"Doors for respect and reparation for martyrs and families of disappeared opens"

Kaski, Aug 26: CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' said that endorsement of the TRC bill in both Houses of the federal parliament has paved the way for honoring and providing reparation to the families of martyrs and those subjected to enforced disappearances.     

It may be noted that the Bill related to Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Third Amendment)-2081 BS, also known as Truth and Reconciliation Bill (TRC Bill for short) was approved unanimously in the National Assembly on August 22.     

Similarly, the House of Representatives had passed the bill related to transitional justice on August 14.     

In a meeting with the families of the martyrs and those who were forcefully disappeared during the conflict-era in Pokhara today, Chairperson Prachanda noted that the finalization of the bill had marked a significant step forward.     

Prachanda, also former Prime Minister, expressed his confidence that the Commissions related to transitional justice would investigate into the missing combatants and expedite the process to find their whereabouts.     

"Not only for the martyrs, the door to find the condition of the missing combatants has been opened," he asserted, assuring that the Commissions will investigate and those missing ones will receive respect and reparation similarly as the martyrs.     

Furthermore, he shared that the previous government led by his party had recognized all those attaining martyrdom during the people's war as national martyrs and their status has been officially recorded in the gazette.     

According to him, tensions ran high among them as all those dying during other movements were recognized as martyrs while those dying during the people's war were not considered national martyrs.     

"After the government led by me acknowledged everyone who laid down their lives during the people's war as national martyrs and published it in the gazette, all martyrs gained the status of national martyrs," he shared.     

During the meeting, Ananath Baral, President of the organization related to the families of the disappeared combatants, lamented that they were still suffering due to prolonged uncertainly about status of their disappeared family members.     

"We have not yet received any information about the condition of our disappeared family members. We have not been able to perform final rites of those disappeared ones according to our traditions, further leaving our families in suffering," he bemoaned.(RSS)