KATHMANDU, Dec 5: The Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC) has said that it is concerned by the fact that the selection process for the office-bearers of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission for Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) is being undermined to prevent it from being competitive and of high quality.
According to a press statement, unwanted political interference in the electoral process will further undermine the transitional justice process and undermine the national ambition to complete the rest of the peace process. The statement said it is essential for all stakeholders to be alert and aware of this.
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“The credibility and success of the entire transitional justice process depend on the selection of office-bearers who have the capacity to fulfill the profound responsibilities of transitional justice. Therefore, we strongly urge the selection committee to ensure that the process is carried out in an independent, impartial, and transparent manner, without any compromises,” reads the statement.
The statement further says that the “declared and unannounced approval and blessings of certain parties and leaders should not be the basis for the selection of the office-bearers” and that the selection of office-bearers should be based on the independent and objective evaluation of aspects such as the candidate's background, image, integrity, knowledge, experience, competence, ability, deep commitment to transitional justice, and continuous attachment.
“Similarly, the selection process itself should not be made controversial by recommending to the TRC those who have been questioned and disputed while carrying constitutional responsibilities in the past, and who cannot obtain legitimacy from the victimized community and civil society,” says the statement. The statement further calls upon all concerned for support, cooperation, concern, and vigilance to make the process of selecting the office-bearers credible.
