‘TJ process should meet international standards’

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has said that Nepal’s transitional justice process should meet the international standards, the Supreme Court’s ruling and the needs of the conflict victims.

Speaking with media persons after meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the head of the global body stated that Nepal has embarked on the final stages of the peace process with progress on transitional justice process. Government is making preparations to present an amendment bill in the federal Parliament for endorsement but conflict victims and the international community are expressing dissatisfaction over some of the provisions. They are of the view that there still is room for blanket amnesty in the proposed bill.

Transitional justice must help bring peace to victims, families and communities, the secretary-general said, The United Nations stands ready to support Nepal to develop a process that meets international standards, the Supreme Court’s rulings, and the needs of victims—and put it into practice.

The UN Chief, who arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday, said he is in Kathmandu to strengthen the deep friendship and cooperation between Nepal and the UN.  Nepal has a long and proud tradition of championing peace and multilateralism, he said, and the United Nations is hugely grateful to Nepal for “your support for multilateral solutions—backed up by the enormous contribution you make to peacekeeping missions around the world.”

“Nepal’s progress over the past 20 years has been astonishing: You have become a republic, established peace and thrown yourselves behind the Sustainable Development Goals and climate action.” The next few years will be decisive, as Nepal prepares to graduate from Least Developed Country status, he said. Nepal is also caught in a blizzard of global crises not of its making: The aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, inflation caused by the international economic situation and the enormous threat posed by climate chaos, the UN Chief said. “Much more international action is needed. Developed countries must step up to support sustainable development, and help developing economies including Nepal to tackle the climate crisis.”

On this trip, I will visit the Himalayas to see for myself the terrible impact of the climate crisis on the glaciers, he further said, describing the situation as “dire and accelerating”. 

He said: Nepal has lost close to a third of its ice in just over 30 years. And glaciers are melting at record rates. The impact on communities is devastating and I will meet local people in the Himalayas to hear directly from them about how they are affected. 

The UN head also spoke about the ongoing crisis in the Middle East. 

We are living in difficult and tense times, he said. “I know that even though the conflict in the Middle East is thousands of miles away, it has hit very close to home for the people of Nepal.”

The UN head extended his deepest condolences to the families of the 10 Nepali students killed in the terror attacks by Hamas in Israel on Oct 7, and extended his best wishes for the safe return of Bipin Joshi, who is missing.

“And I repeat my utter condemnation of the appalling attacks perpetrated by Hamas. There is no justification, ever, for the killing, injuring and abduction of civilians,” he said. 

“The situation in Gaza is growing more desperate by the hours. I regret that instead of a critically needed humanitarian pause supported by the international community, Israel has intensified its military operations.”

Guterres said he would also visit Lumbini, Gautam Buddha’s birthplace in southern Nepal “to reflect on Lord Buddha’s teachings of peace and non-violence, which are more relevant than ever in our deeply troubled world.”