deprived of their right to assembly, 35 victims of threats and 279 victims of beating. Similarly, there were eight victims of displacement and two victims of enforced disappearances.
On this day, there was a press conference in all seven provinces for discussing the status of Human Rights and to award the best District Representative. These representatives were- Bharat Khadka of Udaypur for Province 1, Bhola Nath Poudel of Bara for Province 2, Bimala Poudel of Kathmandu for Gandaki Province, Tirtha Raj Dumre of Nawalpur for Gandaki Province, Top Lal Aryal of Gulmi for Province 5, Manisha K.C of Rukum West for Karnali Province and Bhupendra Bista of Dedeldhura for Sudur Paschim Province.