ANNUAL REPORT 2004 the Commissioner Sushil Pyakurel said that even though Nepal has ratified many human rights conventions, there has been a steady rise in the incidents of torture. Referring to a study, he said that the rate of torture this year has increased by 300 per cent for which the present state of impunity was to blame. He added that at this difficult juncture of rising torture incidents, there must be commitment to human rights principles from the government, human rights NGOs, political party representatives, and entire civil society. He appealed the government to be more sensitive for discouraging the incidents of torture on part of the warring parties, and for awarding punishment to the torturers. At the function, President of International Rehabilitation Council and Centre for Victims of Torture (Yatna Pidit Sarokar Kendra) Dr. Bhogendra Sharma said that due to flaws in the existing law, the victims have not been able to receive adequate remedies and the torturers have gone scot-free from punishment.This has alarmingly accelerated the incidents of torture. He called for firm commitment from both the government and rebels to the resolution of the problem. Likewise, central committee member of Nepali Congress (Democratic) Basant Gurung, former deputy prime minister and Nepali Congress central committee member Ramchandra Paudel and central member of Nepal Sadbhavana Party Mukti Mandal said that the political parties were also required to be committed to the protection of human rights, and control of torture. Torture victim Khul Bahadur Kunwar told the programme his story about the extreme, inhuman torture meted out to him in the police custody. At the programme, a working paper on behalf of the Centre for Victims of Torture (Yatna Pidit Sarokar Kendra) was also presented. 3.4.5. Fourth Anniversary of the National Human Rights Commission The Commission organised various programmes to mark a weeklong celebration of its fourth anniversary from 30 May - 5 June 2004. In the initiative of the staff members of the Commission, a blood donation programme was organised on 30 May 2004. In the programme organised for the welfare of the conflict victims, representatives from different NGOs and human rights volunteers donated their blood. Highlighting the importance of blood donation, Commissioner Dr. Gouri Shankar Lal Das and Sushil Pyakurel lauded the human rights activists’ endeavour directed towards the welfare of the victims of conflict. At the function, certificates were distributed to the blood donors, as well as to those Commission’s staff members and volunteers who had participated in monitoring works. The Commission also made it public that it would analyse the data and information collected from the monitoring, and issue directives to the concerned bodies about their actions. Addressing the concluding function of the fourth anniversary organised on 5 June 2004, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said that the government was fully committed to the protection and promotion of human rights. The dignity of entire institution should not be doubted for the violation committed by an individual, he added. Premier Deuba also assured the Commission of availing requisite resources from the government. On the same occasion, the Commission’s Chairman Nayan Bahadur Khatri, highlighted on the activities undertaken by the Commission and pointed out the myriad 21