National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on November 26 set conditions for continuing to be part of the recommendation committee to pick members of two transitional justice bodies, reports The Himalayan Times. The conditions put forth by the NHRC were amendment of the Transitional Justice Act as per the Supreme Court verdicts and international standards, consideration of victims’ sentiments, neutrality of the recommendation committee, fairness, transparency and credibility. It will continue to be part of the committee only if its conditions are met, said the NHRC. The NHRC issued the statement after the recommendation committee on November 18 published the list of aspirants for members and chairpersons of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP).
Meanwhile, conflict victims on November 26 have termed its decision ‘too little, too late’, reports The Himalayan Times. Conflict victims had requested the NHRC time and again to withdraw its member to pile pressure on the Government to make the appointment process transparent. Former chairman of Conflict Victims Common Platform (CVCP) Suman Adhikari said “If the NHRC was really concerned about political influence in the appointment process, it should have intervened before the publication of the list by withdrawing its nominee from the panel. Since the list has been published including candidate’s parties have agreed to, selection will have to be done from among them. The HNRC has already failed, so its statement is meaningless.” Senior Vice-president of Conflict Victims National Alliance (CVNA) Phanindra Luitel also said “We time and again requested the NHRC to withdraw its nominee from the committee citing political intervention. We demanded annulment of the committee itself. We staged sit-in various times. And now the NHRC comes with a statement, having endorsed the list of 61 candidates. It’s disgraceful.”
Separately, issuing a joint press statement, four rights organizations - the International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and TRIAL International – on November 26 said Nepal has made no substantial progress on questions of justice, truth, and reparations for victims of gross human rights violations and abuses during its 10-year conflict, reports The Himalayan Times. They were particularly concerned about the recent moves that suggest the Government would move ahead and appoint commissioners without making necessary legal reforms to framework. “It is deeply disappointing that the government had repeatedly attempted to appoint commissioners without adequate consultation and transparency. The commissions will not gain trust of the victims and the international community if the political parties continue to interfere in the appointment process,” said Biraj Patnaik, South Asia Director at Amnesty International.