NHRC monitoring team in Karnali faces mistreatment

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)’s Nepaljung Office has claimed that the provincial government high-ranking officials had mistreated its monitoring team.

The monitoring team had reached the provincial government’s office to inquire about its view and response towards the ongoing protest of Badi people in Karnali Province. 

The team, according to the NHRC, is said to have faced ill-treatment at the hands of the chief secretary of the Office of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, Karnali Province, Chandraman Shrestha, and secretary at the Ministry for Social Development, Loknath Poudel. 

As many as 440 families from the Badi community, marginalized and most impoverished communities, from Surkhet, Dailekh, Kalikot, Jajarkot and Salyan districts have been protesting in front of the Office of the Chief Ministers and Council of Ministers, Karnali Province Government for over 10 days. Their demands include accommodation, education, health and employment.

A press statement issued by NHRC’s spokesperson Dr Tikaram Pokharel here today said that a letter has been written to the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Minister and Chief Secretary of the Karnali Province, Chandraman Shrestha to provide the factual details about the incident.

The letter notes, “The NHRC has received a report which states that the monitoring team were ridiculed with a question such as “Why should we furnish you the details? Are you the Commissioner to whom we are obliged to furnish the details?” and the officials ordered the sub-inspector of police to get rid of the monitoring team.”

The NHRC has asked the erring provincial government officials to provide them with the detail of the incident on that day within three days. The human rights watchdog has said that the monitoring team were working in compliance with the role and responsibilities stipulated in the constitution of Nepal and the prevailing law and has demanded a detail report of the incident as per the Constitution of Nepal and the Human Rights Commission Act-2068 BS.