Uddrag af omtalen af programsamarbejdslandet Nepal i det amerikanske udenrigsministeriums årsrapport for 2004 om menneskerettighedernes stilling verden over.
Weakened by an eight-year Maoist insurgency, Nepal faces significant challenges in institutionalizing and enforcing respect for human rights and in strengthening its fledgling democratic institutions.
The Governments human rights record remained poor, as there were numerous human rights abuses by members of the security forces, including abuse and disappearance of detainees, the use of torture as punishment or to extract confessions, and arbitrary and unwarranted lethal force.
The Maoist insurgents also committed serious human rights abuses and continued their campaign against civilians as well as security forces, frequently committing torture, killings, bombings and forcibly conscripting children. Violence against women, trafficking in women and children for prostitution, and child labor were also human rights concerns.
After the Maoists unilaterally broke off the cease-fire on August 27, 2003, full-scale hostilities resumed, and the rate of violence and human rights abuses committed by both sides rapidly escalated.
The insurgency has severely undermined the Governments capacity to deliver basic services, provide security and ensure the rule of law, and demonstrate to its population the benefits of democracy, including free and fair elections.
The Governments ability to respond appropriately and effectively to human rights violations is hampered by institutional weaknesses, creating an environment of impunity. The military made limited progress in investigating and prosecuting alleged violations, and considerable room for improvement exists.
The lack of representative government at both the national and local levels is a matter of serious concern, and the increasing polarization between the political parties and the Government has stalled progress toward strengthening democracy.
Parliamentary elections, postponed from November 2002 because of the deteriorating security situation, remain on indefinite hold, while polls to replace local representatives, whose terms expired in July 2002, have yet to be scheduled. The Government has publicly indicated that it intends to hold elections in late 2004.
At the same time, corruption, incessant political in-fighting, an ineffective bureaucracy and an unresponsive judicial system have weakened public confidence in Nepals 13-year-old experiment with democracy.
The U.S. human rights and democracy strategy engages the Government, the security forces, political activists and civil society to assist in building institutional capacity to ensure that principles of democracy and human rights are translated into practice.
Areas of engagement include the Law of Armed Conflict, rehabilitation of torture victims, electoral and political reform, civic education, conflict management and mitigation, the rule of law, womens political participation, and combating child labor and trafficking in persons.
The United States maintains regular dialogue with the Government, security forces, political leaders and members of civil society on the importance of preserving respect for the human rights of all parties to the conflict.
Over the past year, the Embassys repeated demarches on this subject have met with somewhat greater responsiveness and transparency from senior members of the security forces, although much progress remains to be made.
The July 2002 formation of a human rights cell in the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) was followed by the establishment of similar cells in the national police and paramilitary Armed Police Force. The Embassy and other U.S. officials have encouraged the Government and senior officials in the security forces to engage in dialogue with representatives of human rights groups, and have advocated greater transparency in military and police investigations of alleged abuses.
An editorial by the Ambassador on the occasion of Human Rights Week (December 10-15), emphasizing the importance of upholding international human rights standards, was prominently featured in the local English-language press.
The United States, both publicly and privately, has continued to urge a reconciliation between the Government and protesting political parties as the best way to restore representative democracy. The United States presses both sides to resume dialogue with one another to identify an expeditious resolution to a protracted stalemate.
To upgrade the capacity and professionalism of the political parties, the United States is implementing party-development activities. During the year, the United States obligated 100.000 dollar for civic education programs, including activities ranging from voter education to curriculum creation and book translations.
In late 2003, following a three-year, 600.000 dollar voter education program, the United States completed an electoral reform and elections assessment as the first step in a program intended to strengthen government election planning capacity.
The United States funded senior officials from Nepals judiciary and anti-corruption agency, and supported members of civil society, to attend regional conferences on corruption. In addition, invitational travel funding was provided for senior members of the judiciary to attend judicial reform conferences in the United States and meet with U.S. officials.
The United States provided 599.000 dollar for non-governmental organization (NGO) efforts to strengthen community-based alternative dispute resolution in 11 conflict-affected districts. Since late 2002, more than 60 master trainers and 1.330 community level mediators have been trained to help resolve minor disputes.
During the year, the United States sponsored a military law exchange program focused on such human rights issues as the Law of Armed Conflict, military justice and discipline, and Rules of Engagement training for the RNAs Judge Advocate General, as well as two training programs focused on civil affairs.
The United States signed an agreement with the Government to begin a 250.000 dollar police professionalization program, aimed at improving police capacity to manage civil disorder.
To strengthen independent non-partisan human rights groups, the United States is providing 117.000 dollar in technical assistance to the National Human Rights Commission to employ the MARTUS System, a software tool to record and store information on human rights cases.
An additional 90.000 dollar in assistance to the National Human Rights Commission will be provided to help research and analyze draft anti-terror legislation and ensure the right to a fair trial.
The United States is funding a two-year, 600.000 dollar program to rehabilitate victims of torture and provide comprehensive medical and psychological care to torture survivors and their families. A local NGO trains medical and legal professionals in torture-related issues, supports legal actions by torture victims and documents human rights abuses.
Since mid-2002, 179 medical professionals have been trained in managing torture cases, and more than 2.300 torture victims and their families have received comprehensive medical and psychological care as well as legal counseling.
Twelve community workers from district NGOs have received intensive counseling training, while ten district Psychosocial Support Units have been established to provide care and support to more than 400 trauma and torture victims. More than 100 female torture victims have received comprehensive rehabilitation services.
Mobile treatment clinics have conducted awareness programs for approximately 600 rural victims on legal rights and therapeutic recourses.
In 2003, the United States provided assistance to approximately 100.000 Bhutanese refugees in Nepal through contributions to UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Program. Embassy officers engaged the Government of Nepal and other interested parties, including donor countries, the United Nations and NGOs, to promote durable solutions for the Bhutanese population.
In order to promote womens development initiatives, the United States supported a number of womens empowerment programs through small grants, many of which trained women to become financially independent.
In addition, the United States continues to provide approximately 2 million dollar to expand the political roles of women. Since late 2001, womens coalitions have engaged in advocacy campaigns on a wide variety of issues, including womens participation in locally elected positions, leadership training, reservation of 25 percent of local budgets for womens development and combating the dowry system.
In 2001, the United States began a 5 million dollar three-year “time-bound” program to eliminate the worst forms of child labor. The U.S. Labor Department provided 1,6 million dollar for a 2000-2003 project combating bonded labor under its “Promoting the Basic Rights of Workers” project.
Since 2001, the United States has supported a four-year program to combat human trafficking. The program includes economic alternative programs for vulnerable groups, education programs and rights-based training for government anti-trafficking task force members, including parliamentarians, community leaders and transport workers.
The program also addresses ways in which to improve anti-trafficking laws, offers psychological counseling services for victims, provides for the development and dissemination of information and educational materials, strengthening of national and regional networks and cross-border activities, and support for relevant research.
Achievements include a policy to protect the rights of migrant workers, increased convictions for traffickers, increased interception of potential victims at the community level and the successful rescue and repatriation of 152 Nepali girls and women from Indian brothels and circuses.
Kilde: Det amerikanske udenrigsministerium
