CHAPTER VI APPRAISAL AND CHALLENGES 6.1 Appraisal of Last Year The introduction of Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Control and Punishment) Act, 2001 on November 26, 2001 had left an adverse effect in the sphere of enjoying human rights very freely. The declaration of emergency on 12th Mangsir, 2058 added extra difficulty in the protection and promotion of human rights. The situation became furthermore critical in the absence of parliament as and when His Majesty, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, dissolved the House of Representatives on December 12, 2001 for holding the election of members of House of Representatives. The attention of the Commission was drawn again on May 27, 2002 when His Majesty, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, again declared emergency all over the country. The situation became much more critical as and when the three thousand nine hundred thirteen village development committees, fifty eight municipalities and seventy five district development committee became memberless on July 15, 2002 because of non-extension of the office tenure of the members of these committees. The Nepalese politics took a new turn when His Majesty sacked Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on October 4, 2002 by assuming all the executive powers of the country and formed a cabinet headed by Lokendra Bahadur Chand on October 11, 2002. The Commission took the ceasefire declared by His Majesty's Government and the agitating force CPN (Maoist) on December 5, 2002 as a positive step and tried to remain effortful for transforming conflict in a peaceful manner despite its limitation in the sphere of resources and facilities. During the period of ceasefire, the Commission undertook monitoring activities at 10 districts. However, because of the low budget, i.e. the budget allocation of Rs. 5.5 million, the Commission was impeded in shouldering its responsibilities as prescribed in the Human Rights Commission Act. The Capacity Development Project run under the Commission since last year has been cooperating it in the renovation of the rooms, arrangement of colouring, furniture, and computer, and conduction of certain other programmes. An office of National Rapporteur has been set up for carrying on works against the trafficking of women and children. The Commission has delivered significant decisions on violence and torture perpetrated in the name of witchery. It has been maintaining good relationship with United Nations High Commissariat for Human Rights, United Nations Development Programme, and Asia Pacific Forum for National Human Rights Commissions and other international institutions. It has been acquiring significant opinions and suggestions from governmental agencies, journalists, bar associations, intellectual group, dalit community and women by arranging programmes of discussion and exchange of views time and again. It expects to acquire extra cooperation from the government, security agencies, non-governmental organisations, international community, civic society, etc. etc. in the days to come. 23