Gaur massacre victims deserve justice

Roughly two decades after the Gaur massacre, the government has promised justice for the victims. While the delay in justice delivery is regrettable, I take this pledge positively.

It should be noted that the United Nations Human Rights Commission had published a report on the massacre, urging legal action against the accused. Six months into the heinous crime, the National Human Rights Commission Nepal (NHRC) had also submitted its findings. But successive governments paid no heed to these reports.

In the wake of the victims’ protests, the government has taken an initial step toward justice dispensation. But it has not gone well with leaders of the Janata Samjbadi Party Nepal, a partner in the ruling coalition, which has started pressing the government to halt further steps.

Such acts can hinder the pursuit of justice. The government should probe this case by withstanding political pressure and deliver justice to the victims.

The author is a human rights activist