Summary:
Nepal’s transitional justice process, established after the 2006 Comprehensive Peace Accord to address human rights violations during the decade-long Maoist conflict (1996–2006), has struggled due to political interference and lack of institutional independence. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP), meant to function for two years initially, have existed for almost two decades with multiple extensions but have shown little progress.
Key points:
- Over 63,000 complaints of serious human rights violations and around 2,500 cases of disappearances remain unaddressed.
- The commissions have faced delays, political indifference, and interference, leading to widespread victim disillusionment.
- Since July 2022, the commissions have been non-functional due to absence of commissioners and lack of legal framework.
- New commissioners were recently appointed, offering some hope, but the appointment process was criticized by victims for being opaque, politically motivated, and excluding genuine victim participation.
- Political influence remains a major obstacle; many political leaders involved in the conflict hold power, creating conflicts of interest that undermine commission independence and credibility.
- The transitional justice process is essential for Nepal’s peace process, but success depends on three pillars: genuine victim participation, political and institutional independence, and transparency.
- Without these factors, the commissions risk repeating past failures by collecting complaints but failing to deliver justice.
- The author stresses transitional justice is both a moral promise to victims and a political obligation for the state to uphold human rights and democratic accountability.
In conclusion, for Nepal to complete its peace process and heal its society, the government must ensure transparency, political non-interference, and place victims at the center of transitional justice efforts.
Archive: https://archive.md/Mmju0