Rights defenders demand new names for transitional justice shortlist

The rights defenders have expressed strong objection to the published shortlist to fill positions in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Disappearances Commission.

The names have been proposed by the Recommendation Committee headed by retired Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra.

Nepal’s human rights community has repeatedly and publicly demanded that the Recommendation Committee propose individuals who are knowledgeable on transitional justice, who do not have a controversial record, and who will be trusted by the community of conflict victims.

Eventually, a problematic list was published, and practically every conflict victim organization in the country joined in a statement on December 6, 2024 rejecting the names recommended for chairpersons of the two commissions.

“It has become clear to us that neither commission will have credibility if led by the individuals on the present shortlist, and even more so two individuals who are said to be favored by the political leadership,” reads a statement signed by Sushil Pyakurel, Mohna Ansari, Kanak Mani Dixit. The two commissions cannot expect cooperation from the human rights and conflict victim communities.

“Given the lack of credibility of the published shortlist, we demand that the Recommendation Committee embark on a fresh exercise to put forward a shortlist of the two transitional justice mechanisms,” the rights defenders said, adding, “We have always been of the opinion that Nepal’s polity has the will and capacity to bring the transitional justice process to a just and proper conclusion, but the failure to establish a credible transitional justice commission is bound to attract international interest and involvement.”