Just a day after the government agreed to probe the Gaur massacre that took place 17 years ago, Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal (JSP-N), whose leader Upendra Yadav is alleged to have masterminded the carnage, has dismissed the deal as nothing more than a stunt. On Tuesday, the government and Gaur Massacre Victims Struggle Committee (GMVSC) reached a five-point agreement to probe the incident that it considers was executed in a planned manner by the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) then led by Yadav. Twenty-seven cadres of the Maoist Centre were killed and another 115 others injured on March 21, 2007 when the MJF cadres went on a rampage after the two parties had converged to hold their rallies at the same venue in Gaur, Rautahat. Following the deal on Tuesday, the GMVSC has called off its protests in the capital, and it is doubtful if the government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal will start an investigation anytime soon. JSP-N is a constituent of the 10-party coalition government, and Prime Minister Dahal knows better which side of his bread is buttered on.

Over the years, the Gaur massacre has been probed by quite a few committees and commissions, including a committee led by then Supreme Court Justice Khilraj Regmi, United Nations Mission in Nepal (UN- MIN) and the National Human Rights Commission. Some of these reports were made public while others were not. There seem to be conflicting views as to who first started the confrontation that led to so many deaths and injuries, which had hitherto been surpassed only by clashes during the bloody Maoist conflict that ended in 2006. According to JSP-N, seven FIRs were filed in the aftermath of the Gaur massacre, andthe Gaur massacre, and 350 people were named on flimsy grounds. It claims these names were included in the FIRs to exact revenge by the local people who held grudges against them. It claims most of the probe committees held the Maoist party responsible for the massacre as it had also decided to hold its rally simultaneously at the same venue although the MJF had booked the space a fortnight before.

It is the duty of the state to provide justice to the family members and the victims of the carnage. It is unfortunate that their pleas for justice have fallen on deaf ears although several parties have led the government over the years. What is most surprising is that the Maoist party, which led the government on three occasions, including the present one, did nothing to start an investigation although it lost more than two dozen cadres in the carnage. If the current government does not exhibit the political will to start an investigation into the Rautahat carnage immediately, it could just fizzle out over time as have similar incidents in the past, leaving the victims in the lurch as they have been for the past 17 years. The JSP-N has demanded that either an all-party parliamentary committee or the Truth and Reconciliation Commission probe the Gaur massacre, knowing fully well that no party would want it. In such a scenario, justice for the victims of the Gaur massacre is likely to remain elusive as it has been for the sufferers of the decade-long Maoist insurgency. We could see more of such carnages if alleged criminals are allowed to act with impunity.

Contractors' woes

The Federation of Contractors' Association of Nepal (FCAN) has launched its second phase of agitation, urging the government to address their genuine demands. Contractors from all the seven provinces and 77 districts gathered in front of the parliament building at Baneshwor by wearing black armbands. The Federation of Nepal Crusher and Mining Industry Entrepreneurs also joined hands with the contractors.

The contractors have been holding protests since July 30, demanding remuneration for the completed government-funded projects, extension of the ongoing projects, price adjustments, enactment of contractor-friendly regulations and formation of a high-level negotiation team to address their demands. It is the contractors who execute the government-funded projects. They also provide job opportunities to thousands of skilled and unskilled workers in the construction sector. If they are not paid in time, it is ultimately the workers who suffer the most due to the government's apathy. Price adjustment of the projects is another issue, which should be resolved as per the nature of work, which is usually hampered or delayed as a result of natural disasters and local obstructions. The government must be ready to address their genuine concerns.

A version of this article appears in the print on August 11, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.