No blanket amnesty
The Himalayan Times
18
April 2014
No blanket amnesty
It was indeed not encouraging to read the
news “UN warns against amnesties for civil war crimes” (THT, April 16, Page 1)
when the government is preparing to table the bill in the Parliament without
not seriously considering the Supreme Court’s January 2013 verdict and not
following the international standard norms for criminalizing serious human
rights violations. Granting blanket amnesty to the gross human rights violators
in the name of reconciliations is totally against the spirit of core principles
of international law and weakens the foundation for a genuine and lasting peace
and encouraging impunity in the country.
It was not expected that the coalition
government of two major parties would draft such a weak bill favouring the
perpetrators rather than punishing the genuine culprits under the standard
prosecution process. How come such a strong and democratically elected
government could undermine the rule of law when they consider themselves as the
champion of democracy? It is sad to see the concern of the UN High Commission
for Human Rights about the government’s bill on transitional justice before
tabling it on the House.
According to international law, amnesties
are not permitted for serious human rights violations under any circumstances. What
is the reason for the government not considering this while drafting the bills?
What has compelled the government to ignore the plight of human rights
activists and victims of decade long people’s war and to provide blanket
amnesty to the serious human rights violators? It is yet to be seen whether the
government will respect the UN High Commissioner’s suggestion to draft the
bills consistent with the international law and Supreme Court’s decisions.
Rai Biren Bangdel
Maharajgunj, Kathmnadu
