KATHMANDU, Oct 23: The recommendation committee formed to appoint commissioners for two transitional justice bodies has begun its work. The committee was established to recommend officials for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances.
The committee, chaired by former Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra, has been given two months to recommend appointments. Its members include former Attorney General Khamma Bahadur Khati, Arjun Kumar Karki, Stella Tamang, and National Human Rights Commission member Manoj Duwadi. During a meeting on Monday, Khati was appointed as the committee's spokesperson.
The recommendation committee, formed by the government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal on April 12, 2024, was only completed on October 18, when the Human Rights Commission appointed Duwadi as a member. The current government, led by KP Oli, removed former Supreme Court Justice Jagdish Sharma Paudel from the committee, replacing him with former Attorney General Khamma Bahadur Khati.
Panel to suggest finalizing TJ law before picking commissioners
Previously, the two commissions were unable to fulfill their mandates, leading to dissatisfaction among conflict victims. Suman Adhikari, founding chairperson of the Conflict Victims Common Forum, criticized the lack of attention to victims' suggestions and expressed concern that the current committee might repeat the mistakes of previous ones, which failed to address victims' grievances. He stressed the importance of appointing officials with the right approach, learning from past mistakes.
Adhikari also emphasized the need for a clear mandate moving forward. Various methods can be employed to gather names of potential candidates, including soliciting applications. However, he pointed out that discussions about the chairperson began even before the recommendation committee was fully formed.
"We have called for a public hearing to select officials," he said. “What is the solution to transitional issues? The experiences and expertise of the candidates must be considered. The bill to amend the Enforced Disappearances, Truth, and Reconciliation Commission Act, 2014, passed by the House of Representatives, has already been certified by the President,” he added.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission for the Investigation of Enforced Disappearances have been without officials since July 17, 2022. Approximately 64,000 conflict-related complaints have been filed with both commissions.
These commissions are tasked with investigating human rights violations during the decade-long conflict. They also aim to foster reconciliation between perpetrators and victims, promoting mutual understanding and creating an environment conducive to lasting peace.
A comprehensive peace agreement was signed between the then-government and Maoist insurgents on November 21, 2006, to create an atmosphere of reconciliation. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission for the Investigation of Disappeared Persons were established on January 10, 2015.
The first chairperson of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was Surya Kiran Gurung, followed by Ganesh Datta Bhatt in January 2020. Lokendra Malik served as the first chairperson of the Commission for the Investigation of Disappeared Persons, with Yubraj Subedi as the second chairperson.
