Jun 11, Kathmandu - The Nepali government has begun preparations to establish a search committee tasked with recommending appointments for key officials in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission for Investigation of Disappeared Persons. This move aims to restore the functioning of these crucial bodies tasked with addressing past human rights violations.

Following the issuance of a government ordinance, the current government had dismissed all existing officials from both commissions. Notably, on Baisakh 28, 2082, the previous government led by Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli appointed officials to these commissions. However, recent ordinances introduced by the Government led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) on Baisakh 19, 2080 resulted in the dismissal of ten officials, including chairpersons and members, from both bodies.

The Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs has announced that a search committee is actively being formed. “The plan is to first establish a search committee to select officials for both commissions. We are currently working on the logistics,” Law Secretary Paraswor Dhungana told Baahrakhari. 

Sources within the ministry revealed that efforts are underway to identify a former Chief Justice to lead the search committee. “Once the chairperson is finalized, the committee members will be selected within a week,” the source added.

The committee will include a chairperson, likely a former Chief Justice or an appointee, along with human rights advocates. Additionally, at least one woman among three members will be part of the team, which will also comprise professionals such as psychologists, legal experts, conflict analysts, sociologists, women rights activists, or individuals involved in peace processes.

The formation of these commissions was part of the 2006 Comprehensive Peace Accord between the State and the then-Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), specifically outlined in clause 5.2.5. These bodies were established in 2014 to investigate serious human rights violations and crimes against humanity committed during the decade-long Maoist insurgency, aiming to foster societal reconciliation.

Despite the legal framework enacted in Baisakh 14, 2071, progress has been sluggish, hampered by political disputes and interference. The commissions, formed in Magh 27, 2071, have yet to deliver justice, with hundreds of thousands of victims having filed over 63,000 complaints with the TRC and nearly 3,500 with the Disappeared Persons Commission.

Due to political maneuvering and the appointment of officials with unclear mandates, both commissions have remained largely inactive, leaving many victims' grievances unresolved. The prolonged stagnation has hindered the pursuit of justice and reconciliation for past abuses.