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Truth or Reconciliation Mechanism – 2012

In March 2012, three major political parties (CPN-Maoist; Nepali Congress and CPN-UML) agreed to finalize the TRC bill and establish the TRC commission.¹ In April, three major parties agreed to form the TRC and Commission on Disappearance by adopting a reconciliation approach. Parties also agreed to discuss two bills related to the formation of these two commissions.² The bills were pending at the Bill Commission for the past two years. On 19 April 2012, however, parties agreed to integrate two bills into one and propose a single commission. Because the proposed bill focused only on reconciliation and removes provisions on prosecution, the proposed bill was sharply criticized by Human Rights Watch as well as the International Commission of Jurists.³ Because the Constituent Assembly was dissolved without promulgating the constitution on 28 July 2012, the provision related to TRC commission was never implemented. The bill remained pending until the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly.

1. “Leaders likely to finalize TRC bill soon,” Republica, March 5, 2012.
2. “Major Parties Agree to Form Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” Kathmandu Post, April 8, 2012.
3. “Reject amnesty for serious crimes: ICJ, HRW,” Kathmandu Post, April 24, 2012.