In connection with the Global Activism Week on the AI Beijing Olympic Campaign, AI Nepal Section organized two big events in the capital city of Kathmandu. This time the Section held indoor events.
As part of the Week observed from April 30 to May 4, AI Nepal organized a meeting with media persons in Kathmandu on 1 May, 2008. During the meeting, AI BOC related media kit and other BOC related materials were distributed to the media persons.
On the occasion, the Section Chair Mr. DhrubaKarki briefed the participants of the meeting about the Beijing Olympic campaign.
Media persons from different local and foreign agencies along with human rights activists attended the program. At the end of the meeting, a postcard action was held on behalf of Shi Tao. Likeswise, a legacy banner stamping with legacy dream words was held.
Likewise, the second event in this connection was held in Kathmandu on 3 May. In this program, more then one thousand people including Nuns and Monks from Tibetan Buddhist community and AI members took part and signed postcards, wrote their legacy dreams on the legacy banner and stamped it.
Speaking on the occasion, MrLopsang, senior monk of Kapan Monastery and Mr. DondupTsering, Chairman of Tibetan Community in Kathmandu expressed their views on human rights issue in China and Tibet. They also expressed the commitment to ensure active participation of the members of their community in any program to be organized by Amnesty International in the future.
A short prayer was held by the monks and nuns. In the event, about 1,100 postcards were collected. This event proved to be very significant for Nepal Section in mobilizing people from different communities for AI campaigns. Amnesty International Nepal has developed seven types of postcards including six on Prisoner of Conscience and one on Human Rights defender. These cards are being used by the 20 different AI local groups, who are also organizing postcards signature action in their areas in connection with AI BOC global activism week.
Under the AI BOC, Amnesty International Nepal Section has targeted to collect 40,000 signatures on the post cards.
Human Rights Defenders Arrested while trying to stage a peaceful demonstration
Human Rights Defenders including officials of Amnesty International (AI) Nepal got arrested ahead of staging a peaceful vigil on 24 March in Kathmandu.The arrest has violated the rights including freedom of assembly peacefully guaranteed by the Constitution of Nepal as well as several other laws.
AI Nepal had planned a peaceful demonstration on 24 March at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu to call an end of current human rights crisis in Tibet. Human rights defenders including those invited and arrived to attend the demonstration were arrested before they started their planned program. Former Member of National Human Rights Commission Sushil Pyakurel, Former Chairperson of AI Nepal Charan Prasai, General Secretary Chandra Adhikari, National Executive Committee Members Keshab Sigdel and Deepar Rajbhandari, Director Rameshwar Nepal, Human Rights Defenders Govinda Bandi, Shobhakar Budhathoki and Deependra Jha, Convener of AI Nepal Group 80 Surya Bahadur Adhikari, Staff Members of AI Nepal Pralhad Basnet and Jannath Acharya were arrested before the program started and were taken to Singha Durbar police station. All the 12 named above and 5 Tibetan demonstrators arrested later from the same place were release later on the same day. The move by the District Administration to prevent a peaceful demonstration from taking place is against Article 12 of the Constitution of Nepal. There are also no legal grounds to pre-ban demonstrations.
It was reported that about one hundred fifty Tibetans were arrested. The event was monitored by the National Human Rights Commission and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Richard Bennet, the Chief of the OHCHR Nepal visited Singha Durbar police station and met the human rights defenders detained there.
Amnesty International reiterated its call for the Chinese government to allow an independent UN investigation into the events in Tibet which prompted demonstrations in Nepal. It also called on the Chinese government to address the underlying grievances of the Tibetan people and long-term policies that have generated such resentment.
Amnesty International is seriously concern over the arrest which has violets the right to assembly and freedom of expression.
Orientation on the Beijing Olympics Campaign
Beijing, the capital of China is hosting the summer Olympics in August this year. China was selected as the host nation of the summer Olympics in 2001. In course of the selection process, China had expressed the commitment before the international community to improve its human rights situation if it was selected to host the Olympics in 2008. Bus as China did not fulfill its commitments; Amnesty International has been carrying out the “Beijing Olympics Campaign” at the international level, appealing China to stick to its commitments. In course of the campaign Amnesty International has aimed to exert pressure on China by calling it to put an end to the death penalty and punitive detention without trial, protect the human rights defenders, and stop unwarranted censorship of the internet.
Amnesty International Nepal Chapter has also been organizing a variety of activities under the Beijing Olympics Campaign. In this connection, an orientation on the Beijing Olympics Campaign was organized on March 14, 2008 for the representatives of the AI Nepal Groups taking part in the Campaign. At the program inaugurated by Acting Chairman of AI Nepal, Dhruva Kumar Karki, General Secretary Chandra Kumar Adhikari and National Executive Committee Member Keshav Sigdel expressed their views. Treasurer of the National Executive Committee, Shambhu Thakur and Members Geeta Neupane, Bikram Dhukuchu, Dipak Rajbhandari and Chhabi Baskota were present on the occasion. Also present were Coordinator of the Appeal Committee, Hem Kumar Khadka and Members Dhan Jaisi Sharma and Krishna Prasad Dahal.
AI Nepal Program Officer, Bhola Bhattarai oriented the participants on the various aspects of the Beijing Olympics Campaign.
16th Annual General Meeting held
Amnesty International (AI) Nepal held its 16 th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 15-16 March 2008 in Kathmandu. Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Kedarnath Upadhyaya inaugurated the AGM on 15 March. Addressing the inaugural program, chief guest Mr. Upadhyaya appreciated the role of AI in protection of human rights and said, “NHRC is always ready to work together with the AI”.
Speaking at the program, Chief of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Nepal Richard Bennet, Founder of AI Nepal Nutan Thapaliya, Former Prisoner of Conscience (POC) and former Chair of AI Nepal Krishna Pahadi, former Commissioners of the NHRC Sushil Pyakurel and Prof. Kapil Shrestha, Acting Chairperson of AI Nepal Dhruba Kumar Karki, Chairperson of Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES) Purusottam Dahal, former chairpersons of AI Nepal Krishna Kandel, Binod Nepal, Pradip Pokharel and Charan Prasai, Women Rights Defender Shanti Adhikari, National Executive Committee Member of AI Nepal Geeta Neupane and Director Rameshwar Nepal expressed their views on different aspect of human rights and role of Amnesty International to protect them.
The other highlight of the inaugural session of the AGM was the 3 types of “Highest Membership Growth Award” that is honoured to any AI Nepal groups recruiting the highest total number, youth network and women members in the year 2007. The all 3 types of awards were credited to Group-3, Kathmandu for it outstanding membership growth in the year 2007. Chief guest of the inaugural session Mr. Updhayaya away cash prize and certificate to Bhawani Prasad Kharel, Kanchan Prasad Kharal and Rupa Devi Bastola of the award winning Group.
The AGM endorsed annual activity report and financial report of the year 2007 along with the plans and programs for the year 2008. The AGM has also endorsed some of the important resolutions apart from its regular plans. First, the AGM has appealed the Nepal government to formulate effective laws to prevent violence against women and implement them. Second, the AGM has called on the Nepal government to develop laws to end impunity and implement them. Thirdly, recalling AI Nepal’s continuous effort to include human rights in the curriculum, the AGM has appealed the government of Nepal for the same.
Representatives of 71 AI Groups from different parts of the country participated in the AGM.
Demonstration on Beijing Olympic Campain on the Occasion of Cheniese New Year
Amnesty International (AI) Nepal sent hundreds of new year post-cards calling Chinese authority to respect human rights in China. More than 1,000 cards sent to WU Banggou, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on the occasion of Chinese new year in the first week of February.
Earlier, AI Nepal had collected signatures on the new year cards organizing various demonstrations in Nepal. Among others, a demonstration organized in Kathmandu on 6 February 2008 was remarkable one. Hundreds of human rights activists from various organizations, journalists, AI Members, youth and students took part in the demonstration. Participants of the program and other civilian signed post card calling Chinese authority to uphold the preservation of human dignity by endingdetention without trail,upholding right to fair trail and ending execution in China.
In the lead up to the Beijing Olympics, Amnesty International has been campaigning for progress on four human rights issues which would be a major positive legacy for the Games. Specifically, progress on the death penalty, detention without trial, freedom of expression and the protection of human rights activists, would contribute to such a legacy.
Under the Beijing Olympic Campaign, Amnesty International (AI) Nepal has been holding different campaigning activities urging Chinese authority to ensure human rights issues are addressed before the Beijing Olympics that to be held in Beijing in 2008.
South Korea: Migrant Workers are also Human Beings
Amnesty International Nepal organized a public talk program on ‘South Korea: Rights of Migrant workers’ in Kathmandu on December 21, 2007.
Speaking at the program Krishna Pahadi, a prominent human rights defenders of Nepal, said the title of AI’s report ‘migrant workers are also human beings’ showed how the migrant workers were being treated across the globe and called upon the human rights agencies working in Nepal to set up a coalition to work in the issue. He also called upon the South Korean employment agencies and the government to work towards maintaining a transparency in their work and facilities making their profession respected and dignified.
Charan Prasain, Coordinator of Joint Forum for Human Rights, said the absence of the foreign minister as well as the Korean ambassador in the program showed how sensitive they were towards the issue and called upon the employment agencies to formulate and adhere to a code of conduct. He also urge to the South Korean government to respect international humanitarian law and trade union rights.
Earlier, AI Nepal requested to the foreign minister, Sahana Pradhan and the Korea Ambassador to Nepal Nam Sanj Jung as guest speaker. They both had confirmed their participation in the program. In the basic of their confirmation all media were informed about their participation. However, three day before the program the South Korean ambassador suddenly cancelled his schedule. Similarly Minister Ms. Pradhan also cancelled her participation one hour before of the program start in the same day. But the minister Ms. Pradhan sent a message to the program. Minister Pradhan lauded the efforts being made by Amnesty International in safeguarding the rights and well-being of the migrant workers and disclosed that any issues in this regard could be resolved mutually since the signing of the EPS between Nepal and South Korea recently.
Speaking at the program Pradeep Pokharel, Advisor of AI, Nepal, described the Nepali workers going to conflict-affected countries that have been banned by the government as human trafficking and called for action against the employment agencies involved in sending Nepali workers to such countries.
Ramesh Chalise, the Central Committee Member of the Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC) urged to the Korean government to respect workers rights.
LP Sawa Limbu, President of the Foreign Employment Agencies’ Association, said the Agencies have been strictly adhering to the Foreign Employment Act and called for cooperation of the civil society in ensuring that the people willing to go for foreign employment are not duped and need to get their basic rights in the country where they work.
At the program, AI Nepal central member, Ms. Sharada Sharma, presented a concept paper highlighting the objectives of the program, definition of migrant worker, state of migrant workers rights in South Korea and their situation and the AI’s concern on the rights of migrant workers in South Korea.
Acting Chairperson of AI Nepal, Dhruba Kumar Karki delivered the vote of thanks and called upon all concerned to ensure that the migrant workers also enjoy their rights like any other human beings.
Altogether 250 people including representatives of foreign employment agencies, AI members, youth and students, journalists and people from various walks of life took part in the program.
Fifty-ninth International Human Rights Day Observed
Marking the 59th International Human Rights Day on 10 December, Amnesty International Nepal organized a peaceful demonstration calling Chinese authority to fulfill their commitments that the authorities made before the international community in connection with the 2008 Beijing Olympic. Participants of the program including trainee athletes, National Players of Nepal Taekwondo Federation and international referee of International Taekwondo Federation (ITF), Mr. Anuyag Gautam as well as AI Members took part in the demonstration.
In the lead up to the Beijing Olympics, Amnesty International has been campaigning for progress on four human rights issues which would be a major positive legacy for the Games. Specifically, progress on the death penalty, detention without trial, freedom of expression and the protection of human rights activists, would contribute to such a legacy. In the connection of the same, the demonstration program was organized AI Nepal which was hosted by organization's Group-34, Kathmandu.
Under the Beijing Olympic Campaign, Amnesty International (AI) Nepal has been holding different campaigning activities urging Chinese authority to ensure human rights issues are addressed before the Beijing Olympics that to be held in Beijing in 2008.
On the occasion of the 59th International Human Rights Day, local AI Groups in Nepal organized variety of program in Kathmandu and in different places of country.
Candle Lightening Program in Kathmandu.
On the occasion of 59th International Human Rights Day, AI Nepal Youth Network formed under AI Nepal Group-3, Kathmandu organized a candle lightening program in joint organization with National Human Rights Foundation (HURFON) at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu. Approximately five hundreds candles were lit by different walks of life including representative of United Nation High Commission for Human Right to Nepal Mr. Richard Bennett, Chairman of National Human Rights Commission of Nepal Mr. Kedar Nath Upadhaya, Founder of AI Nepal Mr. Nutan Thapaliya and member of AI Nepal and HURFON. Besides representatives from civil society organization, development and professional organization, lawyers, human rights defenders, professors, journalists and students took part the program.
Talk Program in Bhaktapur on Impunity
As a part of the international human rights day, an interaction on "Impunity and Human Rights" held in Bhaktapur.As a chief guest-speaker of the speech program Mr. Binod Prasad Sharma, the Judge of Bhaktapur District Court shed light on consequences of the impunity. He highlighted the significance of ratification of the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court. The program was jointly hosted by AI Nepal's Group - 17, 50 and 56, located in Bhaktapur. [View photos]
Health and human rights training of AI Nepal.
World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDSpandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. The theme for World AIDS Day 2007 and 2008 is “leadership”. This theme will continue to be promoted with the campaigning slogan, “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.”
On the occasion of World AIDS day, AI Nepal organized a daylong health rights awareness workshop on “HIV/AIDS and health rights” for the medical students of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) at Dharan, Sunsari on 1 December 2007.
The medical student network of Amnesty International Nepal has been doing various awareness raising activities on health rights and HIV/AIDS at BPKIHS since the past one year. Campus chief Mr. Chandra Limbu of Mahendra Multiple Campus, Dharan, inaugurated the training session and highlighted on the HIV/AIDS problem and human rights. Another Speaker of the inaugural session Ms. Dil Kumari Rai, Vice-president of indigenous people’s association shed light on the state of HIV/AIDS in the rural areas and among lower class households in the society.
Altogether 35 students of current MBBS batch from the BPKIHS took part in the workshop. The students are AI youth members. The training program was coordinated by Mr. Rajnarayan Mandal, Coordinator, National Health Professional Network of AI Nepal. Physician Arjun Parajuli, Mr. Mandal and Hem Kumar Khadka were facilitators in the training session.
Following the training program, signatures were collected on behalf of Uzbekistan national Mr. Skandar Khudaiberganov. The signatures were collected urging for adequate medical support from the Uzbek authorities to Mr.Skandar. Mr.Skandar is presently on death row in Tashkent prison of Uzbekistan without appropriate medical facilities. He is suffering from Tuberculosis. On the occasion, around 70 signatures were collected from medical professionals. The collected signatures will be posted to the Uzbek President, Islam A. KARIMOV shortly. National Health Professional Network of AI Nepal has been organizing series of health rights actions, according to the action circular by the health and human right team of the IS.
16 days activism of AI Nepal
Amnesty International Nepal has been observing the 16 days activism against Gender Violence (25 November-10 December) as per Section's plan every year. The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991. Participants chose the dates, 25 November, International Day Against Violence Against Women and 10 December, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights.
This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including 29 November, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, 1 December, World AIDS Day, and 6 December, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.Accordingly this year, AI Nepal is mobilizing its local groups and organizing a series of various activities on violence against women across the country.
As a part of the 16 days activism, Nepal Section organized an oratory contest at Biswa Niketan HigherSecondary School, Kathmanu on 24 November. Altogether 10 high schools took part in the contest, which was held under the theme "Children's right and present situation of Nepal". In the contest, high school student participants expressed their views on the theme. In the contest, Miss Barsha Shrestha of Padmodaya Secondary School , Kathmandu came out first. Earlier, inaugurating the contest, Convener of AI Nepal group -20, Mr. Keshab Raj Lohani shed light on the importance of the 16 days activism on women rights. The program was coordinated by AI Nepal group-20. Around a hundred participants including youth members of AI Nepal, school teachers and ordinary public took part in the contest as audiences. The winners received prize and certificates.
Similarly, in the connection with the 16 days activism, a public speech program on "Safe girls in Schools" was held in Jhapa on 30 November. This program was organized with the joint support of AI Nepallocal groups -22, 70, 86 and 87, based in Jhapa district. Before the speech program an awareness raising rally of AI members, high school students and teachers went around the local city, Kakarvitta with placards and banners, and chanting of slogans on women rights, calling for an end to gender-based discrimination in the society. After the rally program, a talk program was held at Adarsha Secondary School , Itabhatta. At the talk program, Chairman of Appeal Committee of AI Nepal, Mr. Hem Khadka and Convener of AI Nepal women group-70, Ms. Maya Prasai, School principal Mr Tulsiram Poudel and School Teacher Mr Lambodar Poudel shed light on various aspect of girl's situation in schools and the ongoing stop violence against women campaign of Amnesty International. On the occasion, girl students in the schools.Around two hundreds participants joined the rally and the speech program. During the talk program, the 14-point program of AI on stop violence against women was distributed to the participants.
In the connection with the 16 days activism, a public speech program on "Safe girls in Schools" was held in Kathmandu on 9 December. This program was jointly organized by AI Nepal Groups -3 and AI Nepal Kathmandu youth network. This talk program was held at Asian Public School , Kathmandu. At the talk program, convener of AI Nepal Group-3 Mr Bhawani Prasad Kharel, Former Chair of AI Nepal Mr Krishna Pahadi, Mr. Charan Prasai,and School principal Mr. Mainali, Convener of AI Nepal Kathmandu youth Network Mr Kanchan Kharel shed light on various aspect of girl's situation in schools and the ongoing stop violence against women campaign of Amnesty International. On the occasion, around one hundred students took part the program.
Likewise, many local groups of AI Nepal are also pasting posters about safety of girl students in school on different schools' walls. AI Nepal is going to produce and install ten bill boards of six steps to Stop Violence Against School Girls in Nepali language in different public place of rural areas.
[View photos]
Demonstration organized in front of Pakistani embassy
On 15 November 2007, a demonstration organized in front of Pakistani embassy in Kathmandu to mark A Global Day of Action against the current assault on human rights and justice in Pakistan. Amnesty International Nepal took part in the action jointly organized by the organizations working on human rights, press freedom, law and justice which was participated by hundreds of journalists, lawyers and human rights defenders.
The program initiated by South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) Nepal and organized together by 20 organizations including Federation of Nepalese Journalists, Nepal Bar Association, Amnesty International Nepal, Human Rights and Peace Society, Reporters Club of Nepal, was divided into two parts. Initially activists gathered at Shankha Park in Kathmandu before marching towards Pakistani embassy with plea-cards and banners. After reaching at the embassy and having demonstration demanding fundamental rights, press freedom and justice in Pakistan, the organizers requested officials to receive memorandum. But the officials of the embassy refused to receive it. Finally, the organizers had to put the memorandum at the gate of the embassy. The petition, addressed to General Pervez Musharraf, has demand full respect for freedom of expression in Pakistan, the release of all those arbitrarily detained under the State of Emergency, reinstatement of the independent judiciary, justice for the victims of enforced disappearance and no introduction of military tribunals for civilians.
On Thursday 15 November, Amnesty International organized demonstrations and other events in several countries including Australia, Canada, India, Nepal, Norway, Paraguay, Switzerland, Turkey, the US and UK. In London, Amnesty International's Secretary General Irene Khan led a delegation of top lawyers, judges and journalists to present a petition at the High Commission of Pakistan.
Amnesty International is also calling for all other states to suspend immediately all forms of security cooperation, including military assistance, until Pakistan lifts the emergency measures which violate international human rights law.
Acting in his capacity as army chief of staff, on 3 November General Musharraf suspended the bulk of the Constitution, including the rights not be arbitrarily deprived of life and to be guaranteed a fair trial. He assumed powers to amend the Constitution without any parliamentary procedure and proclaimed a Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO). This order prohibits any court issuing an order against the President, Prime Minister or any person exercising powers under their authority.
Under the order, existing members of the superior judiciary are effectively suspended until they take a new oath to uphold the PCO. Only five of 17 Supreme Court Justices have taken the oath. Many Supreme Court and Provincial High Court Justices are now effectively under house arrest.
Since then hundreds of lawyers, human rights activists and political workers had been arrested or arbitrarily detained across Pakistan. Independent TV and radio news channels have been prevented from broadcasting within the country. New laws restricting freedom of print and electronic media were issued, breach of which attracts three to four years imprisonment and heavy fines. [View photos]
Demonstration against Death Penalty in China
As a part of international solidarity campaign to abolish death penalty worldwide, Amnesty International Nepal organized a demonstration on 10 October in Kathmandu expressing concern over the executions in China.
AI Nepal members and supporters along with representatives from various civil society organization participated in a peaceful demonstration which was organized by AI Nepal to mark 5th International Day against Death Penalty. After demonstration at Bhatbhateni Chowk in Kathmandu, the participants marched to the Chinese embassy holding banners and plea-cards with different slogans against death penalty and stood-up in front of the embassy gate.
AI Nepal also had planned to submit a memorandum to the embassy and had informed by sending letter earlier. However, the officials of the embassy refused to receive it. Finally, the delegation made up of Chandra Adhikari, General Secretary of AI Nepal, Pradeep Pokharel Advisor of AI Nepal, Professor Kapil Shrestha, former Member of National Human Rights Commission, Dr. Renu Rajbhandari, Chairperson of Women Rehabilitation Center, Ganga Kasaju from Human Rights Alliance and Indira Kharel from AI Nepal had to put the memorandum at the gate of the embassy.
According to 2007 annual report of Amnesty International, China has been one of the counties with the highest number of execution during the year 2006. According to information of AI, out of 1,591 executions in 2006 worldwide, 1,010 were carried out in China alone. Nepali nationals have also been given death sentences by Chinese government at different times.
The World Coalition against the Death Penalty has been observing 10th October as the day against death penalty since 2003. The Coalition was formed in 13 May 2002 in Rome of Italy according to the commitment made in the first World Conference against Death Penalty held in 2001. Altogether 64 members including Bar Associations of different countries, local governmental organizations, professional organizations and non-governmental organizations are included in the network. Amnesty International which has been working to abolish death penalty world wide since its establishment is also the member of the network. European Union and Council of Europe have been extending official support to observe the day against death penalty.
Demonstration on Burma
Amnesty International Nepal has successfully organized a rally in the capital city Kathmandu at 2 PM local time. The rally was begun from a peace recitation by Buddhist monks and nuns in main Public Square of the capital city then a peace rally was moved toward the Burmese Embassy with placards, slogans and banners. The peace pray was held half an hour long. Nearly 650 people from various walks of life including Nepalese Buddhist monks /nuns , journalists, youth member of AI Nepal and prominent human rights defenders of Nepal joined the rally. In the rally significant number of the Media people presented. Today’s demonstration was one of the biggest one organise by AI Nepal , which was supported by the Nepalese Buddhist monks/nuns, Buddhist organisations and human rights organisations, Nepal - Myanmar Friendship association. The demonstration was lead by AI Nepal. During the demonstration a leaflet about the present situation of the Myanmar was distributed to participants.
A strong protest vigil about one hour long was held in front of the Burmese Embassy. Finally, Mr. Shakya, a junior officer of the Myanmar Embassy took AI’s memorandum letter, which was handed by Senior Monk Kaoundanya.[View photos]
Interaction on the International Criminal Court
An interaction between an international delegation of Amnesty International (AI) and a range of actors including non-governmental organizations, lawyers and members of civil society held in Kathmandu on 25 September 2007. A delegation of the AI visiting Nepal to work with Amnesty International Nepal to promote ratification and implementation of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In the program participants briefed about the campaigning activities that the human rights organization and civil society have been undertaking and challenges to get ICC statute ratified in Nepal.
The delegation of expert made up of Linda Billfalk, Member of Amnesty International's Working Group on International Justice and Evelyn Serrano, Asia Coordinator of Coalition for the International Criminal Court had seek to identify the ways in which Amnesty International can support the efforts for the ratification of the ICC. The delegation´s visit to Kathmandu was co-ordinated with a mission by Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA), which organised a round-table discussion for Nepalese parliamentarians today. David Donat Cattin, director of PGA, joined some of the meetings of the delegation.
During the meetings government representatives expressed support for the ICC. However, they did not offer any commitment to proceed with ratification immediately. The delegation urged the government to complete ratification as a matter of the utmost urgency to ensure that the ICC can act as a deterrent against any future crimes and a protection for the Nepalese people.
In meetings with the leaders of several political parties as well as parliamentarians from different parties, the delegation welcomed the active support that parliament has demonstrated for the ICC by approving a proposal providing for the government to ratify the Rome Statute on 25 July 2006. The delegation discussed in detail with them how the ICC works in practice and the benefits that it offers to Nepal (see below). They urged parliamentarians to continue calling for Nepal’s immediate ratification.
The delegation also met with the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force as well as the Nepal Army and welcomed their statements of strong support for the ICC and Nepal’s ratification.
