31 Bhadra, Kathmandu: A delegation of six civil society organizations today submitted a set of recommendations on the drafting of a new legislation on acid violence to Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Shivamaya Tumbahangphe. Recommendations include calls for strict punishment, free treatment and adequate compensation to survivors, provision of social security allowances, education and employment opportunities, counselling for both victims and perpetrators, regulation of sale and distribution of acids and other toxic substances and creation of awareness programs on impact of acid violence. Before the submission, the delegation had organized meeting with stakeholders including survivors of acid violence to discuss the recommendations. While welcoming the government initiative to address the loopholes in the current law, the delegation noted, it was important to ensure that the new law adopts a comprehensive approach to dealing with acid violence, one that focuses on all aspects of the crime and its impact on victims and survivors. It may be noted that On September 10, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had directed the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and other concerned officials, to draft a new law on acid violence within 15 days. In subsequent meetings with survivors of acid violence, PM Oli has pledged that the new legislation, to be passed through an ordinance, would address their grievances and push for stricter punishment of perpetrators. On the occasion Executive Director of Burn Survivors Nepal Pratiksha Giri said the new law should widen its scope to include incidents of burn violence as well. “Acid violence and burn violence are both inhumane and heinous crimes,” said Giri. Earlier this year Amnesty International Nepal submitted over 33,000 petitions demanding the government implement a Supreme Court order to regulate the sale and distribution of acids to the Home Ministry, says a statement issued by AI Nepal here today. The CSOs included Amnesty International Nepal, Burn Violence Survivors Nepal, Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD), Justice and Rights Institute Nepal (JuRI-Nepal), Legal Aid and Consultancy Center (LACC) Nepal and Women’s Rehabilitation Center (WOREC).
