Transitional Justice is Too Little and Late in Nepal

In a recent update on human rights, a key official from the renowned human rights organization, Amnesty International, expressed his views on the status of human rights and transitional justice in Nepal.

Nepal is facing challenges pertaining to transitional justice despite the presence of related laws in the country, says According to Amnesty International’s Regional Director for South Asia Biraj Patnaik.

Citing his close observation on the country’s new constitution-making process, Birah said that Nepal has one of the most progressive constitutions in South Asia, particularly in terms of political, economic and social rights.

However, on the flip side, the constitution fails to meet aspirations of many local communities, he added.

On the overall status of transitional justice in Nepal, Biraj said, “What is happening in Nepal is too little and too late”.

In this regard, he also expressed Amnesty International’s readiness to support Nepal in overcoming related challenges. “We will engage with the process of transitional justice that Nepal is currently undertaking. We would support in every way we can to bring out the cases of human rights violation and to do facts finding that supports the process,” says Biraj.

He also opined that Nepal has a fairly independent judiciary that gives hope about the betterment of transitional justice.

It is noteworthy that the country has two laws-Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission of Investigation on Enforce Disappeared Persons currently in place with regard to transitional justice and human rights, since almost nine years.