The week that was

This week, one of the significant achievements by our major political parties was the passage of the bill to amend the Enforced Disappearances Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act. The amendment had been stalled since 2015 due to disagreements among the major parties, particularly on issues related to serious human rights violations during the conflict era. With this agreement, it is expected that the two transitional bodies—the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission for the Investigation of Enforced Disappearances—will now function effectively, allowing them to investigate around 65,000 complaints filed by conflict victims.

The bill’s passage has been cautiously welcomed by both the international community and conflict victims, two key stakeholders in the transitional justice process. They are hopeful that the commissions will operate independently, consult with conflict victims, and function effectively. Previously, due to a lack of cooperation from both the international community and conflict victims, the commissions struggled to work effectively. Now, attention is focused on the government’s approach to appointments in these commissions and any potential reservations from the Supreme Court and international community. It is a positive sign that the United Nations, the US, the European Union, and other countries have cautiously welcomed this new development, which could create a favorable environment for the government to address remaining issues. However, there is still a risk that conflict victims may not support the appointments to the commissions. Additionally, it could take 4-5 years to complete investigations into all cases.

Another notable story this week was the signs of potential dispute within the CPN (Maoist Center) during the party’s standing committee meeting. Party’s Deputy General Secretary Janardhan Sharma surprised many by challenging Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, urging him to step down and hand over leadership to the younger generation. Some leaders, including Dev Gurung, defended Dahal, who has led the party for nearly four decades and has shown no signs of stepping back from active politics. Sharma went so far as to accuse the Dahal of using the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to target him after he criticized the party. Former Speaker Onsari Gharti also suggested that Dahal may have attempted to implicate her and Barsha Man Pun in a gold smuggling investigation.

This situation highlights the growing mistrust between Dahal and other party leaders. If these accusations are true, they should be a wake-up call for those outside the party as well, as the use of state mechanisms to silence both intra-party and inter-party rivals is a troubling trend in Nepali politics. Former Deputy Prime Minister Rabi Lamichhane had faced similar criticisms. The CIAA, a constitutional body meant to operate independently, is now under severe scrutiny. It is time for the CIAA to demonstrate to the public that it does not function under the influence of the government.

Moving on to the intra-party politics within the ruling Nepali Congress, diverging opinions on potential electoral alliances have further complicated matters within the party. NC General Secretary duo Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma have long been advocating for a clear policy that the party should not engage in any pre-poll alliances. The same issue surfaced during the party’s meeting this week, where NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba appeared reluctant to give in to the demand of the two general secretaries. Despite being the largest party, the NC faces significant challenges in contesting elections alone, especially if the communist parties remain united. Understandably, Deuba is opposed to the idea of officially eschewing future electoral alliances.

The long-standing power struggle has also resurfaced inside the NC. For quite some time, factions led by party President Deuba, senior leader Shekhar Koirala, and General Secretary Thapa have been at odds. With Deuba ineligible to seek another term as party president, both Thapa and Koirala are vying for leadership. At the same time, Thapa and Koirala are also determined to prevent Deuba from becoming prime minister again, fearing he may use state power to influence the party convention in favor of his preferred successor.

In another story, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri paid a two-day official visit to Nepal this week. His arrival represents a pivotal moment for both India and Nepal, offering a chance to align their strategic priorities and deepen mutual understanding. A seasoned diplomat with a distinguished reputation as a China specialist, Misri was appointed foreign secretary last month. In line with tradition, his inaugural diplomatic mission took him to neighboring countries, with Nepal being a significant stop.  

His visit followed the recent establishment of a new government in Nepal, led by CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli, in coalition with the NC. During his Kathmandu stay, Misri engaged in comprehensive consultations with Nepali leaders, focusing on political and developmental issues of shared concern. About his visit, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said: “Nepal is a priority partner of India under its Neighborhood First Policy. The Foreign Secretary’s visit continued the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and helped in advancing our bilateral ties further.”

 

That’s all for this week. Happy weekend!