National
Prioritise our livelihood issues: Conflict victims
Conflict victims have demanded that the transitional justice process prioritise the issues of livelihood of conflict survivors, instead of solely focusing the debate on legal provisions for settlement.Conflict victims have demanded that the transitional justice process prioritise the issues of livelihood of conflict survivors, instead of solely focusing the debate on legal provisions for settlement.
“Surviving family members were never asked about their priorities,” said Ram Bhandari, chairperson of National Network of Families of the Disappeared (NEFAD). “The conflict incidents were never treated as national issues, due to which power players have utilised them for their benefit.”
During an interaction organised by the Family Society of the Disappeared Fighters by the State on Thursday, Bhandari argued that the transitional justice process has failed raise hopes for justice among the victims.
The Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which started registering complaints from the victims in mid-April, have just started preliminary investigation.
“The commission is committed to finding out truth,” said Man Bahadur Khadka, under-secretary at the CIEDP.
Advocate Govinda Bandi said the definition of disappeared person should not limit its investigation to the number of people who have been receiving compensation from the government. “Those who were arrested and detained illegally without informing their family members for months also fall under the ‘disappeared category’,” he said. Rights defender Charan Prasai said that political agreement should not absolve the perpetrators. “It is against all the principles of justice,” he said.
Former Maoist lawmaker Ek Raj Bhandari said that the victims’ first priority should be to learn what had happened to their dear ones.
Children of the disappeared have not been able to pursue education while most families had to face financial crisis after they lost their breadwinners. “It would be helpful if the state supports for our children’s education,” said Sharmila Tripathi, whose husband, Gyanendra, disappeared 13 years ago. “How do we get reparation often promised by authorities?”