Kathmandu: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and the main opposition party UML President KP Sharma Oli have discussed the issue of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ visit to Nepal and the Bill on Transitional Justice. Those matters were discussed in the meeting held on Friday at the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Office, Singha Durbar.
Guterres is coming to Nepal on October 12. He is scheduled to address the joint meeting of the Federal Parliament on the 14th. Prime Minister Dahal wants to pass the transitional justice (TRC) bill before Guterres arrives. However, without the consent of the main opposition, this bill is not in a position to move forward. That is why it is said that Prime Minister Dahal had a meeting with Oli.
There is agreement on most of the issues of the bill. However, UML does not want to advance this bill due to the provision of immunity to the perpetrators, considering the issue of murder in the bill as a human rights violation. The government seems to be trying to resolve matters like murder through reconciliation. The government is in the process of passing the bill by removing the serious crimes like murder from serious human rights violations and keeping them only as human rights violations. The then rebel party Maoists and the government party Congress are both in the ruling coalition. Congress and Maoists agree on this issue but UML has not accepted this issue.
UML whip Mahesh Kumar Bertaula says that if the government wants, they will reach an agreement on this bill before the arrival of the UN Secretary General. However, he accused the government of spoiling the environment rather than agreeing. He alleges that Prime Minister Dahal is spoiling the environment by appealing to the foreign community instead of giving a holiday on the day of People’s War Day and appealing to the victims and the political parties of Nepal.
The sub-committee under the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee has prepared the report of the ‘Bill to amend the Commission for Investigation of Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation Act’ based on consensus after one and a half months. UML whip Bertaula, who is also a member of the sub-committee, says that most of the issues have been resolved. According to him, apart from double confrontation, the issue of reconciliation in a serious incident like murder is yet to be resolved.
“The UML is in favor of not ending the murders except in double confrontations through reconciliation. We are of the opinion that such cases should be prosecuted,” he said, “In the armed conflict, the issue of the child army is serious. In the agreement, the children are not called the child army but are said to be connected parties of the conflict.”
He alleges that the government intends to prolong this matter without resolving it. “The government wants it to be completed in three days, but the government wants to make it a political issue, it does not want to be completed,” he said. He said that there should be an additional discussion for this.
Chairman of the Human Rights Committee and Maoist leader Vimala Subedi says that most of the issues have been agreed upon and she is positive that the bill will move forward. He said that the issue of peace process is sensitive and should be resolved through consensus. “This subject is sensitive, it has taken a long time,” she said. He said that the committee formed a sub-committee and prepared the report on consensus.
Four issues have been submitted to the committee for further discussion. He said that it should be concluded by consensus at the political level. “This issue should be resolved at the political level, now the environment is also positive”, she said. He said that the meeting between the Prime Minister and the leader of the main opposition parties will also give a positive message. Even before going to the United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Dahal tried to get this bill passed by the parliament.
On the other hand, UML has postponed Guterres’ speech and tea party program by one day. The program of tea party was scheduled on 14th November, now the program will be held on 15th November. In view of the schedule of Guterres’s visit to Nepal, it was decided to organize it on the 15th, Office Secretary of UML Dr. Bhishma Adhikari informed.
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