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VOL. 27, NO. 28, March 21, 2008 (Chaitra 08 2064 B.S.)
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CODE OF CONDUCT
Serious Violations
Parties have flouted the code of conduct angering the Election Commission and rights bodies
By A CORRESPONDENT
In the last one month the Election Commission (EC) has already issued three statements asking the political parties to erase the wall paintings and remove banners, which are violations of the election code of conduct. The parties made some efforts to erase the paintings but that was that.
In Ramechhap district, Maoist workers physically assaulted UML candidate Dev Shankar Poudel as he was heading to Priti VDC for campaigning.
In Okhaldhunga, Bal Krishna Dahal, an NC candidate was attacked by Maoist workers who obstructed him from campaigning in remote Patalekhet village.
The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) president Pashupati SJB Rana was obstructed by Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League (YCL) cadres from campaigning in Sindhupalchowk district.
In Chitwan, two RPP workers were abducted and later released by pro-Maoist workers from Divyanagar area.
The YCL cadres stopped workers of Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) from entering into Dhankuta district for campaigning. The RJP workers were also looted by the YCL cadres.
On March 16, a delegation of Election Commission (EC) officials led by Chief Election Commissioner met with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.
Top on their agenda was their concern over growing animosity among major parties during election campaigning in the field.
They also expressed serious apprehension over the continued violation of election code of conduct.
"The election code of conduct has been prepared with the consent of all the major parties. They must abide by what they have committed to," said chief election commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokharel.
The violations have also drawn the attention of United Nations Mission in Nepal. "If left unchecked, these are bound to hamper the election and the freedom of voters," said Ian Martin, chief of the UNMIN.
Other rights bodies, too, have come up with strong statements denouncing the violations of code of conduct.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR-Nepal) have called upon the parties to respect the rights of all others participating in the constituent assembly.
NHRC said its attention had been drawn by the attack on Dev Shankar Poudel, the CPN-UML candidate in Ramechhap, by Maoist cadres, and the obstruction created by Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) cadres in the election rally of Nepali Congress leader and minister Sujata Koirala in Sunsari-5 this week.
NHRC urged all sides to cooperate in conducting the April 10 election in a in a fair and peaceful manner.
Similarly, OHCHR-Nepal described the physical attacks on political cadres in Ramechhap, Chitwan and Dhankuta districts as serious impediments to creating an environment conducive to free and fair elections.
"OHCHR-Nepal is urging all political actors to respect the political rights of all others participating in the Constituent Assembly election process," the statement said.
Head of OHCHR-Nepal, Richard Bennett, said he was in contact with the Maoist leadership, which had assured him that they were investigating the Ramechhap incident.
"Other incidents, such as that in Arghakhanchi district on 25 February, still need to be probed. Respect for the unobstructed right to participation will be essential for the success of the CA elections and to the long-term success of the peace process," Bennett said.
"The (proper) environment cannot be created through security measures alone and will require the cooperation of all political actors during the election campaign. In this regard, OHCHR also notes that various political actors have reportedly been instructing their cadres to take control of polling booths on election day. The Office calls on political actors to pledge now to respect all political and civil rights, particularly the right to life; right to participation; freedom of opinion, expression and access to information; right to peaceful assembly and freedom of association; freedom of movement; freedom from intimidation; and freedom from discrimination," the OHCHR-states.
