Valley
FNJ urges TRC to look into cases
The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has drawn the attention of the transitional justice bodies to the cases of journalists killed and disappeared during the decade-long armed conflict.The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has drawn the attention of the transitional justice bodies to the cases of journalists killed and disappeared during the decade-long armed conflict.
The umbrella organisation of Nepali journalists on Wednesday submitted names of journalists who were killed and disappeared during the conflict to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Thirty-five journalists were killed and four were disappeared during the decade-long insurgency.
Nine years after the peace process, the government finally formed the two transitional bodies in February this year to look into the cases of rights violations that took place between 1996 and 2006. However, the two transitional justice mechanisms are yet to start their work in the absence of regulations. “We want the TRC to establish the truth first, book the culprit(s) and ensure reparation for victims,” said Mahendra Bista, president, FNJ, who led a delegation to the commission.
TRC Chairperson Surya Kiran Gurung said that the commission ‘will leave no stone unturned to deliver justice’ as mandated by the law. Gurung, however, reiterated that the commission ‘will not look into the cases that are sub-judice at the court’.
According to a Supreme Court ruling, the transitional justice bodies are not allowed to look into cases that are sub-judice at the court.
Of the six cases lodged at the court, only one is related to journalists.
Then rebel Maoists had killed journalist Dekendra Thapa of Dailekh district in 2004. The Dailekh District Court last year convicted five persons and sent to them to jail for one and a half to two years.