United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has warned that failure to ensure a credible election within a realistic and well-planned period could have a much more serious impact on the unity of the eight parties and their ability to act and function in unison within the existing coalition.

In his report presented to the Security Council at UN headquarters on Tuesday, Moon said the overall human rights situation continues to be worrying, with the main concerns linked to inadequate public security and law enforcement and to unresolved issues of discrimination with regard to representation and inclusion in the political process.

“The enforcement of repeated bandhs, especially in the Terai, by a range of groups seriously affected freedom of movement, as some protests turned violent. Police responses ranged from passivity to excessive use of force,” the report said.

Moon said that the ongoing peace process in Nepal appears on track to deliver peace and stability, but the national political scene has become more complex and challenging in recent months.

“Renewed and expanded efforts will have to be made to sustain the successful trajectory of the peace process,” Moon adds.

He expressed hope that peace process in Nepal will achieve its goal and give the people of Nepal a well-deserved future of peace, stability and prosperity.

Not only will additional commitments need to be forged, but the parties to the peace process will also need to improve their record of implementing commitments they have made already, the report states.

The report further states, “The significance of the far-reaching process of democratisation that Nepal is going through cannot be overstated. The successful holding of the Constituent Assembly election in a manner that meets the aspirations of the majority of the Nepali people is the central element of this process.”

He also stated that conditions at the cantonments remain difficult for UNMIN monitors as well as for the Maoist army, but they have recently improved with the provision of prefabricated offices, ablution facilities, office tents and diesel-fuelled generators.

“There were important developments in relation to accountability, which, if properly implemented in accordance with international standards, could have a positive impact on reducing impunity. These include a bill before the interim parliament to criminalise enforced disappearances,” it said.