Nepal forms 2 panels to probe war-time abuses, disappearances

After much dilly-dallying, Nepal today constituted two commissions to investigate allegations of human rights abuses and disappearances during the country's decade-long civil war with Maoist rebels that claimed over 1,600 lives.
The government has appointed the chairman and members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission on Enforced Disappearances (CED), said Law Minister Narahari Acharya.
Former ambassador Surya Kiran Gurung was appointed chairman while four others were named members of the TRC during a Cabinet meeting.
Similarly, former chief justice Lokendra Mallik was appointed CED chairman while four members would assist him.
Both the government forces and Maoist rebels have been accused of serious abuses -- murder, abduction rape or sexual violence -- during the civil war that ended in December, 2006 after a peace agreement between the two sides.

The two sides had decided to investigate war-crimes withing six months of the peace deal.

The subsequesnt governments in Nepal, however, failed to probe the allegations fearing appointment of such commissions would derail the faltering truce between politicians and the former rebels.
The TRC would investigate the abuses committed during the conflict, while the second panel, the CED, would probe the disappearances during the period.
The conflict between Maoist guerrillas and the State left over 16,000 dead. At least 1,300 went missing, according to the United Nations.
Last month, Human Rights Watch condemned Nepal for failing to keep promises of post-war justice and accountability, and said political parties in the country were seemingly "intent on ensuring ongoing impunity" for crimes.

The government decided to form two separate commissions following weeks-long negotiations among the three parties - the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and main opposition Unified CPN-Maoist, Ekantipur news portal reported.
Earlier the Maoist-led government in 2013 had decided to form a single commission.
The government has fixed the tenure of the chairman and the members to two years but it could be extended by an year, if they fail to finish their work by that time, Acharya said.
The appointments were made based on the recommendations by the Recommendation Committee helmed by former chief justice Ombhakta Shrestha.
The Recommendation Committee was formed on June 16, 2014 to suggest names for the two commissions to conclude the peace process. The committee submitted the names to government yesterday.