US Congress concerned over rights abuses

KATHMANDU, Oct 8 - The introduction of an amendment in the US Senate blocking military assistance to armies found guilty of gross human rights abuses, shows the concern of the US Congress about rights abuses in Nepal, said a US official on Friday.

"As for the proposed Congressional action, the proposed amendment indicates how seriously our Congress, and the American people in general, feel about the importance of human rights situation in countries such as Nepal." Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs Donald Camp, said while replying to a query whether the US Senate could block military aid to the Nepalese army. He was speaking at a press meet in capital today.

Senator Patrick Leahy (Democrat, Vermont) had introduced the amendment. In 1999 too, the Congress passed a legislative amendment sponsored by Sen. Leahy, prohibiting training of foreign security forces that violate human rights.

Both national and international rights bodies have published reports of gross violation of rights by security forces led by the Royal Nepalese Army, as well as violations by Maoist insurgents.

Camp also said that the US government is convinced of the need to provide support to RNA.

While saying that the government and the military had responsibility to protecting human rights here, Camp said that Maoist atrocities could not be ignored. "We believe the depravations, the Maoist perpetrated abuses are simply abhorrent, and that is something which should not be forgotten." The US government has kept the CPN (Maoist) on its "terrorist watch list".

He also denied the charge that the United States government was not paying due attention to the human rights abuses by the army here. "The charge…is simply wrong." He said whenever it is relevant, "we certainly raise the issue with Nepalese officials".

Camp who has met ministers, government officials and leaders of political parties since his arrival on Thursday, emphasized the need for unity among political parties. "We hope that political parties will unite to confront the Maoist crisis. We have consistently spoken in favor of unity among political forces."

Although both the US and India want to see "prosperity, peace and democracy in Nepal", the US government is not coordinating its foreign policy with the Indian government vis-à-vis Nepal, said Camp.

On the nature of monarchy in the kingdom, the deputy assistant secretary said it was constitutional monarchy, and the US would like to see it that way. Replying to a question on the steps taken by the king, Camp said "whatever is being done should remain within the Constitution".

Meanwhile, USAID administrator Andrew Natsios stressed the need to forge unity among all political parties and the king, in order to defeat the challenge posed by the Maoist insurgency. "Different political parties are moving in different directions. This confuses the people," Natsios said.

Expressing deep concern that the government "still functions without elected officials at any level or a parliament", Natsios said, "we would like to take this opportunity to encourage the king and political party leaders to restore Nepal’s democratic institutions, and develop a unified strategy for resolving the political crisis and the insurgency." Natsios who arrived here on Wednesday is heading for Bangladesh.