Proceed with conclusion of transitional justice promptly: Survivors demand

Kathmandu, June 27: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has called for submissions and suggestions to help it ensure justice for survivors of the armed conflict.

During an interaction with conflict survivors and other concerned stakeholders in Kathmandu on Friday, TRC officials expressed commitments to incorporating valuable information, concern, and recommendations from those affected by the conflict.

Conflict survivor Kali Bahadur Bista urged TRC to take substantive and prompt action to deliver justice to those victimized by both state and rebel forces. The survivors recounted various forms of violence they endured during the conflict, including exploitation, looting, physical assault, injury, abduction, property confiscation, and forced displacement from their villages.

Expressing frustration over the prolonged delay in receiving justice, many participants accused the two transitional justice commissions of becoming "recruitment centres" for political cadres. They also alleged that the distribution of compensation was influenced by political access and favoritism.

Hira Tiwari Shama, whose spouse was abducted during a meal and later murdered in a forest, questioned the years-long delay in addressing cases like hers.

The denial of justice over an extended period, survivors said, has created a growing sense of alienation and division among them, they said, demanding fair compensation and repatriation measures to restore their sense of justice.

Additional demands included the issuance of identity cards to survivors with classification based on the nature and severity of torture in a fair manner. They also urged TRC officials to ensure transparency and prevent the misappropriation of funds allocated for the causes of conflict-affected people. (RSS)