Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 14:

The Centre for Victims of Torture (CIVICT), a nongovernmental organisation, is to help settle small disputes in different districts by acting as arbitrator and thus strengthen quick justice delivery through informal sector and reduce load in the courts.

This was announced at the concluding ceremony of a two-day national conference on role of mediators in delivering justice, organised by the CIVICT.

"We will soon extend our services in 13 districts," Shambhu Kattel, coordinator of the Community Conciliation Programme of the CIVICT said.

Currently the CIVICT has introduced such programmes in three districts — Ilam, Jhapa and Sunsari — in 2001.

Judges, lawyers, and the government officials who attended the conference, suggested CIVICT to launch the programmes with coordination of the local bodies.

The conference also adopted a six-point-recommendation, which suggests the government and the judiciary to launch such programmes effectively.

The Centre for Victims of Torture informed that the mediation committees settled 1784 of the 2201 cases registered.