27 February 2012. In two recent programs organized by Advocacy Forum (AF) in Surkhet and Kanchanpur districts, women victims of sexual violence and torture demanded that the stakeholders of justice system pay attention to their demands for full justice. Still suffering from physical and psychological scars of the conflict, these victims strongly opposed the government’s attitude of excluding them from internal relief they are entitled to.
The victims in the programs asked the state to be serious about the plights of victims. Expressing their deep concerns on the continued practice of these two serious violations, they asked the government to take concrete measures to put such acts to an end. Moreover, the government should immediately facilitate for the medical cures to victims, they said.
Both orientation programs were entitled “Rape and Torture against Women: Situation and Cures”. Advocate Kopila Adhikari and local representatives of AF facilitated the program and informed the participating victims about victims’ rights, national and international legal provisions for justice, litigation procedure and medical cures. The advocates further mentioned that the 35-day limitation to filing an FIR for these kinds of serious crimes is too constraining and unfriendly for victims and the government has to amend such provisions as soon as possible. Despite the government’s reiterative commitments to addressing these problems through a work plan, it has not progressed beyond the bounds of verbal and written commitments, said the AF representatives. They also insisted that excessive delay in the establishment of Transitional Justice mechanisms has prevented the victims from getting justice and proper reparations.
AF has been providing such orientation programs to victims on a regular basis. These programs were held in Kanchanpur and Surkhet on 24th and 25th February, respectively.
