TRC sanctions foreign trips for commissioners

Commissioner Bhatta writes note of dissent

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KATHMANDU, Feb 26: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) on Thursday decided to send two separate delegations to study the experiences of transitional justice mechanisms in Chile, Peru, Philippines and Cambodia.

The commission, which is still unable to seek applications from the victims of armed conflict as its working regulations have yet to be published in the Nepal Gazette, has decided to send a delegation to the countries with the experience of transitional justice mechanisms.

According to a TRC source, a team led by commissioner Shrikrishna Subedi and three officials will visit Chile and Peru while another team led by either a commissioner or the secretary at the commission and comprising three officials will visit the Philippines and Cambodia. The meeting of the TRC commissioners on Thursday decided to ask Nepal government to provide funds for the both travels.

However, a commissioner has written a note of dissent over the decision. Commissioner Madhavi Bhatta, who was recently removed from the responsibility of spokesperson, has written the note of dissent arguing that the visits would be unnecessary financial burden to the country and would be ill-timed as the commission has yet to receive complaints from conflict victims and the commission is already being criticized for failing to work effectively.

The commissioners have lately been disputing among each other and Commissioner Bhatta was relieved of her responsibility of spokesperson last week. The disputes had surfaced after news reports were published about the TRC's decision to postpone its visit to Bandarmudhe, Chitwan.

However, the meeting on Thursday decided to send a TRC team led by chairman Surya Kiran Gurung to Bandarmudhe on March 11. During the armed conflict period, a passenger bus was ambushed by the then Maoist rebels at Bandarmudhe.

The TRC was formed last year to find out and publish the incidents of grave violation of human rights committed during the armed conflict era and to make recommendation for legal actions against the perpetrators.