KATHMANDU: Experts from different sectors today criticised the political parties of not being honest in implementing the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA). They alleged that the signatories to the CPA were working against the provisions mentioned in it.

Speaking at an interaction on ‘The Implementation of CPA: Revisiting’ organised by Friends for Peace, Prof Khagendra Bhattarai said some provisions in the CPA were vague. “The CPA has not clarified whether the PLA combatants were to be integrated into the national army or to be managed elsewhere. The signatories too are unsure about it,” Bhattarai added. He also said the public should not be kept in dark about such issues. Bhattarai further urged the political parties to commit themselves for the implementation of the CPA in practice.

Prof Narayan Gurung said the activities of the political parties had proved that they were cheating people. He also accused major political parties of violating the CPA. “Seized property has not been returned and names of disappeared have not been publicised,” he said, adding that the displaced people were yet to be rehabilitated. “According to international practice, the violators of the CPA are punished. But here, nobody has the guts to punish Prachanda and leaders of other political parties,” Gurung added. He also said the rising culture of impunity was one of the factors behind the violation of the CPA.

Bhikshu Ananda, a CA member, also said the political parties were not serious in implementing the CPA. “The political parties were divided when the Nepali Army and the PLA announced fresh recruitment. This shows the lack of trust and understanding among them,” he said.

Nirmala Sharma, vice president of Sancharika Samuha, urged the intellectuals to impartially speak about CPA in a bid to pressurise the government to abide by it.

Gauri Pradhan, commissioner, National Human Rights Commissioner, emphasised on the need to amend CPA to correct lapses in it.