Wednesday, May 25 2005 22:35 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Amnesty International today (May 25, 2005) said certain initiatives by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government could improve the human rights situation in the country but slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in Gujarat for "failure" to bring to justice those responsible for post-Godhra riots.

The Amnesty Report 2005 on state of the world's human rights, released simultaneously across the world, said that the Congress-led UPA Government's initiatives, if implemented, could improve the human rights situation in the country.

"The Government is taking certain initiatives and we feel that if those were implemented it could help in improving the human rights situation in the country," Deputy Director of Amnesty International, Asia Pacific Madhu Malhotra said releasing the Amnesty International Report 2005 in New Delhi.

"Model Communal Violence prevention Bill is a welcome step and we want the Indian Government to consult NGOs and other human rights activists on this subject," she said.

However, the report said, "perpetrators of human rights violations continued enjoy impunity in many cases. Gujarat State authorities failed to bring to justice those responsible for the widespread violence of 2002."

Malhotra said, "In Gujarat, victims of the 2002 riots are continuing their struggle for justice while those responsible for the crime are enjoying impunity."