Nepali Parliamentarians Reaffirmed Commitment for ICC at PGA

Nepali delegation of eight parliamentarians attended and actively participated the Fourth Consultative Assembly of Parliamentarians for the International Criminal Court and the Rule of Law as part of the 28th Annual Forum of the Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) held in Tokyo, Japan on 4-5 December 2006.

According to the PGA, a multi-party delegation from Nepal reaffirmed the strong commitment of legislators to accede to the Rome Statute as soon as the Government will decide to transmit the Statute to Parliament, in line with the compulsory language of the pro-ICC resolution adopted by Parliament in July 2006. The author of that resolution, PGA Member Parashu Ram Meghi Gurung, presented to the Consultative Assembly the unanimous position of Nepali parliamentary groups, who view the ICC as an important ingredient to deter future atrocities following the recent peace deal with the Maoists.

Delegates of Nepali parliamentarians included Mr Parashu Ram Meghi Gurung, Member, State Affairs Committee of House of Representatives, Mr Birodh Khatiwada, Chair, Population and Social Committee, Mr Ram Hari Dhungel, Member, Public Accounts Committee, Mrs Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Member, Environment Preservation Committee, Mrs Kamala Panta, Member, Development Committee, Mr Ramchandra Ray, Mr Govinda Bahadar Shah, Member, Finance Committee, and Mr Yaggya Jeet Shah, Member, State Affairs Committee.

Approximately 150 Parliamentarians from all regions of the world convened in Tokyo to discuss the major challenges to human security and international justice through a policy perspective.

Representing the entire PGA network of over 1300 legislators from 113 countries, Parliamentarians adopted a final document of the Consultative Assembly entitled the Tokyo Resolution on Human Security, the Rule of Law & the International Criminal Court, which includes strong individual commitments of politicians to fight impunity and promote the universality and effectiveness of the new system of international criminal justice created by the Rome Statute.