Published in The E-Kantipur on Jan. 07 ::
As the Recommendation Committee is preparing a roster of candidates for the commissions on truth and reconciliation and enforced disappearances, a group of conflict victims and rights activists have approached the National Human Rights Commission to take initiative to making the transitional process acceptable to all.
A delegation representing the conflict victims and human rights groups on Tuesday met the NHRC chairman and commissioners to request the apex rights body to suggest the Committee to wait for the Supreme Court’s verdict before recommending candidates for the proposed commissions.
“As an apex rights body, the NHRC is the last option for us to pin our hope on,” said Suman Adhikari, chairperson of the Conflict Victims Orphans Society. Three writ petitions registered by the victims are pending at the apex court against the TRC Act as well as the Committee and its working procedure. The hearing of these cases is scheduled for January 22, the date for promulgation of new constitution. The victims argue that the Committee should not propose names before the court has issued its verdicts on the pending petitions.
However, the Committee has said it would not wait for the verdict. “We are planning to publish the roster of candidates by Friday,” said Pradip Pokhrel, a member of the Committee. Political parties have agreed on the candidates for chairpersons of both commissions– former speaker and senior advocate Daman Nath Dhungana for Truth and Reconciliation Commission and former appellate court judge Lokendra Mallik for Commission on Enforced Disappearances.
A total of 49 applicants are shortlisted for the office beareras of these commissions, while the Committee has picked 15 indispensable personalities.
Source: http://www.ekantipur.com/2015/01/07/capital/victims-demand-transparency/400006.html