AI Nepal organized an interaction among Constituent Assembly Members about Control on Arms on November 6, 2008. Most of the CA Members whole heartedly supported the campaign and said there should be support from Nepal in ATT making process and also stressed towards passing resolution from the parliament of Nepal supporting the ATT.
In 2003 Amnesty International (AI), International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) and Oxfam International launched a global campaign on control arms. These three organizations have been calling for a global, legally binding Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to control small arms which are being used to fuel conflict, poverty and human rights abuses. In course of exerting pressure on the UN to make ATT effective, the AI and its partners of control arms campaign have launched another campaign to get support and solidarity to this regard from the parliamentarians across the globe as the parliamentarians have direct role and responsibilities to formulate plans and polices in the national level to protect and promote human rights.
More than 125 parliamentarians of various political parties in Nepal have already signed a Parliamentarian Declaration calling on governments to get effective provisions included into the ATT and also expressing their support to the ATT.
Inaugurating the interaction, Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly Subash Nembang lauded the role AI played in the critical situation. He said control on arms, the issue raised by AI, was quite positive matter, so all political parties should be ready to accept it in Nepal.
CPN-Maoist’s CA Member and military expert Dr Indra Jit Rai made a presentation on ‘ATT: Problems and Challenges’. He personally expressed his solidarity to the campaign and the ATT.
Chief Whip of Nepali Congress Laxman Prasad Ghimire, CA Members Harka Bahadur Singh of CPN UML, Gauri Koiri Mahto of Sadvawana Party, Janak Kumari Chalise of CPN ML, Rashmi Raj Nepali from National People’s Front, expressed support and solidarity towards ATT and the Control Arms Campaign on behalf of their parties.
Taking part in the interaction, CA Members Sabitra Bhusal, Shanta Chaudhari and Usha Kala Rai of the CPN-UML, Sobhakar Parajuli,Narahari Acharya, Suprabha Ghimire, Tirtha Man Dongol and Dhan Raj Gurung of the Nepali Congress expressed their solidarity in the campaign and the ATT.
However, CA Member of the CPN-Maoist Nanda Kumar Prasain said weapons has both positive and negative aspects. His party would discuss thoroughly on arms control and decide later whether to support ATT, considering nation interest, he added.
Similarly, Prominent Human Rights Defender Krishna Pahadi, Chairperson of INSEC Subodh Raj Pyakurel and General Secretary of HURFON Bhawani Prasad Kharel urged the political party representatives to express commitment on the control on arms. They added a discussion on ATT needs to be taken comprehensively not only in our country but in the SAARC region too where Nepal could take a lead.
Earlier, CA Member from Nepali Congress Gagan Thapa, shared his experience of participation on a fringe meeting held in New York on 20 October 2008 which was organized by Amnesty International to submit signatures of Parliamentarians collected from around the world to the Chairperson of the First Committee of the UN General Assembly. He further said the ATT which is being drafted by the UN should be effective to get control on arms.
AI Nepal Director Rameshwar Nepal made a presentation on effect of arms over human cost and its consequences in the society. He also briefed about the Control Arms Campaign and necessity of ATT to control arms effectively.
There was participation of 58 CA Members from different political parties, in the Program chaired by AI Nepal’s Acting Chairperson Dhruba Kumar Karki.
For more detail about Control Arms campaign, please click at www.controlarms.org