The ratification of the Rome Statute in Nepal has been stalled due to the current political upheaval. Human rights activists are pushing for the government to accede to the Statute without delay.
They have launched a month long campaign on the ratification of the statute and to hold the authorities accountable for its human rights record, including its international commitments and obligations.
NGOs in Nepal urge government to accede to Rome Statute
(Kathmandu, Nepal) – National Coalition for the International Criminal Court (NCICC) in Nepal, through its Coordinator Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), has begun a campaign for the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on 1 July 2008.
The aim of the month long campaign is to urge the government to accede to the Rome Statute without further delay. Although Nepal did not sign the Rome Statute before it expired on 31 December 2000, it has taken positive measures towards accession.
On 25 July 2006, the Interim Parliament directed the government to ratify the Rome Statute. Under Nepalese law, this motion is compulsory for the Executive. However, due to political conditions, the ratification process has been stalled.
The impetus behind the campaign is that Nepal has already experienced multifaceted effects of a culture of impunity, and democratic institutions and practices have time and again been offended.
The ratification of the statute would go a long way towards ensuring the promotion and protection of human rights in Nepal. The first phase of the campaign includes a sit-in and signature collection programme, followed by visits to different government ministries and political parties.
Then, INSEC/NCICC plan to interact with major stakeholders, including donors, international organizations, government agencies and political parties. The next phase of the campaign involves sending a letter to the new Prime Minister to implement the unanimous resolution of the Interim Parliament, as well as handing over the collected signatures along with the memorandum.
After undertaking an awareness raising campaign, including lectures on the ICC in schools and universities, INSEC/NCICC will write a letter to Constituent Assembly Members urging any measure that may encourage the government to implement its unanimous resolution by acceding to the Rome Statute.
The INSEC/NCICC campaign is a strong initiative to hold the government accountable for its human rights record, as well as its international human rights commitments and obligations.
The campaign, which urges the Constituent Assembly to encourage the government to implement the unanimous resolution and directly calls upon it to ratify the Statute as soon as possible, would be a first step in strengthening the rule of law and democratic governance in a country in the midst of a promising political transformation.
Note:
The Rome Statute was adopted at a diplomatic conference in Rome on 17 July 1998 and it entered into force on 1 July 2002. As of June 2008, 106 states are party to the statute. It is available at: http://untreaty.un.org/cod/icc/index.html
