Reconstructed structures of poor quality: House panel

Kathmandu, June 7

Even a decade after the Maoist insurgency ended in 2006, many structures, including health posts, damaged during the conflict era are yet to be reconstructed, while those reconstructed have been found to be substandard, stated a parliamentary panel after its field study in three sample conflict-hit districts – Jumla, Rukum and Achham.

The study report presented by the Social Justice and Human Rights Committee of the Legislature-Parliament at the panel’s meeting today stated that the nine-point agreement reached between coalition partners, CPN-UML and Unified CPN-Maoist, on May 5 only created distrust and led to frustration among conflict victims regarding the outcome of their complaints filed at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons.

The report suggested that the government should alert the security bodies to the feeling of fear and insecurity among the people involved in collection of conflict related complaints by the two commissions.

Reconstructed structures, including government offices, police offices and VDC buildings, have been found substandard and weak, states the report, urging the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority to evaluate and investigate the matter and take action against the guilty.

Some works, including construction of Tundikhel and Mahat village road in Jumla, which were not related to conflict, were found to have been done with the fund of Peace and Reconstruction Programme, states the panel.

The report adds that the health posts destroyed during insurgency had not been reinstated and the district-level hospitals had not been upgraded.

The panel urged the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction to settle transaction of land and houses and money from the rebels during the conflict. It can be done through local peace committees and a separate commission at the centre.

Mangalsen Durbar of Achham, which was damaged during insurgency, has not been reconstructed although its reconstruction began eight years ago, said the panel.

As a large number of personal documents were destroyed and houses and land captured by rebels during the conflict time are yet to be returned, the ministry should probe such cases and take proper action.

Three sub-panels comprising four more members of Parliament were formed under the coordination of the SJHRC Chairman Sushil Kumar Shrestha and the sub-panels had visited the three districts.

The report was prepared after meeting district level authorities and victims, according to the committee’s Secretary Roj Nath Pande.

After preliminary discussion on the report during the committee’s meeting today, it formed a three-member sub panel comprising Asta Laxmi Shakya as coordinator and Hita Raj Pande and Krishna Bahadur Chhantel as members, according to Pande.