Broad consensus between parties for Commission of Investigation on enforced Dissapeared Persons

KATHMANDU: Former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) had stated that he can take responsibility for 5000 out of the 18000 individuals killed during the Maoist insurgency. The former PM and erstwhile leader of the guerilla force made this statement on the occasion of Maghe Sankranti addressing a crowd in Tundikhel on January 15th.

The former PM also mentioned that those in power during the period of insurgency should bear the responsibility of the rest.

Many political leaders of today were in power during the Maoist insurgency including several leaders of the ruling NCP.

President of the Nepali Congress (NC) Sher Bahadur Deuba served as the Prime Minister. Prime Minister K.P.Sharma Oli who also served as the Chairman of the United Marxist Leninist (UML) was the Home Minister.

Leaders have now met in Balwatar at the Prime Ministers’ official residence to discuss selecting new office bearers for the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP).

Present at the meeting were the Prime Minister, and former Prime Minister’s Sher Bahadur Deuba and Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

The meeting was positive in finding common ground in selecting new office bearers as well as discussing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission investigating into gross human rights violation during that period.

According to NCP leader Khim Lal Devkota, a detailed report including the stakeholders of all seven provinces was submitted before the meeting. Devkota also stated that ” there has been an agreement regarding drafting a bill from the Law Ministry”.

Former Minister of State Ramesh Lekhak also accepted that an agreement was reached during the meeting. He also said that the subject of formulating the law was also discussed. There will be further discussions and will move forward with consensus.

Also present in the meeting along with former State Minister Lekhak and NCP leader Devkota was the former speaker of the House Subhas Nembang. The CIEDP was left without office bearers since their term and expired without yielding results.

A committee under Chief Justice Om Prakash Misra was formed which had recommended 61 names. Ruling NCP Gobinda Bandi was recommended for Chairman and NC had Professor Ganesh Dutt Bhatta as its preference.

The selection of the office bearers is like to happen soon