Kathmandu, 10 December: Human rights communities and organizations organized a rally today to mark the 61st anniversary of the Declaration of Universal Human Rights. Thousands of people took part in the rally chanting as the main slogans “embrace diversity, end discrimination” and “embrace diversity, and discrimination by the promulgation of the new constitution”. The former was set by the UN as the chief slogan. Coordinated by the NFN, the rally was jointly organized by over 150 organizations.

The rally which was inaugurated by Kedar Nath Upadhyay, Honorable Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), kicked off from the premises of Nepal Academy Hall.

The rally was inaugurated and concluded with brief speeches by some civil society leaders and human rights activists. In the inaugural speech, human rights activist Daman Nath Dhungana brought it to focus that safeguarding of the human rights is declining while they should have been protected more strongly in this present phase of national transition. Putting pressure by violent activities for the fulfillment of demands by various groups has developed as a culture. It needs the timely discouragement. He opined that the remaining six months are sufficient for making the constitution. He added, “The series of our activities for the achievement of human rights will conclude only with the achievement of the new constitution for which we all need to get united to put strong pressure on”.

Shyam Shrestha, human rights activist, said that unless the disrespect of human rights and impunity and anarchy prevail, the constitution making process will continue to be hampered. He said, “Unity among ourselves and the also the political parties is necessary to sustain the Constituent Assembly and the peace process and to protect the human rights provided by the interim constitution”.

In the post-rally meeting Dharmendra Jha, President of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, said that impunity prevails rampantly still now and that the media persons cannot feel safe. Likewise, Bom Bahadur Bishwakarma, General Secretary of Dalit NGO Federation, expressed his discontent over the continuity of oppression and injustice to the Dalits. He pointed out the need that all the organizations and the human rights activists should include the agenda of the Dalits in the mainstream of the human rights movement. INSEC President Subodh Raj Pyakurel stressed that the political party leaders should be reminded of the mandate of the Janaandolan II and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement as they seem to have forgotten them all.

Renu Sharma, President of CAHURAST, expressed that celebration of only the Human Rights Day does not suffice for the safeguarding of the human rights. We require engaging ourselves everyday to defend human rights. In the same way, Bhoj Raj Shrestha, who represented the disabled, cautioned that if the constitution is made without the participation of the disabled who occupy about 10% of the population, it will not be acceptable to them.

“Impunity is the biggest challenge facing today”, said Sushil Pyakurel. He added that if it is not timely addressed, it will persist and push consequently the nation towards conflict.

Other speakers of the programme included Kapil Shrestha, former member of the NHRC, Bhawani Kharel, President of National Human Rights Foundation, human rights activist Durga Sob and Sharmila Karki, General Secretary of the NFN.

Finally, the programme was concluded by the thanksgiving and a short conclusive speech by Dr. Netra Prasad Timsina. He demanded with the government for the safeguarding and guarantee of the human rights. He expressed his belief that human rights movement will collect its more unified strength and that human rights will be ensured through the promulgation of the new constitution. Hinting at the massive encouragement and participation of the people from diverse areas of the society, he said that human rights issues have begun now to be the major issues and concern of the average Nepali people now. In fact the rally was a great success ever.

The rally which began from Academy Hall premises marched through Ghantaghar, Bagbazar and Putalisadak and again assembled in the same premises.