The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has called for an end to the obstruction of essential supplies to Nepal, and urged parties on either side of the Nepal-India border to ensure smooth supply of essentials.
“Any obstruction of essential supplies and services is a serious violation of international human rights law,” OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani stated on Tuesday, referring to the National Human Rights Commission report on the effects brought upon Nepalis by the border blockade.
The UN human rights office has also expressed its concern over the killing of at least 50 people during protests in the Tarai since August. It has said its attention was particularly drawn by conflicting information about the recent incident where protesters in front of the district police station in Saptari pelted stones, and used other violence against the police who then responded with live ammunition. The protesters after that were taken to nearby Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital for treatment, where police entered assaulted protesters and the staff.
Shamdasani stressed the need for an independent probe to establish facts and to bring all perpetrators of violence to justice, urging the authorities to ensure that existing national and international standards on the appropriate use of force are fully respected by security forces. She has also requested the protesters to renounce the use of violence.
The OHCHR has urged both the government and the agitating Madhesi parties to engage in a meaningful, inclusive and open dialogue to create a climate where minority and dissenting views are respected.
Source: http://kathmandupost.ekantipur.com/
Updated On: Nov 25, 2015