Victims welcome passage of TJ bill, urge action on key demands

Published On: August 15, 2024 10:56 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Aug 15: Victims of serious human rights violations have welcomed the passage of the Bill to Amend Transitional Justice (TJ) Act by the House of Representatives, viewing it as a significant step toward addressing their long-standing demands for truth, justice, and reparation.

The bill, an amendment to a 2071 Act, was unanimously approved and is seen as a historic achievement by the victims' network.

Ram Bhandari, president of the International Network of Victims and Survivor of Serious Human Rights Abuse, and Devi Khadka, coordinator of the National Organisation of Wartime Rape Victims, issued a statement highlighting three key demands. They called for mandatory psychosocial counseling for victims and their families during the truth-seeking process, ensuring victim participation in the management and operation of the commission's fund, and implementing social security and welfare measures for victims at the local level, coordinated by local, federal, and provincial governments. The victims emphasized the need for these demands to be met in order to fully realize the potential of the TJ bill.