They are working without salary and other facilities as they hope that their jobs will be given continuity. Non-gazetted first class officers and office assistants are running the offices while office secretaries are frequenting several offices in Kathmandu in an attempt to get their terms extended.
"I have not received any salary for the last two months. I am working continuously with the hope that I will get the returns some time in the future," said Binod Das, who is working as a non-gazetted first class officer at the peace committee in Dhanusha.
Janak Gyawali, chief of the peace committee in Sindhuli, said they have been neither told to continue their work nor instructed to quit. "We are in limbo," he said.
Over 2,000 complaints have been registered at the peace committee in Dhanusha by those who lost their kin or property during the insurgency, those who were maimed and by relatives of the disappeared, among other. But no action has been initiated over these complaints due to the uncertainty facing the employees, said Rabi Das, who works at the committee. Even the families of martyrs have been deprived of compensation.
A source at the peace ministry said that a proposal to extend their terms was forwarded to a cabinet meeting a month ago but ministry officials have not informed if any decision was taken on the matter.
The then Maoist-led government appointed three employees each at the district committees. They were given a three-month appointment with effect from April 14, 2009, and assured of continuity until the new constitution is prepared, according to officials.
But with the change in government, the employees´ future has become uncertain. The UML-led government is not willing to extend the terms as their intention is to recruit employees close to the party, said the employees. Even a month after termination of their tenure, the government has not made any official announcement over the matter.
"Changing employees with the change of government is against the spirit of the peace process," then minister for peace in the Maoist-led government Janardan Sharma told myrepublica.com.
Such committees have been formed in 61 districts. They are yet to be formed in Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Parsa, Chitwan, Sindhupalchowk, Kavre, Kaski, Gorkha, Mustang, Baglung, Nuwakot, Taplejung, Tanahu and Ilam.
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