Editorial: Heed conflict victims
Despite some progressive provisions in the bill, stakeholders have raised concerns over some provisions that allow for granting of amnesty even in grave human rights violations. A few days ago, representatives of the United Nations and some powerful countries had met CPN (Maoist Center) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal to flag their concerns over the new bill. Undue interference of the international community is undesired but their concerns also cannot be brushed aside, given the universal jurisdiction of human rights.
It is up to Nepal’s political parties to settle war-era cases through domestic mechanisms in line with the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed in 2006. Whether we accept it or not, the international community is also a stakeholder in this process. The approach taken by Law Minister Govinda Prasad Sharma (Koirala) is thus under a question mark. He prepared the bill on the basis of consultation with top leaders of major parties but bypassed the transitional justice mechanisms and conflict victims. If the bill is passed in a hurry without addressing the concerns of all stakeholders, it might create more problems than it will help solve. Attempts to settle the war-era cases forcefully with majority support in parliament could backfire. Yes, transitional justice in Nepal has needlessly dragged on. But that should not be the reason to hurry things along without broad consultations with key stakeholders.
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