LONDON, APRIL 12: For the first time, King Birendra of Nepal, perhaps the most popular personality in his country, has been publicly criticised by the Government. Nepal's Home Secretary Padam Pokhrel has squarely blamed the King for the Government's failure to constitute a Human Rights Commission (HRC), a commitment it has made before many international fora.Pokhrel made the statement during his meeting with Rory Mungoven, Head of Amnesty's South Asia Division in Kathmandu recently. When approached, Mungoven's office confirmed Pokhrel having made such a statement.According to available information, Pokhrel, the Government's most trusted bureaucrat, informed Mungoven that the King had turned down the Government's recommendation to appoint Bishwanath Upadhyay, a retired chief justice of the Supreme Court, as Head of the HRC. More than two years ago, the Nepalese Parliament had resolved to set up the HRC under a retired Supreme Court Chief Justice.The Home Secretary reportedly told Amnesty that theGovernment was not at all keen to recommend any other name in place of Upadhyay as it felt that others were "pro-panchayat" implying that they were supporters of a partyless Government with the King enjoying absolute powers prior to restoration of Democracy in 1990.Incidentally, even Upadhyay was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court during the panchayat regime, but was elevated as the chief justice in early 90s by virtue of his seniority. He has been hailed and criticised for his two conflicting judgments on the powers of prime ministers to prematurely dissolve Parliament or absence of it - by the beneficiaries and losers of those verdicts.The Home Secretary informed Amnesty that the Government was keen to amend its previous resolution making provision for a retired judge in place of a chief justice. But there was no indication that it would agree to any other retired chief justice's name in future in place of Upadhyay without amending the resolution.Pokhrel's meeting with the South Asia DivisionalChief of the Amnesty followed publication of the Amnesty report on Human rights situation in Nepal. The report had blamed both the Government and the Maoists for deteriorating human rights situation in the country. The Government had also been criticised for its failure to honour its years old pledge to constitute the HRC. In the past three years of the Maoists' movement, and special police drive against it, more than 650 have been killed.
