Panchthar, August 11

Conflict victims in Mechi have expressed doubts regarding the reports prepared by the transitional justice bodies formed by the government to provide them justice.

Speaking at an interaction organised by Conflict Victims’ Common Platform in Panchthar’s district headquarters Phidim today, the victims lamented the failure of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission of Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons to adequately advocate for the conflict victims Victims from Taplejung, Panchthar, Illam and Jhapa, who had participated in the programme, lamented delay in giving justice.

Conflict victim Bhagiratha Adhikari of Jhapa asked the commissions to reach to the local levels to learn about the problems of the victims and then address the same more effectively. “Actually, it seems that the commissioners of the commissions have occupied the posts just for certain amount as salary every month; we have to wait for years just to meet them to get our concerns heard,” she observed, also adding that most of the victims were hesitant to file complaint with the commissions unconvinced that their complaints would be kept confidential.

Another conflict victim, Mahanand Ojha of Panchthar stressed the need to accommodate victims’ concerns in the new draft of the bill related to transitional justice. “There are commissions meant to address our concerns and provide us justice but their job has been limited to collecting complaints,” he observed.

CVCP founding chairperson Suman Adhikari bemoaned the fact that the conflict victims had to  wait for justice even after more than a decade since the peace process started. Various other persons had also spoken on the occasion. According to CVCP central vice-chairperson Rupesh Shah, such interactions will also be held at other places.

“We will hold such interactions in some 11 places across the country and then submit the report to the government,” he informed.