Conflict victims have demanded the transitional justice bodies not to disclose their private details for the sake of their safety.

During an interaction organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in Biratnagar on Wednesday, Pramod Sharma of Sunbarshi, who lost his father during the decade-long Maoist insurgency, said his family feels insecure because the details provided to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) were disclosed.

Padam Bahadur Shrestha of Sankhuwasabha requested the TRC not to consider their safety while handling the cases.

“The commission should keep in mind not to give out our private details, for that could endanger our safety” he said.

Another conflict victim Nawaraj Dhungana expressed concern over toothless transitional justice bodies.

“The government formed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons after a much delay. Now there are hold-ups on the issue of empowering the commissions. What hope do conflict victims have of getting justice on such circumstance?,” he said.  

Manchala Jha, member of the TRC, said the commission was unable to work efficiently because of the political environment and bureaucratic entanglements.

“It took the commission 14 months after its formation to really get its work started. We so far completed investigating 800 complaints and others are currently being investigated,” she said.

The TRC and the CIEDP was formed in 2015, almost nine years after the comprehensive peace agreement was signed, ending the decade-long Maoist insurgency.

The extended tenure of the two transitional justice mechanisms will expire on February 10. Their tenure was extended for a year on February 10, 2017.

Sudip Pathak, member of the NHRC, said the tenure of the commissions is going to expire soon.

“Both commissions should guarantee the victims about their secrecy and submit the file to the government after making decision of at least 10 cases,” he said.

He also requested the commissions to issue a White Paper of the works that have been completed so far.

There have been no substantial achievements when it comes to investigation into the complaints on war-era cases till now. Pathak said that the tenure of the two commissions should be extended.