CPN-MC ready to face conflict-era cases, says AG

Kathmandu, July 31

Attorney General Hari Phuyal today said that the legal framework recommended by his office to address issues relating to transitional justice was generally acceptable to all sides.

Phuyal said CPN-Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal was appreciative of the work carried out by the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.

Dahal reportedly told him that the vote of no confidence moved against the PM did not have anything to do with transitional justice issues.

The AG said he had handed over a draft of the legal amendments he had prepared to address the concerns of the stakeholders but as the CPN-MC decided to move a no trust motion against the current coalition government the process to amend laws relating to transitional justice could not move ahead.

According to him, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN-MC Chair Dahal and the Nepali Army had agreed that there would be no-amnesty for those involved in four types of cases — killing somebody after taking them under one’s control, torture, enforced disappearance and rape and sexual assaults

Phuyal said during the conflict 225 cases were filed against Maoist leaders, 17 cases were filed against CPN-MC Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and 11 cases were filed against top leaders of the party, including former Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai, who is now the Chair of Naya Shakti Nepal.

Phuyal said he had also suggested that anybody who was convicted for war era crimes and those who had served 40 per cent of jail sentence could be pardoned if they surrendered themselves to the administration.

He said the 225 cases could be brought to TRC with the consent of civil society and victims.

“The victims say that if 8-10 cases cannot be brought to the Special Court, they would not support transitional mechanism,” he said.