The Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal (RJP-N) on October 8 submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli demanding to initiate the process of amending the constitution, reports The Himalayan Times. The RJP-N has been saying that the constitution should be amended to address the demands of Madhesi, Tharu, Muslims and Janajatis. The RJP-N said that if the Government did not address its demands then it would have no option but to withdraw support to the government and launch agitation. The party also drew the government’s attention to the ‘increasing problems of law and order, incidents of violence against women, including rape and murder and price hike.’
Meanwhile, experts and stakeholders at an event organised jointly by the National Network of the Families of the Disappeared and Missing-Nepal and Tribhuvan University Department of Conflict, Peace and Development Studies on October 8 said the transitional justice process should be victim-centric for it to become successful, reports The Himalayan Times. Senior journalist Yubaraj Ghimire said “Peace without justice is meaningless. And, the transition will never end unless the victims are delivered justice.” Ghimire suggested that the Transitional Justice mechanisms — the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) — should have representations from victims to make them effective. Similarly, Foreign affairs and security expert Geja Sharma Wagle said the transitional justice process would not be successful until four stakeholders — government, political parties, victims and security agencies including the army and police — came on board wholeheartedly. “At this moment, all of them are engaged, but half-heartedly,” he said. Wagle also said Nepal’s transitional justice process was neither victim-friendly nor human rights-friendly. He suggested that transitional justice law should be amended keeping in mind three factors — justice, reconciliation and reparation. Rights activist Reshma Thapa said transitional justice was not an end, but a means. She suggested that issues of truth-seeking and reparation be taken ahead now, leaving the contentious issue of prosecution for a later stage. “Let’s keep the contentious issues of amnesty and prosecution for a later stage so that some work can be done,” she said.