The Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) has completed screening of over 1,600 complaints, more than half of the 2,780 cases registered with it so far.

At this rate of progress, the commission is likely to meet its target of completing preliminary investigation into the complaints by mid-August. The commission has set mid-September as the deadline for comprehensive investigation, during which it will fill up ante-mortem forms, conduct public hearings and record testimonies.

Besides, the commission may require exhuming bodies and conducting forensic test. “That’s why we prepared the plan of action for three years instead of two,” said CIEDP Chairperson Lokendra Mallick. “We will be able to investigate only a few cases within the remaining time.”

The commission, formed in February last year, has got a two-year tenure with a possible one-year extension to probe into the incidents of conflict-era disappearance.

Although the government has endorsed the action plan, the tenure extension of the commission is yet to be sanctioned by the government. Besides, the government should criminalise the act of disappearance to allow the commission to recommend action against rights violators in insurgency-era cases.

Approximately 5 percent of the complaints have been found irrelevant, said CIEDP Secretary Mahesh Sharma Poudel. “We have found some complaints that do not come under the jurisdiction of the commission as they are purely the cases of missing persons in circumstances other than insurgency,” said Poudel.

The commission has been sifting through cases on the basis of three factors: those occurring between 1996 and 2006, those directly linked with the armed conflict and those falling under the jurisdiction of the commission.

The complaints are examined at three levels. The investigation division of section officers and under-secretaries gives a first look at the cases. After verification by the under-secretaries, the complaints are forwarded to the secretary, who works as the gatekeeper between the investigation division and the commission. After verifying the complaints, the secretary forwards them with suggestions to the commission, which will have the final say on the complaints to be probed.

Currently, 30 staff members are involved in screening the complaints. The commission has planned to recruit 26 more officials for the purpose. They will be mobilised to fill out ante-mortem forms and conduct public hearing.

“We will hire experts as and when required,” said Mallick. “If we are given time and resources as required, we will complete the process within our deadline.”