Nepal extends tenure of transitional justice panel mandate

Nepal today extended by a year the tenure of two transitional justice commissions, set up to probe war crimes in the country's decade-long civil conflict, as they failed to complete the tasks within the given timeframe.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) were formed to facilitate transitional justice as part of the ongoing peace process after the conclusion of decade-long civil conflict in 2006.
A Cabinet meeting made the decision to extend the tenure of two transitional justice commissions, according to official sources.
The tenure of both the commissions had ended yesterday.

The government extended the tenure as the commissions failed to complete the tasks within the given timeframe.
On Feruary 6, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International had urged the United Nations and donors, who played a major role in post-conflict peacemaking and rights protections, to request the Nepal government for the amendment in line with international norms and extend their mandates.

According to officials, the two commissions have registered over 60,000 complaints of conflict victims on which they plan to start comprehensive investigation.
More than 16,000 people were killed during the decade- long armed conflict that ended after the government signed a peace deal with the rebels in 2006.

Former Maoist rebels and security forces have both been accused of carrying out torture, killings, rape and "forced disappearances" during the civil war.