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A
major milestone, but challenges ahead in Nepal's peace process |
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Kathmandu,
27 May 2008 (UNMIN)
On
the eve of the first meeting of Nepal's Constituent Assembly, United Nations
chief Ian Martin said that the successful election was a major milestone
in the peace process, 'but it does not represent the completion of the
process.' Speaking at a press conference at the Reporters' Club in Kathmandu
upon his return from briefing the Security Council in New York, Martin
highlighted the challenges that lay ahead for both the yet to be formed
government and the 601-member Constituent Assembly. These, he said, were
'the unfinished business of the peace process.'
Martin
reiterated his messages from his briefing last week to the UN Security
Council, including focusing on challenges still faced in forming the new
government to provide the basis for stable governance and development throughout
the life of the Constituent Assembly and move ahead with sorely needed
economic development; on the profound challenges of reaching consensus
or at least two thirds agreement on fundamental issues in the new constitution;
on meeting the expectations of traditionally marginalised communities for
participation in all State bodies, not only the CA. Of particular concern
to the Security Council, Martin noted, was the pressing need to reach agreement
on the future of the two armies in Nepal - a process that is closely linked
to the future of UNMIN's arms monitoring role. Martin also highlighted
the need to transform the Young Communist League into a body which respects
the legal functioning of the State. And he pointed to the unfinished business
of dealing with the impact of the 10-year conflict. 'I think there are
many victims' groups that are entitled to feel that during the election
their own concerns brought little attention,' he said, listing a number
of issues to be addressed: including 'compensation to victims, investigation
into disappearances, the return of property and the return of internally
displaced persons.'
Martin
emphasized the need to overcome the persistent impunity for crimes and
human rights violations in Nepal in order to re-establish justice, public
security and law and order. Highlighting the recent killing by Maoist army
personnel of Ram Hari Shrestha, Martin said that 'the impunity agenda does
not begin and end with the killing of Ram Hari Shrestha, outrageous as
that is.' Highlighting violations committed through the election campaign
period, during the mass movements of April 2006 and in the Terai in early
2007, as well as during the conflict including by the Nepal Army, Martin
said that 'this is a time for all political parties to show that they have
the political will to bring to justice those responsible for violations
of human rights, and not intervene as they are accustomed to do to protect
their own supporters while calling for justice when their supporters are
the victims.'
Martin
concluded by saying that 'the desire of the international community to
see that peace process fully successful has only been increased by the
achievement of the Constituent Assembly election, and the United Nations
and the international community wishes to continue to stand by Nepal as
it faces the very considerable challenges that are still ahead.'
In
a swearing-in ceremony today at Kathmandu's Birendra International Convention
Centre - the site for Constituent Assembly meetings - 567 members of the
601-seat assembly took their oaths in preparation for tomorrow's historic
first session of the Assembly. There are to be five by-elections for seats,
one successful candidate has not presented himself, and two seats are still
to be determined by the Constituent Assembly Court; the 26 members to be
appointed by the Cabinet have not yet been nominated.
| Source:
UNMIN , May 2008 |
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