An Ban Landmines Campaign Nepal (NCBL) has organized an interaction program on "Mine ban and Human rights: The basis of the sustainable peace" among the representatives of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Planning Commission (NPC), UNICEF, ICRC and major Human Right Organizations active in Nepal. In the program, Hon. Gauri Pradhan, member, NHRC and Hon. Deependra Bahadur Kshetry, member, NPC has addressed the valuable speeches. Similarly, Purna Shova Chitrakar, Coordinator, NCBL and Yagya Adhikari, Protection Officer, NHRC presented different papers. Purna Shova Chitrakar explored the issues of discussion and presented about the present situation of mine action and Nepal's position on Ottawa treaty.

Purna Shova Chitrakar, Coordinator, NCBL

• Till now explosion is continuous, mine clearance process is slow, mine victims are in pitiable condition and no adequate mine risk education programs launched to the mine affected areas and Nepal has not signed on Ottawa treaty.
• Local and Central leaders of political parties, representatives of government authorities, security authorities, parliamentarians, human rights activists, civil societies are found positive in favor of effective policy on mine action and Ottawa treaty. But, no result-oriented action is found yet.

• It should be discussed- how the NHRC, NPC can play the important role on mine action and towards the Ottawa treaty? Similarly, how the other human rights organizations can play the role to create fruitful environment for those issues?

Hon. Deependra Bahadur Kshetry, Member, NPC

• Three years plan had been formulated in 2007 with first priority for peace but it is sorrowful for being unable to include the issue of mine action. We will raise the issues of mine action in NPC.
• We will move forward, in response to Ottawa treaty, finding the obstacle for government in signing the Ottawa treaty.

Yagya Prasad Adhikari, Protection Officer, NHRC

• NHRC has decided on 157 applications of human rights violation and recommended to the government for its implementation but only 54 has been implemented.
• National and international laws of human rights are vastly violated by the use of mines and explosives. Landmines violate the different points of Universal Declaration of Human Right (UDHR)-the right of free movement, right to live, right to the property etc.

• Compliance of article 3 of Geneva Convention is forceful to both the state and non-state parties during armed conflict.
• During conflict, the responsibility to protect innocent people goes to the government. While armed groups have no rights to do everything else.
• NHRC has been called to conflicting parties to treat according to provisions of humanitarian law and human rights.

Hon.Gauri Pradhan, Member, NHRC

• The provision of CPA that –informing each other about the minefields and other explosives during 30 days and clearing during 60 days is not followed completely.
• Government will not be active in these issues till the people and civil society be aware and active.
• Nepal is in top of the list, both in signing and not implementing the international treaties.

• It should be possible to make the government to sign the Ottawa treaty, if we altogether jointly pressurize the government.
• We commit that within 1-2 week, we will submit a report and enquire the government about the activity in response to sign the treaty and take initiation to pressurize the government for signing.
• MRE should get the priority and spread further. And formulation and implementation of the policy of victim assistance mainly comes under the responsibility of government.

After the presentation participants took part in discussion. They briefed about their activities and expressed their views on the subject.

Conclusion of the Interaction

• There is prompt need of effective policies on mine action. NPC and other government authorities should be serious in those issues.
• Budget should be allocated by focusing the mine action activities. Role of NPC is more important to make the policies and to allocate the budget on mine action.
• Need of special assistance policy for mine victims.
• Need of mine risk education programs to the people of affected areas.
• Government should sign the Ottawa treaty immediately. To make the environment, NHRC and NPC may play vital role.
• The campaign should also focus to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and cluster munitions following the Ottawa treaty.
• All the participants made commitment to move jointly on the mine ban activities to make "Mine Free New Nepal".