Kathmandu, July 10

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission today set up its Province 3 field office in Patan, Lalitpur.

The transitional mechanism has already set up field offices in six other provinces. Every field office will begin investigation into 1,000 cases of human rights violation. The TRC has received 58,052 complaints from conflict

victims.

Addressing the inaugural programme here today, TRC Chair Surya Kiran Gurung said some sections of society were apprehensive that the TRC would also meet the

fate of the Mallik Commission and Rayamajhi Commission, but if the state took the recommendations of the TRC lightly, it would have to pay a heavy price. Reports of the Mallik and Raymajhi commissions were not implemented.

In an oblique reference to Nepalese Army colonel Kumar Lama’s arrest in the UK in January 2013 for allegedly torturing two persons during conflict, TRC Chair Gurung said universal jurisdiction could be invoked again if the conflict victims were not ensured justice in Nepal. Lama was however, acquitted by a UK court in September 2016.

Gurung said he would work to ensure a win-win situation for all and to prevent recurrence of conflicts. He also said that the transitional justice mechanisms were formed as ensuring justice through the regular criminal system was not possible.

Another TRC member Lila Udasi Khanal said the TRC had many challenging tasks at hand and without the support of all stakeholders, the transitional justice mechanism would not be able to overcome those challenges. “If all stakeholders support us, we will get success,” he said, adding, the TRC was mindful that justice delayed meant justice denied.