27 March 2025, Kathmandu: Human rights organizations, including Advocacy Forum-Nepal, organized a national conference on transitional justice in Kathmandu Thursday. The conference featured three sessions.
The inaugural session of the “National Conference on Transitional Justice: Ensuring Rights to Truth, Justice and Reparation for Conflict Victims, with a Focus on CRSV Survivors” commenced with the participation of top political leaders, legal experts, and conflict victim representatives. The conference focused on the long-delayed transitional justice process and the urgency of appointing credible commissioners to address the grievances of conflict victims.
The session, moderated by Advocate Sushila Chaudhary, saw the presence of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, former Prime Ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba and Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda,” alongside legal experts and human rights advocates. Dr. Mandira Sharma, Senior International Legal Adviser for the International Commission of Jurists, stressed the importance of appointing competent officials in the Transitional Justice (TJ) commissions to ensure justice for victims. She also called for reparations for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV).
Suman Adhikari, a conflict victim leader, urged Nepal’s top political figures to expedite the justice process, calling for transparency and inclusivity. Similarly, Santiago A. Canton, General Secretary of the International Commission of Jurists, reiterated that the success of transitional justice in Nepal depends on the credibility of the appointed commissioners and their adherence to international human rights standards.
Former Prime Minister and CPN-Maoist Centre Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal acknowledged delays in the transitional justice process due to legal and technical complications. He rejected the notion of a “forgive and forget” approach and advocated for a victim-centred justice system. Dahal also claimed to have lobbied against blanket amnesty for serious human rights violations and opposed further amendments to the TJ law, arguing it would only delay justice.
UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer-Hamdy highlighted the need for moral clarity and political commitment, emphasizing that Nepal’s transitional justice process could serve as a model for other conflict-ridden nations. “The victims need concrete action now,” she stated.
Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba assured his commitment to ensuring justice for victims and expressed hope that the TJ commissions would soon begin their work in line with Supreme Court directives. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli also emphasized the necessity of selecting competent candidates for the TJ commissions, pledging his full support to ensure their success.
Kalyan Shrestha, ICJ Commissioner and Former Chief Justice, expressed concern over the lack of implementation of the Supreme Court’s verdict on transitional justice. However, he remained optimistic about a political consensus to drive the process forward.
The conference included multiple thematic sessions discussing the barriers to transitional justice in Nepal. The first session, “Nepal’s Transitional Justice Process: Where Are the Stumbling Blocks?” featured Minendra Rijal (Nepali Congress), Ekraj Bhandari (Senior Advocate), and Charan Prasai (Human Rights Activist). Speakers highlighted the repeated failure to appoint credible TJ commissioners and warned against further delays in the process. Rastriya Swatantra Party Chief Whip Santosh Pariyar noted that political parties remain the biggest hurdle to transitional justice.
Conflict victims voiced their frustrations during the open floor discussions, calling on political leaders to take serious measures to ensure justice.
The second thematic session, “Right to Reparation of Survivors: How to Make It Possible in Practice?” discussed practical approaches to providing reparations to conflict victims. Advocate Rukamanee Maharjan moderated the session, with key speakers including Govinda Prasad Sharma Bandi, Gita Rasaili (CVWN), Shikha Bhattarai (GSF), and Rajendra Thapa (OPMCM).
Gita Rasaili criticized the short three-month window for CRSV survivors to lodge complaints, urging the government to extend the deadline. Rajendra Thapa acknowledged the absence of a dedicated government program for CRSV reparations, stating that the federal government is planning skill-enhancement programs for victims. Govinda Bandi suggested that Nepal’s reparation policies be modelled after best practices from post-conflict nations.
The final thematic session, “What Needs to be Done to Make the TJ Process Realized in Nepal?” featured Maina Karki, Raju Prasad Chapagain (AWC), Agni Prasad Kharel (PM’s TJ Adviser), and Man Bahadur Aryal (Ministry of Law). Maina Karki emphasized her advocacy for conflict victims in parliament, while Agni Prasad Kharel reassured the government’s commitment to the TJ process. However, Raju Prasad Chapagain cast doubt on political leaders’ intentions, arguing that transitional justice is narrowly focused on prosecution rather than holistic reparation.
As the conference concluded, Gopal Bahadur Shah, Chairperson of the Conflict Victims National Alliance, delivered a vote of thanks, urging authorities to ensure justice and reparation for conflict victims.
The conference reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to transitional justice, but participants underscored the need for immediate action rather than further delays.
