Bhattarai ready to accept TRC verdict on conflict-era cases
KATHMANDU: Former Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai, who was the head of "people's government" formed by the rebels during the armed insurgency, has expressed his readiness to accept the verdicts of Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) on the conflict-era cases.
In his speech at the function organised to formally announce his new party, Naya Shakti Nepal, the former prime minister publicly made the commitment to accept the TRC's verdict made through fair investigation.
"I might have hurt friends of different parties in the past. In the past, we resorted to war. Many people were killed, people lost their kith and kin. This may have left wounds and scars in your heart now also," he said. He, however, tried to justify the decade-long Maoist insurgency saying it was a revolt launched to end the absolute monarchy and the unitary state.
"During the period of insurgency, many people lost their life, which was unpleasant. But this has already been history," he added.
Now, we have let TRC to look into this, Bhattarai went on to say, "Let's make a commitment -- let's let TRC look into (the cases) fairly -- we will accept the verdict. I will accept, I make this commitment from here."
Earlier he urged all to give up their doubt over his new mission, saying all he wanted to do was for the people and the country's prosperity.
"You may have in your mind: Baburam is also an old person, a person who launched people's war for 10 years, a person who came from the Maoist movement, and how can he be new? I come from a humble family of farmers in Gorkha. With all your good-will, I have already become the country's prime minister and there's not any bigger executive position than it in this country. I've nothing else to gain now. I want to dedicate rest of my life not for myself but for you, specially the youth who want to stay in the country and make it prosperous."
Referring to Prince Siddhartha Gautam leaving the palace in search of knowledge, Bhattarai said he has taken up the risk for the people and the country.
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