KATHMANDU, March 29: Conflict victims and human rights activists have expressed serious objection to the provisions in the bill tabled in the parliament to bring amendment to Nepal’s transitional justice legislations.

KATHMANDU, August 29:  A memorandum addressed to UN Secretary-General António Guterres alerting him to “multiple flaws” in the transitional justice amendment bill before Nepal’s Parliament was handed over this morning to the UN Resident Coordinator Richard Howard by a group of conflict victims and human rights defenders.

The issues that plagued pre-war Nepal still find resonance in contemporary times. It is important to work with civil society and victims to exert pressure on political elites to ensure full implementation of CPA.

Who did this?

March 16, 2020 10:32 am

When the terms of transitional justice bodies—Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP)—came to an end in April, 2019, one of the major concerns of the victims as well as the rights activists was what would happen to the complaints filed at TRC and CIEDP? Will they be protected? Who will protect those documents so that the top officials to succeed the chief commissioners and commissioners of these bodies will be able to build on whatever little progress made over the years? Will the victims be provided justice?

Waiting for son,waiting for daughter

February 13, 2020 08:05 am

SURKHET/DANG, Feb 13: “Mother, if you don’t come and save me right away, you won’t be able to see me ever again. I am in the claws of a tiger; it will devour me mercilessly.”

Message of impunity

January 28, 2020 09:56 am

Ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and opposition Nepali Congress made the biggest mistake on Sunday by electing Agni Prasad Sapkota to the post of Speaker of the House of Representatives. They turned deaf ears to all appeals from civil society leaders, media and conflict victims not to endorse a person accused of war crimes for the prestigious post.

ROLPA, Jan 28: Bhuwan Budha of Jelwang village of Sunchhahari Rural Municipality in Rolpa district was killed by the security forces 17 years ago. He was 22. His father Mangale Budha died at the age of 90 last year.

KATHMANDU, Jan 27: Unconvinced by the government’s approach to the transitional justice (TJ) process, Nepal’s conflict victims have threatened to invite the international community including the United Nations to intervene in the ‘botched’ justice process.  They believe recent government efforts taken toward resolving the conflict-era cases have dampened the hopes of the conflict victims.

Mockery of justice

January 19, 2020 09:22 am

More than a decade after the end of armed insurgency, the country is yet to come to terms with the national trauma it unleashed.  Yes, the party and the leader who led the insurgency then are in the mainstream politics now and leading the government. Many of the works of peace process have been completed but the most pressing issue of resolution of cases of conflict era crimes—enforced disappearances, deaths, rapes and tortures, among others—are yet to be resolved. Victims of the conflict-era crimes are clamouring for justice but they have not been heard.

KATHMANDU, Jan 19: A high-level committee formed to suggest the commissioners for two transitional justice (TJ) bodies has recommended the chiefs and members for the bodies established to settle war-era cases. Conflict victims have been waiting for justice since the Maoist insurgency ended in 2007.

BUTUWAL, Jan 16: Rabina Chaudhary of Rajapur of Bardiya district was married off when she was just 16. It was in 2001. The next year, her husband, Krim Kumar Chaudhary went missing. He was reportedly taken away by the police. Krim Kumar was 20 then. Eighteen years down the line, Rabina is clueless about the whereabouts of her husband.

KATHMANDU, Jan 16: Human Rights Watch, a New York-based international human rights watchdog, has rapped the government led by KP Oli for failing to deliver transitional justice to conflict victims and introducing a slew of measures to curtail freedom of expression.

KATHMANDU, Jan 7: In a bid to restart the long-stalled transitional justice (TJ) process, the government is holding consultations with conflict victims and other stakeholders in all seven provinces from January 13.

KATHMANDU, Nov 27: Four international human rights organizations have criticized Nepal for making no progress in ensuring justice for victims of gross human rights violation and abuses during the decade-long Maoist insurgency even after 13 years of signing a peace deal.

KATHMANDU, Nov 25: As the committee formed to recommend office bearers for the two transitional justice (TJ) bodies prepares to publish a final list of candidates, conflict victims have warned of serious consequences if the ongoing recommendation process is not halted.

KATHMANDU, Nov 22: While the country marks the 13th anniversary of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), thousands of conflict victims at the hands of both sides – the state and the Maoists – are still struggling for justice. They have accused the government of ignoring their years-long quest for justice.

KATHMANDU, Nov 21: Victims of decade-long armed conflict have staged a demonstration in the capital on Thursday.

Waiting for justice

November 21, 2019 08:41 am

Thirteen years after signing of CPA, justice eludes the conflict victims

KATHMANDU, Sept 17: Conflict victims have urged the government to replace the existing recommendation committee formed to suggest commissioners for the transitional justice (TJ) bodies or suspend its work "if the TJ process is to be pushed ahead".

KATHMANDU, Sept 13: In a bid to bring the derailed transitional justice (TJ) process back on track, the government is weighing two options — appointing office-bearers to two TJ bodies and finalize the disputed TJ draft bills by consulting with stakeholders simultaneously - so that the conflict victims could own up the process.

KATHMANDU, Sept 9: Despite strong warnings by several quarters including key stakeholders, the conflict victims, against recommending the past commissioners and controversial individuals to the transitional justice (TJ) bodies, the committee formed to recommend commissioners for the bodies is set to make public its nominees this week.

KATHMANDU, Sept 7:  Conflict victims have warned that they may stay away from the transitional justice (TJ)  process if former commissioners who were earlier ‘removed’ from their positions for failing to resolve conflict-era cases or controversial people are appointed to the TJ bodies.

ROLPA, Aug 13: A week-long free health camp organized by the provincial government targeting people who became physically disabled during the Maoist insurgency has ended before the conflict victims could visit the camp.

KATHMANDU, Aug 10: Conflict victims have sought a time-bound work plan to resolve the long-pending conflict-era cases of human rights violation before the names of prospective candidates for commissioners of the two transitional justice (TJ) bodies are recommended.

ROLPA, July 3: Four years ago, assuring the locals of the confidentiality and secrecy of the details, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) collected complaints from the families of those killed and disappeared in the conflict era. However, as the authorities have done nothing much over these past four years, the victims' families wonder where and in what state the files of their complaints are.

KATHMANDU, April 29: A section of conflict victims and civil society members staged demonstration in the capital on Monday demanding a credible transitional justice in Nepal.

KATHMANDU, April 13: The members of two crucial transitional justice (TJ) bodies spent nearly Rs 460 million during their four years plus stay in office. But justice for the conflict victims still remains illusive.

ROLPA, March 3: Even though it has been more than 12 years since the decade-long Maoist conflict ended, the conflict-era victims are yet to know why their family members and relatives were abducted and killed.

KATHMANDU, Feb 11: Rights bodies and conflict victims have urged the government to begin consultations on transitional justice-related law and appoint competent professionals to fill the leadership void in Transitional Justice bodies without further delay.

Conflict victim’s new body formed

January 27, 2019 10:58 am

KATHMANDU, Jan 27: A group of dissident conflict victims on Saturday formed the Conflict Victims' National Alliance for Justice (CVNAJ). A meeting of the conflict victims gathered from across the country has named Geeta Rasaili as the head of CVNAJ.

KATHMANDU, Jan 26: Two weeks before the expiry of the terms of two crucial transitional justice (TJ) commissions, the government is preparing to hold nation-wide consultations with major stakeholders including conflict victims about the future the transitional justice process.

KATHMANDU, Jan 23: The Transitional Justice (TJ) bodies are likely to get yet another round of term extensions as these bodies have been unable to conclude investigations into conflict-era cases and ensure justice for the victims within the existing deadline.

Rift grows among conflict victims

December 25, 2018 06:58 am

KATHMANDU, Dec 25: Dismayed by recent moves to form a high-level mechanism for resolving conflict-era cases, a group of conflict victims has formed a separate organization,  further complicating the long-delayed transitional justice process.

KATHMANDU, Dec 15: Dismayed over ongoing efforts to mandate a high-level political mechanism to deal with the Maoist insurgency-era cases, a group of conflict victims, human rights activists and lawyers on Friday submitted a memorandum to Swiss Ambassador to Nepal, Elisabeth Bon Cappler.

KATHMANDU, Nov 28: Concerned over the recent developments with regard to the transitional justice process, a section of human rights activists and conflict victims on Tuesday submitted a position paper to UN’s Nepal Resident Coordinator Valerie Julliand seeking ‘adequate initiative from the UN agencies on the matter.

KATMANDU, Nov 24: Rift among conflict victims has widened with two groups coming up with separate approaches to resolving the protracted quest for transitional justice.

KATHMANDU, Nov 22: A two-day national conference of conflict victims on transitional justice ended on Wednesday, calling for meaningful participation of the conflict victims themselves in the overall transitional justice process and related mechanisms.

KATHMANDU, Nov 19: Conflict victims and human rights activists are sharply divided over a proposed political process to conclude transitional justice process.

BANKE, Sept 22: Nineteen years have gone by since Khinumaya Pathak of Banke has been desperately waiting to know the status of her missing husband.