KATHMANDU, JUNE 30
The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs is trying to amend the Truth and Reconciliation Act that remains unimplemented for almost eight years.
Talking to The Himalayan Times, Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Govinda Bandi said his ministry has made some progress with regard to the drafting of the Truth and Reconciliation (Amendment) Bill.
He said conflict victims had not got justice due to delay in the conclusion of the peace process. "Two commissions were formed to deal with conflict era cases of rights violations but as the TRC Act could not be amended for long in accordance with the Supreme Court order that said amnesty could not be granted in serious human rights violation cases, these commissions could not work effectively.
"Victims had filed cases against the new TRC law that was enacted eight years ago. The SC ruled in 2014 that some legal provisions of the Act were against Nepal's treaty obligations. In the last eight years, the TRC Act could not be amended and now we are trying to amend that law in accordance with the SC order.
"Since the issues of the peace process have to be discussed with top leaders of political parties, we are consulting them on these issues. Endlessly extending the deadline of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) won't be a solution," he said.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 1, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
