Interaction on Forced Migration

To discuss on the situation of forced migrants and the role of stakeholders to minimize the problems of force migrants, an interaction program was jointly organized by PPR Nepal and Refugee Law Committee of Nepal Bar Association (NBA) in Kathmandu on 28 December 2014. The program was chaired by advocate Baburam Giri, Coordinator of Refugee Law Committee of NBA and former chief justice of the Supreme Court Mr. Kedar Nath Upadhayaya was the chief guest of the program. Prof. Kapil Shrestha, former member of NHRC and senior human rights defender; Mr. Sunil Pokhrel, General Secretary of NBA, Mr. Hari Krishna Karki, President of NBA and Mr. Baburam Kunwar, Attorney General were the guests of the program. Individuals mostly from legal profession and representing organizations/network working in the field participated in the interaction. The interaction discussed on the status of refugees in Nepal, challenges they are facing and how it can be managed. The interaction came up with the conclusion that the GoN should implement the concerns under concluding remarks of the different committee such as CAT, ESCR, CERD and also implement the decision of the Supreme Court by ratifying Refugee Convention and enacting national legislation at the earliest. Enough discussion should be carried out before finalizing the proposed bill were the views of the participants. To protect the rights of the refugees they should be dealt under refugee law not immigration law for which national law on refugee needs to be immediately formulated and in the absence of the national legislation Nepal can adopt other human rights instrument to which Nepal is a party for refugee protection viewed the participants.