The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) in its annual report has expressed concern that the most pressing issues relating to the rights of conflict victims remained in abeyance in the year 2011 and that the Nepal government failed to honour its commitment to adopt a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a Commission of Inquiry on Disappearances.

Mentioning that it has repeatedly expressed concerns regarding the unnecessary delays in the adoption of this much-needed legislation and attempts by the political parties to empty the bills of their meaning, AHRC said the Nepali civil society and the international community are worried that the watered down bills may prevent the perpetrators from being held accountable and being prosecuted.  Â

"The current government has repeatedly emphasized that the commissions should focus on "reconciliation" rather than "justice" and stated publicly that "opening old wounds" would be detrimental to the peace process," the report said, adding, "The AHRC stands firm on the belief that justice, accountability and concerns for the victims' rights are an integral part of a long-lasting and solid peace process, not an obstacle.  The government should not make the mistake of believing that the purpose of the transitional justice institutions is to provide amnesty to the perpetrators."

"Only if those two rights are guaranteed, can the Nepal government give its people credible guarantees of non-repetition and the country can envision a stable and peaceful future," said the report

AHRC said the conflict victims and their families have fought restlessly for five years to know the truth about the violations which affected them and to see the perpetrators brought before a court of justice. "If the bills do not allow for prosecutions of the perpetrators, those commissions could be further entrenching the denial of justice they have been facing for five years. This is unacceptable and would be a failure of the peace process," it added.

The AHRC also called upon the Nepal government and the political parties to put concerns for the victims' rights at the heart of the transitional justice institutions. "They should reject any to include amnesty provisions for human rights violations in the bills and ensure that the bills allow for prosecutions. The strength of Nepal’s democracy will be measured by its ability to provide justice to those victims." nepalnews.com