With
Nepal at crossroads, Ban Ki-moon urges parties to agree on future steps
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New
York, 18 October 2007 (UN News)
The
peace process in Nepal is facing unprecedented challenges, United Nations
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says in a new report, urging the parties
there to reach agreement on future steps, including a realistic timetable
for elections that were to have been held next month but have been postponed
to an as yet undetermined date.
In
his latest report to the Security Council, Mr. Ban says Nepal stands at
a crossroads, with the political parties having made significant progress
amid persisting and serious difficulties.
"The
peace process in Nepal is facing its most difficult challenges to date,"
he writes. "The second postponement of the Constituent Assembly election
has been a major disappointment for the people of Nepal and the international
community."
The
Secretary-General calls on the parties to "take a hard look at their differences
and the underlying weaknesses of the peace process."
In
particular, he calls for the Seven-Party Alliance's members "to set aside
their lesser differences and maintain their unity in the interest of the
common national agenda."
The
past year saw unity among eight key Nepalese parties tested by their failure
to carry out agreements, including those covering responsibilities toward
cantoned Maoist personnel and the return of properties seized during the
10-year conflict.
Given
this context, the Secretary-General recommends a review of the Comprehensive
Peace Agreement and its implementation. "The shortcomings and enduring
strengths of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement need to be assessed in order
to build on its achievements," he writes.
"The
parties need to jointly and expeditiously identify the main issues that
are of critical importance for the success of the peace process. They should
engage in a debate on these issues, allowing for adequate public participation,
and arrive at a broad road map to carry forward the peace process."
The
Secretary-General paints a grim picture of the human rights situation in
Nepal. "The overall situation has grown more worrying," he reports, "with
increasing violence and instability in parts of the country."
He
writes of "real or perceived threats and intimidation" against political
parties. At the same time, civilians continue to suffer. "The police have
mostly been unable to protect the civilian population and curtail the activities
of the groups."
In
this environment, the Secretary-General says "it remains to be seen how
far political parties will be able to exercise their freedom of assembly
and association."
He
urges all concerned to protect against abuses. "A pattern of repeated human
rights violations and continuing impunity will not only have the cumulative
effect of diminishing the prospect of a free and fair electoral process,
but could also negatively impact the possibility of a more democratic and
inclusive society that many Nepalese hope for," he warns.
The
UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) continues to monitor arms and armed personnel
"to serve the important purpose of fostering confidence and goodwill,"
the report states.
In
a related development, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal today issued a statement welcoming a recent decision
by the country's cabinet to institute quotas for recruiting women and members
of marginalized groups to fill vacant posts in the Nepal Police and Armed
Police Force.
OHCHR
has long urged the police forces and other Government institutions to take
steps to make their workforces more inclusive as part of their response
to criticisms that they did not act impartially when responding to violence.
"Making
provisions to include historically marginalized groups in the police forces
and other civil services will signal that the commitment to inclusion made
by political leaders is indeed genuine. It will also address some current
demands of these groups, thus strengthening the peace process as it moves
toward Constituent Assembly elections," said Richard Bennett, OHCHR Representative
in Nepal.
Source:
UN News 2007
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