Miscellaneous
Amid reservations, govt dissolves local peace committees
Despite strong reservation from the transitional justice bodies, the government on Tuesday dissolved all the district peace committees.Despite strong reservation from the transitional justice bodies, the government on Tuesday dissolved all the district peace committees.
The Home Ministry made the decision to this effect, saying that all the activities carried out by the peace committees will now be transferred to the respective District Administration Offices (DAO). Formed in 2008, the peace committees are currently helping TJ bodies with investigation of war-era cases of human rights violations at the local level.
The erstwhile government had withheld their budget with an intent to shut them down. However, following requests from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP), the government agreed to continue the budget.
The peace committees were established to recommend relief and coordinate programmes targeted at conflict victims such as reconciliation and skill-oriented training.
Each of the peace committees has three officials and is governed by politically nominated members.
The peace committees are the local mechanism that connect the TJ bodies with the victims from the respective districts.
“I am worried how DAO can perform the task of peace committees. It’s illogical to do so,” CIEDP Spokesperson Bishnu Pathak twitted.