In a one week campaign, human rights organisations in Nepal will urge the government to immediately accede to the Rome Statue. This campaign is part of a wider effort to implement human rights and democratic principles in the country.

One week campaign urges accession to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in Nepal, 1-7 July 2007

On the occasion of the establishment of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the adoption of the Rome Statute, human rights organisations in Nepal are launching a one week campaign to urge the government of Nepal (GoN) for an immediate accession to the Rome Statute. This campaign will be launched from 1 July to 7 July 2007.

The campaign will be timely in terms of Nepal’s current transition to democratic rule where all efforts are focused on enacting domestic legislation and establishing mechanisms to implement human rights and democratic principles.

As of June 2007 104 states, almost half of the states of the international community, have ratified the Rome Statute of the ICC. Reaching such an accomplishment in nine years is a testament to the will of the international community to ensure that it will not stand by and let the fabric of humanity be torn asunder by those who commit genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. In Nepal, the National Coalition for the International Criminal Court (NCICC), since its establishment in 2001, has initiated campaigns to make the government ratify the Statute.

Background

On 25 July 2006, Nepal's House of Representatives issued a unanimous commitment resolution directing the government to accede to the Rome Statute. In August 2006, the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Speaker of the House of Representatives and supreme leaders of major political parties affirmed their full commitment to the court while responding to the Asian Delegation for the ICC conducted by the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC), Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Asian Network for the ICC (ANICC), Odhikar-Bangladesh and Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC)-Nepal.

In October 2006, the government formed an inter-ministerial Task Force to assess the impact on Nepal after becoming a party to the Rome Statute. The Task Force submitted its report to the government in December 2006. While receiving the report, the then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs assured that the government will soon begin the process required to join the ICC.

The government of Nepal in its Common Minimum Programme of April 2007 as well as in the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed between the Government and Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) in November 2006 affirmed its commitment to end impunity and establish the rule of law. Nepal's Interim Constitution, 2007 expresses its full commitment to democratic norms and values including human rights, freedom of the press, the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.

Objectives

Main objective of the campaign is to create pressure for the immediate accession to the Rome Statute by the government of Nepal as per the unanimous direction of the House of Representatives last year by involving individuals and organisations from the national, regional and international level.

Major activities during the week

• Lobby meeting and submission of Request Letter to the Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Speaker of the Interim Legislature-Parliament, Supreme leaders of eight political parties (namely Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, Nepali Congress-Democratic, Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, United Left Front, People's Front Nepal, and Nepal Sadvawana Party-Anandidevi)
• Interaction with major stakeholders
• Symbolic ratification of the Rome Statute by civil society
• Public demonstrations
• Creative art and photo demonstration etc.

Proposed Organisations organising the campaign are:

1. National Coalition for the International Criminal Court (NCICC)
2. Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC)
3. Human Rights and Democratic Forum (FORHID)
4. Forum for Protection of Human Rights (FOPHUR)
5. Centre for Victims of Torture (CVICT)
6. Centre for Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN)
7. Joint Forum for Human Rights
8. Advocacy Forum for Justice and Rights (AJAR-Nepal)
9. National Human Rights Academy (HURFON)
10. Advocacy Forum
11. Women Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC)
12. Shakti Samuha
13. Women Foundation
14. Youth Action Nepal
15. Blue Diamond Society (BDS)
16. Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP)
17. Institute for Conflict Management, Peace and Development (ICPD)
18. Human Develppment and Peace Campaign (HUDEP)
19. Institute of Human Rights Communication-Nepal (IHRICON)
20. Legal Aid and Consultancy Centre (LACC)
21. Lawyers National Campaign Against Untouchability (LANCAU)-Nepal
22. Disability Human Rights Centre, Nepal (DHRC)
23. Elders Nepal
24. Conflict Study Centre
25. Environment and Justice Society (ENJUS)
26. Campaign for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law
27. Community Self-Reliance Centre (CSRC)
28. National Land Rights Concern Group (NLRCG)

Proposed Organisations supporting the campaign are:

1. Human Rights Home (HRH)
2. Forum for Protection of Public Interest (Pro-Public)
3. Nepal Chepang Society
4. Forum for Society Development
5. National Dalit Federation-Nepal
6. Gurkha Ex-servicemen's Organisation (GESO)
7. Forum for International Law-Nepal
8. Ex-army Council
9. Forum for Human and Natural Resources Development
10. Federation of Drinking Water and Sanitation Consumers (FEDWASAN)
11. Law Associates
12. Centre for Independent Living

Support the NCICC’s appeal

Send a letter by mail or fax urging the government of Nepal to accede to the Rome Statute as soon as possible

Individuals and organisations can send a letter to the Prime Minister of Nepal directly from NCICC/INSEC Nepal Campaign’s website or by mail or fax. An electronic version of the letter can be downloaded from the above website.

Once the letter is sent from the Nepal Campaign website , the main letter reaches the email of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council Ministers and copies to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and Interim Legislative-Parliament Secretariat.