New York: The United Nations human rights officials in Nepal said that security forces sometimes used excessive force in dealing with protests in the Terai region of the country during the demonstrations by Tibetans against the Chinese crackdown from February 13 to 29.

In a report released yesterday, they asked Nepal's public security institutions, including police, to show greater respect for human rights if they are to prevent a repeat of the deadly violence that rocked the Terai region.

An investigation of the deaths of six people, five of whom died as a result of police fire, concluded that in all cases the use of lethal force was unjustified, it said.

It pointed out that international standards require that when law enforcement officials disperse assemblies that are illegal but not violent, they must avoid using force or, where this is not practicable, must restrict force to the minimum extent necessary.

Firearms, it said, should only be used in self-defence or in defence of others against imminent threat of death or serious injury, to prevent crimes posing a grave threat to life or to arrest people who are presenting this kind of threat and resisting efforts to stop the threat.

Beside, firearms should be used only when less extreme means are insufficient, it added. Richard Bennett, UN human rights representative in Nepal, said he recognised that Nepalese authorities, including the police, were making efforts to improve public security and he pledged the support of his office to the Government on the human rights aspects of public security.

"This report notes that the performance of police during the Terai protests fell short of international human rights standards. However, it also acknowledges that police were working under difficult conditions, including during incidents when protesters attacked them," he said.

Source : PTI