Apr 23, Kathmandu - In an open letter signed by 40 organizations representing conflict-affected communities, the victims have urged Prime Minister Balen Shah to bring the transitional justice process to a logical conclusion by restoring credibility and ensuring justice.

The letter emphasizes the need to uphold the victims’ rights to truth, justice, and reparation, while addressing historical responsibilities with seriousness. The victims expressed optimism towards the government, which enjoys nearly two-thirds support in Parliament, and congratulated the Prime Minister on assuming a significant leadership role.

"On behalf of the conflict-affected communities, we extend heartfelt congratulations on your opportunity to lead with a strong mandate," the letter states. "We firmly believe that under your leadership, the government possesses the capacity, will, and moral responsibility to steer the transitional justice process in the right direction."

The open letter highlights that the current draft of the national commitment and the government’s 100-point agenda do not sufficiently include transitional justice measures.

It outlines six key demands, including integrating transitional justice into the national commitment, amending laws to resolve questions about the legitimacy of the existing commission, ensuring a fully transparent, competitive, and victim-friendly appointment process for new commissioners, and adopting a victim-centric approach in implementation.

Suman Adhikari, founder of the Conflict-Affected Shared Platform, urged concrete steps to guarantee the rights to truth, justice, and reparation that have been delayed for two decades, emphasizing the need for credible action and prioritization by the government.