Interaction Programme

INSEC organized interaction programmes in all the five development regions of the country. The main purpose of these programmes is to raise awareness on the ICC and interact with other stake holders for the possible strategies to push forward the agenda of accession to the Rome Statute by Nepal Government.

Interaction on ICC, Dhangadhi, Far-western Region

Participants of the interaction programme in Dhangadhi have urged the government to accede to the Rome Statute of the ICC to end impunity and decrease crimes against humanity. The programme was organized by INSEC to discuss on the ICC, its establishment and jurisdiction,  and discuss on its importance on with various stake holders on 27 August 2006. Speakers of the programme stressed on the immediate accession to the Rome Statute by Nepal Government which would ensure rule of law and address impunity in Nepal. Representatives of various political parties requested civil society representatives to put pressure upon the government for this move. Advocate Mr. Kulananda Upadhyaya presented a concept paper on “International Criminal Court and Its Relevancy in Nepal”. The programme was participated by the representatives of political parties, security agencies, civil society, professionals, human rights activists and lawyers. Mr. Yogish Kharel of INSEC Central Office responded the queries on the ICC and Rome Statute while Mr. Khadga Raj Joshi, Coordinator of INSEC Far-western Region sought importance of the ICC.

Interaction on ICC, Nepalgunj, Mid-western Region

INSEC organized an interaction programme on the “International Criminal Court” in Nepalgunj on 24 August 2006. Participants of the programme stressed immediate ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC by Nepal Government and discussed on the court, its establishment and jurisdiction, and importance in addressing impunity, genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The participants highlighted importance of ratifying the ICC treaty by Nepal to put an end to impunity and ensure rule of law in the country. Representatives of various political parties stressed the role of civil society to put pressure upon government for immediate ratification. Representatives of the OHCHR Field office, various political parties, security agencies, civil society, Human Rights NGOs, lawyers, professors, journalists and professionals attended the interaction. On the occasion, Kumar Sharma Acharya, Vice-chairperson of the Nepal Bar Association (NBA) presented a concept paper on “International Criminal Court and Present Context”. Advocate Basant Gautam argued for retroactive law to punish the perpetrators of past genocides. Likewise, Ganesh Regmi, President of Banke Chapter of the Human Rights Organization-Nepal (HURON) pointed out importance of ICC in Nepalese context. The programme was facilitated by Bhola Mahat, Mid-western Regional Coordinator of INSEC.

Interaction on ICC, Pokhara, Western Region

Speakers at an interaction programme organized in Pokhara on 23 August 2006 stressed that the government should immediately ratify the International Criminal Court (ICC) to end impunity and minimize crimes against humanity.

Participants at an interaction programme, 'International Criminal Court: Ratification and Implementation' organized by INSEC, western regional office Pokhara, stressed that ICC should be immediately ratified for national welfare and ending impunity. Speaking as Chief Guest of the programme, Thakur Prasad Sharma, Judge, Appeallate Court, Pokhara, said it was necessary to ratify ICC as it would not affect the jurisdiction of the national court and end impunity by minimizing crime against humanity. Stating that criminal activities undertaken by senior officials for vested interest and prolonging their regime fall under the jurisdiction of ICC, Sharma said that victim can directly file application at UN once the ICC is ratified by the government. Adding that some powerful countries have not ratified ICC fearing of loosing their power, he said ICC can take action against anybody promoting impunity. He therefore voiced the necessity of ratifying ICC.

Another speaker, human rights activists Tek Nath Baral was of view that ICC should be ratified gaining full authority to take action against crimes against humanity.

However, Maoist district secretary Karan showed concern on the directive proposal passed by the House of Representative on ICC and said that it was time to move ahead in a new way through dialogues.

Advocate Tilak Acharya had presented the concept paper on the topic of the programme.

Commenting on the concept paper, Agni Thapaliya, registrar at the Appeallate Court Pokhara, said that as ratifying ICC would not create environment to punish the suppressors of the Jana Andolan, there was no immediate attraction on ICC. Another commnetor sub-Attorney General Yubraj Subedi said that taking all the criminal cases to ICC would challenge the existance of national court, so it was necessary that problem unsolved by the national judicial mechanisms only is taken to the ICC.

District vice-secretary of CPN UML Shreenath Baral kept his view that the head of state involved in national crime should be trialed before ICC immediately after its ratification. In the programme, Shoviat Bahadur Adhikari, president, Nepali Congress (Democratic), Kaski; Gangadhar Parajuli, central vice-president, Federation of Nepalese Journalist; Rabindra Banstola, president, FNJ, Kaski; Prakash Thapa, DSP, Armed Police; Khagraj Acharya, president, Human Rights Organization of Nepal, Kaski; Milan Shrestha, National Human Rights Commission, western regional office; Bishnu Baral, president, Civil Society Enhancement Council; Bijaya Subedi, secretary, woman section, GEFONT; Sarita Timilsina, HRERLIC, Kaski and adovocates Bhawsagar Subedi, Bhupnidhi Pant, Ram Prasad Ghimire, Bishwa Ghimire, Fanindraraj Koirala and Gyaneshwor Parajuli stressed that persons involved in crime against humanity should be punished as per the law and that the law remains the same for all.

In the programme chaired by Jivanta Wagle, regional coordinator, INSEC, western regional office, Pokhara, Ganesh Shrestha of same office had given welcome remarks. The programme that saw participation of 70 persons was moderated by Laxman Dutt Pant, documentation officer at INSEC, Pokhara.

Interaction on ICC, Biratnagar, Eastern Region

INSEC organized an interaction programme under the theme “Importance of International Criminal Court to End Impunity” in Biratnagar, Eastern regional headquarters of Nepal on 13 August 2006. On that occasion, leaders of various political parties including Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Nepali Congress (Democratic) expressed their commitment to raise voices to encourage the government to accede to the Rome Statute. Facilitated by Mr. Som Raj Thapa, INSEC’s Eastern Regional Coordinator, the programme was participated by political activists, lawyers, academicians, human rights activists and journalists. Ms. Bidhya Chapagain, Officer at the Treaty Monitoring Centre of INSEC presented a paper on the ICC and Rome Statute.

Publication of Booklet

The National Coalition for ICC (NCICC) published a booklet in Nepali language on ICC on 16 July 2006 for the purpose of circulating among the concerned people during handing over the memorandum to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and a Sit-in programme in Kathmandu on 17 July 2006. The booklet includes basic information related to the ICC.

This booklet was reprinted on 6 August 2006 for a wider circulation. The later version contains the Directive Proposal of the HoR and the Memorandum of NCICC to the Speaker of the HoR, along with the basic information on the ICC.

Discussion with Member of Parliament

On 23 July 2006, Coordinator of NCICC and General Secretary of INSEC discussed on the need of ratification of Rome Statute with the Honorable Member of Parliament Parashuram Megi Gurung, who was planning to table the directive proposal for the ratification of Rome Statute at the HoR.

Letter to the Parliamentarians

After the reinstatement of the HoR on 24 April 2006, human rights organizations submitted a list of United Nations Human Rights Conventions, including the Rome Statute of the ICC to the parliamentarians and political parties on 28 April 2006 and urged them to be party to those important human rights instruments.

Click here for full list of the Conventions in Nepali