KATHMANDU, Oct 29: Visiting United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Gutterres has said that the transitional justice process in Nepal that the government is trying to conclude must help bring peace to victims, families and communities.
Addressing the media after a meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at Singha Durbar on Sunday, Secretary-General Gutterres also pledged UN’s support to Nepal to develop a process that meets international standards, the Supreme Court’s rulings, and the needs of victims – and to put it into practice.
The remarks of the chief of the UN which facilitated Nepal’s peace process from 2007 to 2011 comes in the wake of the ruling parties expediting preparations to conclude the transitional justice process that remains in limbo for more than 17 years since the peace process began in Nepal.
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In the joint press briefing with Prime Minister Dahal, Secretary General Gutterres also called for developed countries to increase support to countries like Nepal that are hard hit by the impacts of climate change. “Nepal is also caught in a blizzard of global crises not of its making: the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and the enormous threat posed by climate chaos,” he said. “Much more international action is needed. Developed countries must step up to support sustainable development, and help developing economies including Nepal to tackle the climate crisis.”
Secretary-General Gutterres arrived in Nepal earlier on Sunday on a four-day official visit to Nepal. Apart from his high level meetings with government officials and politicians, he is scheduled to visit the Himalayas to see for himself the impact of the climate crisis on the glaciers. “The situation is dire and it is accelerating. Nepal has lost close to a third of its ice in just over thirty years. And glaciers are melting at record rates,” he said, adding that the impact on communities is devastating.
During his stay in Nepal, Gutterres is also scheduled to meet local people in the Himalayas to hear directly from them about how they are affected by the impact of climate change. “I will also travel to Pokhara and to Lumbini, to reflect on Lord Buddha’s teachings of peace and non-violence, which are more relevant than ever in our deeply-troubled world,” he said.
During their meeting, Prime Minister Dahal thanked Secretary-General Gutterres for accepting his invitation to visit Nepal. PM Dahal also said that he had a fruitful discussion with the Secretary General on various issues of Nepal's concerns including the impacts of climate change, LDC graduation and Nepal's development needs in the future.
