12th death anniversary of Muktinath Adhikari observed
17 January, 2014
Political leaders, human rights activists and conflict-victim families repeated their concern that justice could not be ensured until impunity was put to an end in the country at an interaction programme organised by Muktinath Memorial Foundation and Amnesty International Nepal to mark the 12th death anniversary of Muktinath Adhikari.
Adhikari, a Lamjung-based teacher, and a member of Amnesty Nepal, was killed by Maoists rebels during the insurgency.
Addressing the program, Dr Ramsharan Mahat, former minister and leader of Nepali Congress said that his party is committed to ensure justice to the victims. He assured that implement the Supreme Court order of January 2 in its letter and spirit after a new government has been formed under the lead of his party.
Likewise, former minister and senior leader of Nepal Communist Party (UML), Bhim Rawal, said that an independent Truth and Reconciliation Commission will be formed once the new government is elected.
Sunil Bahadur Thapa, a newly elected Constituent Assembly (CA) member and leader of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) expressed his commitment to work towards ensuring justice to the conflict victims on behalf of his party and as a CA member himself.
Similarly, advisor of AI Nepal Krishna Kandel welcomed the latest verdict made by Supreme Court and expressed his hope for the implementation of it.
Janak Raut, Chairperson of Conflict Victim Society for Justice, said: “Even rivers change their course in 12 years, but there has been no change in our situation. Justice has not been delivered. Police are refusing to register first information report (FIR) despite victims coming forward. They (police) say that they have to wait for order from above before they proceed with the case.”
Another conflict victim Maina Karki Rawal complained that victims have not even received government relief package. “We want justice, not just relief, and it can be achieved only when the government delivers on its promises,” she said.
Suman Adhikari, son of Muktinath Adhikari, said he would be assured by the words of the leaders only after the verdict has been implemented. “We have been taken for a ride many times by different parties. They push our issue behind under different pretext,” he said.
Advocate Govinda Sharma Bandi said that the SC verdict on Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) ordinance was obligatory for the government. “The sooner we set up transitional justice mechanism, sooner the peace process will end,” he said.
On the occasion, Surya Bahadur Adhikari, Vice-chairperson of AI Nepal, Krishna Bilash Adhikari, Chairperson of Muktinath Memorial Foundation and Dikendra Raj Kandel, member of the same foundation also expressed dissatisfaction over the existing impunity in Nepal.