They told the leaders of major parties -- UCPN (M), Nepali Congress and CPN-UML -- that the transitional justice issues, forgotten by the parties, are major component of the ongoing peace process that is to be completed by August 31. [break]
Speaking at a program organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nepal (OHCHR-N) on Wednesday, Rajiv Karna, whose brother Sanjiv Kumar Karna was disappeared by the state during the conflict time, said, "We want to know the truth and see perpetrators punished."
The UN rights body organized the program to provide a platform for conflict victims and political leaders to interact on transitional justice issues that have been neglected by political parties in the course of concluding the peace process.
Though the top leaders -- Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, NC President Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman and Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, among others -- had confirmed to attend the program, they did not turn up. Their representatives informed that the leaders had other business coinciding with the program´s time. "We wanted to share our painful stories with the top leaders of major parties but they did not come. This has saddened us," said Karna.
The victims asked questions to the political leaders on enactment of transitional justice laws, compensation to the victims and their family, possible withdrawal of criminal cases against perpetrators by the government and truth about human rights violations. Maoist leader Dinanath Sharma, Nepali Congress leader Ramesh Lekhak, CPN-UML leader Bam Dev Gautam and leader of Rastriya Janasakti Party Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani responded to the questions.
"Victims are not likely to get justice under the present criminal justice system," said Jit Man Basnet, who was detained illegally by the army in 2002. He accused some western countries of giving shelter to human rights violators in their countries.
As the conflict victims shared their heartrending stories about losing their near and dear ones, either at the hands of the state or insurgents, the hall wore a dejected mood.
"Neither have I got the body of my husband nor seen him alive these many years," said Laxmi Khadka, who hails from Bardiya. She said her husband was disappeared by the Maoists. The victims demanded the political parties ensure that the proposed transitional justice laws, currently under consideration at the parliament, conform to international standards.
Speaking at the program, OHCHR-N Chief Jyoti Sanghera urged parties to enact the laws promptly and said, "For many of those Nepalis who suffered gross human rights violations, including deaths and disappearances of their loved ones, the past is still happening. It needs to be resolved with a closure.”
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