KATHMANDU, MAR 11 - Major political parties on Monday agreed in principle to remove the provision of blanket amnesty for crimes of serious nature in the proposed draft of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The new provision now states that “those implicated in serious crimes, including rape, would be sent for prosecution,” as against the previous provision of blanket amnesty.
Parties have agreed that the proposed TRC would determine on the issue of clemency and punishment. According to a Nepali Congress leader, the draft says that the commission would determine which crimes are of serious nature.
As per the proposed provision, in cases where clemency will not be provided and those that have to be put up for trial, the commission would recommend the Office of the Attorney General to do so. On the appointment of members in the TRC, the new government to be formed would suggest names after consultations with the proposed high-level political mechanism which brings top leaders of four political forces together.
According to UCPN (Maoist) Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha, parties have settled “almost all the contentious issues in the package deal” except rank determination for the former Maoist combatants integrated into the national army. The other components of the deal include citizenship, voter rolls and removing constitutional difficulties. The NC and the UCPN (Maoist) are holding informal talks since Sunday to hammer out a deal on the rank issue. According to Shrestha, the deal will be inked after the agreement on rank as per the “gentlemen’s agreement” among the parties. He, however, warned that the deal could still fall apart if the NC refuses to confer some top ranks on the former Maoist combatants.
On Monday morning, leaders of the major parties met Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi and presented him the draft on removing constitutional difficulties along with an 11-point political draft. Informed sources claimed that Regmi has expressed concerns over the explicit mention of the high-level political mechanism in the constitution. “He (Regmi) was of the view that while political consensus is important, complexities could arise if there is direct mention of the mechanism in the constitution,” said an NC leader privy to the developments.
Regmi has reportedly told the parties that he will have no objection if the mechanism is mentioned in “an implicit manner.” The chief justice also urged the leaders to increase the number of Cabinet members to 15, up from the 11 members outlined in the current draft agreement. “Regmi has also asked the parties to find ways to adjust former justices of the Supreme Court in the Cabinet,”
Some senior leaders claimed that Regmi could assume office as the executive head even before the verdict on the petitions challenging his appointment. The parties also decided to send all the documents—political and the ones concerning removal of constitutional difficulties and the TRC—to the President on Tuesday. An all-party meeting is scheduled for Tuesday.
Posted on: 2013-03-12 08:29
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