ReliefWeb

Kathmandu, Aaugust 8: Human rights activists in Nepal say the differences surfacing among the political parties over the issue of arms management and the future of monarchy have posed a threat to the ongoing peace process.
Warning that the country may be gripped by anarchy in case the peace process ends in deadlock, the rights activists have urged the Government of Nepal to endorse the Rome Statute so that those who have committed war crimes and grave human rights violations could be tried at the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Addressing a program in the Capital on Tuesday, human rights activist Krishna Pahadi claimed that the Monarchy was trying to get the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) to work against the Maoists and disrupt the peace process.

"If the King continues to remain in power and the Constituent Assembly elections are called off, then cases of impunity would swell and anarchy prevail in the country," Pahadi argued.

Pradip Pokharel, also a rights activist, pointed out the need to ratify the Rome Statute, saying that the ICC can try individual and institutional cases of gross human rights violations if the government fails to take any action in the country.

Nepal's Parliament, the House of Representatives, has already approved a proposal to ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) but the government is yet to second the move.