12-30-2010 17:40 Fact-finding on misdeeds should be ongoing Looking over 100 years in five years is a tall order. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission will disband today after a five-year activity. It verified 86 percent of the 11,000 petitions, with 14 percent remaining unresolved and rejected. Seoul needs a private panel or research institute to look into the unresolved truths for true reconciliation. The launching of the commission itself initially gave a message to the international community that Korea cares for innocent victims. It brought to light many hidden scars of Korea’s turbulent modern history. It found many innocent civilian victims massacred during the Korean War (1950-1953) and brutal infringement of human rights under the authoritarian leaders in the 1950s-1980s, including the undue politicized conviction of innocent fishermen and dissidents as Communist spies and pro-North Korean sympathizers. It also shed light on unknown brutalities and oppression perpetrated under Japan’s colonial rule (1910-1945). Most of its rulings were correct although ideological bias sometimes overshadowed its credibility. Liberal members dominated the panel for the first four years, but this year conservatives outnumbered liberals. Sometimes the controversial truths must have been judged by votes, not facts. Looking into the past wrongdoing by the current yardstick is sometimes dangerous and misleading. Interest groups sometimes bullied the commission members to influence rulings. It is also undeniable that some ideologically-biased researchers hid or fabricated pieces of evidence to make predetermined conclusions. They bypassed proper procedures for a biased conclusion. Some petitions smack of political intentions. For example, the commission had to squander budget and time to look into a petition that a North Korean agent’s killing of former first lady Yook Young-soo in 1974 was a fabrication. Another petition claimed that the government concocted North Korea’s bombing of Korean Air in 1987. The panel was unable to bring to light the killing of civilians by the U.S. troops and bombers. It categorized the U.S. killing as the inevitable byproduct of the military action during the chaotic Korean War. The conservative Lee Myung-bak administration had also pursued a reductive policy on the commission. It decided against extending the activity of the commission and establishing a research foundation to continue the project. The commission could not meet 100 percent expectation of the people. However, it showed limits in satisfying the commonsensical expectation. It must make public unpublished facts it collected but kept confidential for national security. Some of the unresolved mysteries will be verified only when the South gets documents hidden in the North. The commission’s activities will also be the subject of evaluation by historians. Some of their judgments may be subject to change. It may take more than 100 years to review all historical distortions. The victims should get compensation with their honors restored. The findings should be a lesson for future leaders. The fact-finding mission of past wrongdoing must be an ongoing process. Creditability on new historical findings will get boost when researchers stay above ideological bias. People should see history with more precision than passion or ideology.
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Thursday, December 30, 2010
Truth and reconciliation | Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s disappointing end
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DPRK accuses S Korea of launching "another political provocation"
| English.news.cn 2010-12-24 16:11:19 |  Feedback  Print RSS  |
PYONGYANG, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) accused South Korea of raising the "abductees" issue, calling it "another vicious political provocation," the official KCNA news agency reported Friday.
A spokesman for the National Reconciliation Council released a statement on Friday blasting South Korea for its announcement that Seoul would "probe into the truth behind the abduction of South Koreans by the north during the war time," the KCNA said.
The "abductees" are those who came to the care of the DPRK of their own accord and South Korea is using them for their propaganda purpose, the statement said.
The campaign of South Korea is aimed at diverting elsewhere public opinion, getting rid of its isolation and crisis and saving its policy for confrontation with the DPRK from total failure, it said.
The statement also urged South Korea to immediately stop "such ridiculous racket," which would only throw obstacles in the way of solving the issue of the separated families and relatives.
According to the report, South Korea decided to set up an organization with Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik as its chairman to investigate the issues of "abductees," with an aim to bring them back to South Korea.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Weigh civilian liberty while state restructuring
Added At: 2010-12-29 2:13 PM
Last Updated At: 2010-12-29 2:13 PM
RSS
CHITWAN: Nepali and Indian experts have concluded that state restructuring should be carried out keeping civilian liberty in mind.
Such an opinion came during the conclusion of the two-day seminar organised to share experience of Indian constitution drafting process in Chitwan today.
The programme concluded that language, caste, cultural identity and natural resources should be made the basis of state restructuring, said Mahesh Neupane, Secretary of Human Rights Protection Forum Chitwan (HRPFC).
It also reasoned out that people's views should be discerned since 601 Constituent Assembly members cannot be decisive.
On the occasion, Indian legal expert Satish Chandra Jha said that India is still suffering as state were restructured by lawmakers without knowing public views.
Nepali and Indian constitutional experts, political experts, human rights activists, legal experts, civil society leaders, CA members and former lawmakers attended the function organised by Adarsha Samaj Nepal, BP Koirala Nepal-India Foundation and HRPFC.
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Truth panel launched for war kidnap victims
2010-12-13 19:04
Text
A government fact-finding panel was launched Monday on South Koreans kidnapped by North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War.
Within the four years of its legal investigation period, the truth commission will receive reports on abduction victims from their relatives and discuss ways to repatriate the survivors.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, the panel consists of 15 members, including security-related ministers, civil experts and family representatives.
Even though an investigation and related compensation have been made by the government, the panel marks the first time all related government offices will work together to deal with the kidnap issue.
There are seven lists of South Korean abductees that were published in the 1950s and ‘60s. However, they contain different figures with a lack of correct descriptions of damages.
Based on the existing data, the government estimates that more than 100,000 South Korean citizens, including some 80 lawmakers and 230 journalists, were abducted to the North during the Korean War.
Starting from early January, remaining family members can submit a request through local government offices and embassies abroad.
The panel also plans to conduct an overseas inspection in the U.S. and Russia.
“Sixty years have passed since the Korean War broke out. However, no meaningful discussion has been made over the kidnap issue,” said You Jong-ryeol, the committee’s secretary general.
“If the truth of the issue is revealed, that would be used as important data in the future when we talk with the North about identification and repatriation of the survivors,” he added.
However, it would be still difficult to figure out whether the person was abducted or voluntarily defected to the North.
North Korea has officially denied the existence of South Korean abductees, including war prisoners.
Since 2006, the South Korean government has requested the identification of 22 abductees to the North on occasions when there were family reunion events. But only two deaths have been confirmed thus far.
By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldm.com)
Within the four years of its legal investigation period, the truth commission will receive reports on abduction victims from their relatives and discuss ways to repatriate the survivors.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik, the panel consists of 15 members, including security-related ministers, civil experts and family representatives.
Even though an investigation and related compensation have been made by the government, the panel marks the first time all related government offices will work together to deal with the kidnap issue.
There are seven lists of South Korean abductees that were published in the 1950s and ‘60s. However, they contain different figures with a lack of correct descriptions of damages.
Based on the existing data, the government estimates that more than 100,000 South Korean citizens, including some 80 lawmakers and 230 journalists, were abducted to the North during the Korean War.
Starting from early January, remaining family members can submit a request through local government offices and embassies abroad.
The panel also plans to conduct an overseas inspection in the U.S. and Russia.
“Sixty years have passed since the Korean War broke out. However, no meaningful discussion has been made over the kidnap issue,” said You Jong-ryeol, the committee’s secretary general.
“If the truth of the issue is revealed, that would be used as important data in the future when we talk with the North about identification and repatriation of the survivors,” he added.
However, it would be still difficult to figure out whether the person was abducted or voluntarily defected to the North.
North Korea has officially denied the existence of South Korean abductees, including war prisoners.
Since 2006, the South Korean government has requested the identification of 22 abductees to the North on occasions when there were family reunion events. But only two deaths have been confirmed thus far.
By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldm.com)
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Rampant impunity abets HR violations
KATHMANDU, DEC 19 -
Amid widespread concern that Nepal is heading towards full-spectrum impunity, all three important reports submitted by the government and non-government sectors for discussions in the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) paint a bleak picture of rights situation in Nepal.
Prime Minister’s Office, Nepal NGO Coalition for UPR and the coalition of National Human Rights Commission, National Women’s Commission and National Dalits Comm-ission have submitted separate reports to the UPR. The report constitutes the basis for the UN body to scrutinise Nepal’s rights records in the past four years.
On Jan. 25, Nepal will come under the first ever UN scrutiny at the UPR, a new mechanism that monitors human rights situation in UN member states every four years. Though the government report has highlighted more its efforts and achievements than the ground realities, the reports from rights watchdogs have expressed worry about the tardy peace process and non-implementation of the laws formulated to curb rights violations.
“All three reports have underlined the culture of impunity, caste-based discrimination and slowed peace process, among others, as hurdles to human rights in Nepal,” said Renu Raj Bhandari, Chairperson of the Women’s Rehabilitation Centre, one of the organisations in Nepal NGO Coalition for UPR, at an interaction in the Capital on Thursday.
“But the government’s report speaks too less about these basic, yet, large problems, failing to portray a clear picture of human rights in Nepal,” she added. “While the report talks about the treaties the government has signed, improvements in the formation of new laws and revisions of old regulations related to human rights, it seems the government has downplayed the state of non-implementation and rising culture of impunity.”
Besides, the report submitted by Nepal NGO Coalition for UPR talks about the general issues of human rights. The report prepared by the Coalition of altogether 238 non-government human rights organisations show that human rights situation is still in the struggling phase.
Similarly, another report prepared by the coalition of NHRC, NWC and NDC mentions poor human rights situation in the nation, mainly in the Tarai region. The report focuses on marginalization and discrimination faced by certain sections including women and Dalits.
UPR is the UN mechanism formed in 2006 to ensure that all the 192 UN member states respect human rights. It reviews each member every four years and its review report has implications on the respective country’s prospects for international aid. It is the first time Nepal’s human rights situation is being reviewed by the UPR. Altogether 132 people were killed and 105 were abducted in the last 11 months, according to an INSEC report.
The report mentioned that security forces are responsible for over 24 deaths. Various Madhes-based outfits, including Tarai Mukti Morcha, Tarai Janatantrik Party, Jantantrik Tarai Madhes Mukti Party, Tarai Jantantrik Mukti Morcha, Samyukta Jantant-rik Tarai Mukti Morcha, Tarai Jantantrik Party (Madhes), Jantantrik Tarai Madhes Mukti Party-Rajan killed over 20 people mostly in the Tarai. The culprits remained unidentified in over 75 murders. Banke tops the murder list where 16 cases are registered, according to INSEC data.
The figures indicate that 12 individuals are murdered per month on average in the country.
commitment or JUST lip service?
Killings in 11 months
Tarai outfits and unidentified groups 95
UCPN (Maoist) 3
UML and Youth Force 2
Nepali Congress 1
Total 132 (24 by state)
Average rate of killing 12 per month
Posted on: 2010-12-19 08:47
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