Justice, when?

The Supreme Court directive is an opportunity to put the derailed transitional justice back on the right track.

The Supreme Court of Nepal has ordered the government to initiate the process of appointing commissioners to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappearance Persons (CIEDP) within a month. Both commissions have been vacant—and thus inactive—since mid-July 2022. The court has directed the Office of the Prime Minister: “To know the truth of the victim within 15 days and to ensure and protect the right of justice, the representatives of the organisations of the victims of the armed conflict and the secretaries of both commissions, in consultation with the secretaries of the two commissions. In the absence of officials, the secretaries of the commissions should form a working team and initiate the work of preliminary investigation to make necessary and appropriate arrangements". It has also reminded the government to maintain the autonomy of the commissions and to adopt a victim-centric approach.