‘Covid victims deserve dignified last rites’

KATHMANDU, JUNE 26

The National Human Rights Commission has drawn the government’s attention to the clash that erupted between security forces and locals in Pokhara Metropolitan City-12, Kaski, yesterday, over burial of the body of a person, who died of COV- ID-19.

The rights body had conducted a field monitoring of the incident. Issuing a press release today, the rights body said the locals obstructed the burial of the body near their settlement alleging that the authorities had initiated the management of the body without consulting with them. “Tension flared up as the security personnel proceeded with burial of the body by using forces amidst protest from the locals,” read the release.

The NHRC said that national and international laws had guaranteed the right to perform final rites of a deceased person as per his/her religion, culture and tradition.

The Government of Nepal has also issued and implemented the procedure on managing the bodies of persons, who die of coronavirus, in a dignified manner.

“Therefore, we call on the Government of Nepal to create an enabling environment for dignified management of the bodies of persons, who die of COVID-19, by ensuring effective coordination with the locals as per the procedure,” the NHRC said in the release.

The rights body has also appealed to the locals and stakeholders to abide by the procedure during the coronavirus-induced adverse situation.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on June 27, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.

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