Govinda Bandi addresses the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Nepal has reiterated its commitment to provide justice to the victims of the insurgency-era atrocities after an amendment to the Enforced Disappearances Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act.

Addressing the 52nd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, Govinda Sharma Bandi, peace and human rights advisor to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, claimed concluding the peace process was high on the government’s priority. “Nepal is close to concluding the peace process by establishing a credible, meaningful and victim-centred transitional justice process,” he said. “My delegation assures that there will be no amnesty for serious human rights violations.”

The erstwhile Sher Bahadur Deuba government had on July 15 last year introduced a bill to amend the Act in parliament. It couldn’t get through the House because of serious reservations from conflict victims, national and international human rights organisations and activists over some of the clauses. They said the bill had provisions for amnesty even in serious violations of human rights like murder.