On the occasion Purnimaya Lama the wife of Arjun Lama said, “Since long I am waiting for the justice, but the murderers of my husband has been appointed in the high post which is matter of pain for me”. Arjun Lama, the husband of Purnimaya was abducted and murdered in Kavre district in 2005 by the Maoist leaders. One of accused includes Agni Sapkota, who was appointed as the Minister for Information and Communication in May 2011. The Supreme Court of Nepal had given order for an investigation against the accused including Mr. Sapkota.
Similarly, Janak Raut the representative of Society of Conflict Victim for Justice called on Nepal government to establish two commissions related to disappeared people and the Truth and Reconciliation.
Kedar Nath Upadhyaya, the Chairperson of National Human Rights Commission deeply concerned about the plan of government to withdraw cases of against perpetrators of the conflict period.
He warned that the practice encourages political interference in the rule of law, demoralizing police officials, prosecutors and judges working on such cases, contributing to public insecurity by allowing alleged criminals to escape from the prosecution, and further eroding public confidence in law and order institutions and the Government.
‘The ineffective implementation of NHRC recommendations and inability to bring the perpetrators of human rights violations to the justice have contributed to increase the level of impunity in the society,’ Upadhyay said.
The leader of ruling CPN (UML) party Pradip Gyawali said that his party is facilitating for the two bills related to the justice to the victims of past conflict. He emphasized that, “at any cost the persons who have committee serious human rights crimes should not be unpunished for any reason”.
PadamLal Biswakarma, lawmaker of UCPN (Maoist) and Chairperson of parliamentary committee named Human Rights and Foreign Affairs said his party is ready to assist for the endorsement of Bills which are tabled at the parliament.
Prem Bahadur Khadka President of Nepal Bar Association warned that Political Parties should improve their behavior, otherwise they could loss themselves in chaos because of Public outrage. Advisor of AI Nepal Krishna Kandel and General Secretary Rashmila Bhochhibhoya and others also expressed their views about the transitional justice and the pain of victims.
At the beginning of the program, AI Nepal’s Director Rameshwar Nepal highlighted about AI’s position regarding ongoing impunity in Nepal and clarified about the objective of the program. The programme was chaired by the AI Nepal’s Chairperson Hem Kumar Khadka.