KATHMANDU, Nov 21: The conflict victims organized a sit-in in the capital on Friday, accusing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons of failing to be supportive of the conflict survivors.
Staging symbolic protests outside both the commissions' offices, they expressed their grievances that justice remains elusive even 19 years after the comprehensive peace agreement. Their demands included the resignation of officials from both commissions.
All seven constitutional commissions remain ineffective
Ram Bhandari, a victim involved in the sit-in organized by the 'All Conflict Victims Community,' voiced their lack of trust in the commissions and insisted on the resignation of their officials. He called for a reorganization of the commissions to better represent the actual victims.
Bhandari conveyed his frustration, stating that despite nearly two decades of seeking the truth, they have received no acknowledgment from the state. He remarked, “Victims have been excluded from the justice process. The state imposed the commission, which we have consistently rejected. Today, we are conducting protest programmes across all seven provinces.”
The victims also appealed to the commissions' staff for empathy and collaboration.
However, Uddhab Prasad Pudasaini, secretary of the Commission of Investigation into Enforced Disappearances, affirmed their dedication to progressing with their work while heeding the victims' concerns. He suggested that if conflict victims, political parties, and other stakeholders could unite, the judicial process would gain momentum.
