KATHMANDU: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the government to bring the Transitional Justice process to a conclusion by taking the victims and affected families into confidence.
In a statement issued on the occasion of the International Day for the Prevention of Enforced Disappearances (August 30), NHRC spokesperson Dr. Tikaram Pokharel emphasized the Commission’s serious concern over the unresolved status of individuals who were forcibly disappeared during Nepal’s decade-long armed conflict.
“The Commission for Investigation of Disappeared Persons should work impartially, credibly, and competently, while involving the affected families in the process. The status of the disappeared must be made public, and the recommendations of this Commission must be implemented,” the statement read.
It further directed the Government of Nepal and all concerned authorities to ensure justice and reparations for the victims’ families and to bring those responsible to justice.
The NHRC expressed concern that nearly 19 years after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the fate of many disappeared persons remains unknown and victims continue to wait for justice.
The Commission stressed that the continued delay violates the affected families’ right to truth, cultural rights, and entitlements to relief and compensation.
To date, the NHRC has submitted 226 recommendations to the government, calling for investigations into disappearance cases, action against the perpetrators, compensation to affected families, and public disclosure of the status of the disappeared.
“The Commission continues to process complaints, but the government’s failure to act on the recommendations reflects a lack of commitment to justice,” the statement added.
The Commission also expressed concern over the repeated formation and expiration of transitional justice commissions without completing their mandates.
It emphasized that the newly reconstituted Commission of Inquiry into Enforced Disappearances must actively engage with victims and expedite the completion of the transitional justice process.
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