KATHMANDU, Dec 12: Amid concerns that the government is rendering two transitional justice mechanisms defunct by constituting a political mechanism that would supersede them, Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali said that no such decision has been made yet.

Foreign Minister Gyawali said although there are academic debates going on, on whether the existing transitional mechanisms – the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission for the Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) – would be able to accomplish the tasks of transitional justice, the government has not made any decision yet on the fate of the mechanisms.

“Since these commissions are envisioned by the constitution itself, no decision has been made to terminate them. Whether these commissions will be reconstituted, however, is a different matter altogether,” he said.

Minister Gyawali said that Prime Minister KP Oli has been repeatedly saying that Nepal's transitional justice process would be concluded through Nepal's own 'homegrown model'.

Gyawali also said that there will be no blanket amnesty to those involved in serious human rights violations during the conflict. “There are four guidelines for us to move ahead in terms of transitional justice. First, there is the constitution. Second, there are verdicts of the Supreme Court, which has talked about structure of the mechanisms and global practices relating to transitional justice. Third, there are our commitments to international community. Lastly, victims have their own concerns,” he said.

Speaking at a news conference organized to unveil an annual report published by MoFA, at the ministry, Gyawali said that there had been unnecessary criticisms of the recent Asia Pacific Summit. While arguing that the Summit had provided great opportunity for Nepal to showcase its historic peace process and make the country known around the world, Gyawali said that Summit of these kinds would help benefit Nepal through various ways including promotion of tourism.

Answering a separate query, Minister Gyawali expressed confidence that India will soon receive the report prepared by the Eminent Persons Group (EPG). He argued that the implementation of the report will help take Nepal-India relations a new high.

The annual report highlights various activities carried out by MoFA in the fiscal year 2017/18. Minister Gyawali had launched the report on the MoFA website. “I am optimistic that this report will prove useful to those interested in Nepal's foreign affairs,” he said.

 
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