Addressing an interaction organized by the Reporters´ Club Nepal in the capital on Friday, opposition party leaders also asked President Ram Baran Yadav not to endorse the proposed ordinance on TRC as it is deeply flawed and that formation of such TRC wouldn´t help establish lasting peace in the country. [break]
They also accused Prime Minister Bhattarai of forwarding the ordinance with the provision of general amnesty even to those involved in serious human rights violations to the president for endorsement.
CPN-UML leader Agni Kharel, who was closely involved in the preparation of the TRC draft bill in the erstwhile parliament, argued that the president should not endorse TRC ordinance as it includes the provision of granting amnesty to even those accused of serious human rights violations such as murder, torture, rape and kidnapping.
“There was no political consensus on these issues even when parliament was in existence. The president should not endorse the ordinance without political consensus,” he said. Nepali Congress (NC) leader Ramesh Lekhak said the provision would not help strengthen the rule of law.
“This will instead destroy the criminal justice system and encourage impunity,” he said.” The president should not endorse the TRC forwarded unilaterally by the government.”
Lekhak also said the TRC that does not meet international standards may not be accepted by the international community, thereby giving rise to the possibility of them invoking “universal jurisdiction” against those involved in serious human rights violations during the conflict.
Member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Gauri Pradhan said general amnesty to the perpetrators of serious crimes could erode Nepal´s credibility. He also said there is no point in forming TRC that does not meet international standards and is not accepted by the wider international community.
Pradhan argued that universal jurisdiction could be invoked if the issues of human rights violations are not addressed as per Nepal´s commitment to human rights in various international human rights instruments. “Such cases should not be construed as international interference,” he added.
Addressing the function, UCPN (Maoist) leader Khim Lal Devkota said conspiracies were being hatched against reconciliation in Nepal by questioning some of the provisions in TRC. He also claimed that there are no provisions of general amnesty in the TRC ordinance.
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