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Accountability Watch Committee
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Press Statement

Accountability Watch Committee (AWC) is deeply concerned about the newly enacted Act on Enforced
Disappearance, Truth and Reconciliation Commission. As some of the provisions of the draft Bill, related to,
inter alia, amnesty and reconciliation, were incompatible with the Supreme Court verdict (of January 2, 2014)
and standards of international human rights laws, human rights activists along with conflict victims and civil
society members were repeatedly demanding to get the problematic provisions amended. Recommendations to
improve the Bill were also submitted in written form to major political parties, concerned Ministry, Speaker of
the House and the Parliamentarians at different times.
However, the Bill was passed by the parliament and subsequently approved by the President ignoring the
genuine demands and recommendations of the victims, human rights activists and civil society, and paving the
legal way to grant amnesty even to those involved in grave violation of human rights including enforced
disappearance, illegal killing and torture. It has sent all the conflict victims and human rights activists of Nepal
into the depths of despair.
The Act contributes to further entrench impunity, weaken rule of law and undermine victims rights to justice
and reparation. The AWC, therefore, strongly demands for the immediate amendment to the faulty provisions
of the Act and makes it clear that it will not accept any mechanisms to be established under the Act if they are
established without making sufficient amendments to the provisions in question.

Sushil Pyakurel
Chair
May 13, 2014