Commissions while away nine months for want of regulations
The two commissions that were formed to investigate into conflict-era cases of human rights violations and extrajudicial punishments have being sitting idle for the last nine months, thanks to absence of regulations.
The two commissions that were formed to investigate into conflict-era cases of human rights violations and extrajudicial punishments have being sitting idle for the last nine months, thanks to absence of regulations.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Commission for Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP), which were set up in February after years of delay, have not been able to start their work. Officials at the commissions said the draft regulations were submitted to the government three months ago for endorsement.
“We hope the regulations will be endorsed by next week,” said Shree Krishna Subedi, commissioner at TRC. But even if the regulations are endorsed by next week, it could take weeks, if not months, before the commissions start their work, as the commissions do not have any staff members. Each of the commission has a secretary as of now. The government this week only endorsed number of staff for both the commission -100 for TRC and 70 for CIEDP.
The government had formed the transitional justice bodies in February this year - eight years after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement - with the mandate that they would complete their tasks within two years of their formation. With nine months already gone without doing anything, the commissions now have only 15 months to investigate into over 16,000 deaths and over 1,300 cases of disappearances during the decade-long armed insurgency.
Commissioners, however, have said there is a provision of one-year possible extension of the mandate to complete the tasks.
The commissions are supposed to document and investigate the incidents of human rights violations that occurred from 1996 to 2006.
Development so far and tasks ahead
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Commission for Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) were formed in February—eight years after the peace deal was signed
- Draft regulations submitted to the government for endorsement. Endorsement likely by next week
- The government this week endorsed number of staff—100 for TRC and 70 for CIEDP
- In next 15 months, the commissions need to investigate into 16,000 deaths and over 1,300 cases of disappearances that occurred between 1996 and 2006
19.12°C Kathmandu
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