NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION of challenges before it, in the context of present conflict. He also expressed the hope that the fundamental recommendations/minimum human rights conditions forwarded by the Commission to His Majesty’s Government and CPN-Maoists should serve as an important document that would contribute to the protection and promotion of human rights, through the abidance of human rights and humanitarian laws. In regard to the 1100-plus complaints about abduction and forced ‘disappearances’ lodged at the Commission, Khatri expressed concern that the government had not shown adequate interest in making public the whereabouts those abducted or ‘disappeared’. Chairman Khatri also said that the Commission had formulated 5-year strategic plan, and was firm to its implementation. Resident Representative of the UNDP Matthew Kahane expressed the hope that HMG and the UN High Commission for Human Rights would sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on human rights very soon. He also assured the HMG, the Commission (NHRC), civil society and human rights organisations of the continued support from the United Nations for human rights protection and promotion. The Commission’s various publications were also made public at the function. Chief Justice Govinda Bahadur Shrestha, and Speaker Taranath Ranabhat as well as heads of diplomatic missions, representatives of donor agencies, intellectuals, journalists, and officials and staff members of the Commission were present in the programme. Also to mark the anniversary, a regional workshop on human rights was organised in Pokhara from 9 - 11 June 2004. 3.4.6.Training/Seminar With a view to creating public awareness through human rights education, the Commission has organised several training programmes and seminars during the reported year. As the Human Rights Commission Act 1997 has entrusted the Commission with the responsibility for organising trainings, seminars and workshops for the promotion of human rights, the Commission— despite its shoe-string resources— has organised such programmes aiming at various classes and communities in the society. 1. Medico-Legal Investigation Training The Commission organised a one-day training programme for its staff, to address the problems relating to investigation of rights violation, on 27 May 2004 in Kathmandu. In the programme, Dr. Harihar Wasti spoke on Medico-legal Investigation, while Dr. Pramod Shrestha dealt with methods for investigating crimes like torture and rape. 2. Training on Human Rights Monitoring and Report Writing The Commission organised a 5-day long training programme from 3 to 7 May 2004, to equip the participants with the professional skills of interviewing the concerned authorities and individuals on human rights monitoring and report writing.The programme discussed on a wide range of topics including procedure of receiving complaints, observing confidentiality, consistent report writing, and submitting concrete suggestions to the concerned authorities. 3. Regional Seminar on Human Rights Monitoring The Commission organised an interaction programme on the present situation of human rights, in Pokhara of the Western Development Region on 17 May 2004. 22