Raj Kumar Siwako is the Secretary General of FOHRID, Human Rights and Democratic Forum in Kathmandu, Nepal. fohrid@wlink.com.np

Today, on 17 July 2009, representatives of the human rights community organized a peaceful sit-in program on the occasion of the International Justice Day and 11th anniversary of Rome Statute for 45 minutes today at Shantibatika, Ratnapark (Katmandu, Nepal). Participants of the sit-in, organized by Citizen’s Task Force to Combat Impunity, criticized the government for not acceding to the Rome Statute, especially given that the then-reinstituted Parliament passed a resolution to accede on 25 July 2006. NGOs present were vocal in their demand for the Government of Nepal to join the International Criminal Court at once as part of larger effort to establish a just society.

FOHRID Chairperson, Birendra Prasad Thapaliya, underscored that the Rome Statute is a tool in the fight to end impunity–and that impunity cannot be stopped without accession to the Rome Statute: “We must exert pressure to ensure that a legal remedy exits to fight impunity and that human rights are enshrined in the new constitution,” he said adding that the government has ignored the directive of the parliament. Thapaliya also profound expressed concern that Nepalese rulers and the political parties might be hatching genocidal plans.

Human rights defender Charan Prasai stressed that accession to the Rome Statute is necessary to end the mentality that there is no punishment for crime; and to prevent genocide, crimes against humanity; as well as establish sustainable peace in the country. He said that a civilized society cannot be established without accession into Rome Statute: “It is indispensible for a culture of human rights.”

On behalf of the Citizen’s Task Force to Combat Impunity, Convener Nutan Thapaliya pointed out that the image of Nepal on the international stage could be changed for the better only once the country ratified the Rome Statute. “Celebrating International Justice Day is meaningful–and it is important to consider that impunity will only be controlled in the country once we ratify this instrument,” he stressed.

To view full event report online, see http://www.iccnow.org/documents/Brief_report_on_demonstration.pdf