Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli, who is in Switzerland to take part in the World Economic Forum in Davos, has taken exception to the statement issued by the United Nations and the Western countries about transitional justice.
The UN and the western countries issuing a joint statement on Thursday had urged the Neal government to engage in broad-based, meaningful consultation with conflict victims, civil society and wider stakeholders to move the process forward.
"Is it not good that conflict has been resolved in Nepal? The foreign embassies should not unnecessarily form coalition and faction," PM Oli said in presence of foreign diplomats during a program organized by the Nepali Embassy in Switzerland in Zurich Thursday evening. "There was war yesterday. There were killings. We initiated the peace process, and managed the combatants and arms. Our foreign friends should help in the peace process instead. Are they worried that the conflict will be resolved?"
Issuing a joint press statement the UN's office, the delegation of European Union, and the embassies of Australia, Germany, Finland, France, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America in Nepal reminded the government of the Supreme Court ruling in 2015 that stated there can be no reconciliation in conflict-era incidents of human rights violation without the consent of the victims.
"Noting the looming expiration of the mandates of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission for the Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons, as well as the upcoming fourth anniversary of the 2015 Supreme Court ruling that affirmed certain requirements for transitional justice processes, we encourage the government to clarify to the public its plans to take the transitional justice process forward in 2019," the statement read.
They stressed that any solution should have the needs of victims at its heart and pointed that the peace process will move forward on a strong foundation only after that.
"We are united in the view that without broad public trust in the process, Nepal will not be able to bring closure to the wounds and grievances that persist from the conflict era, nor be able to complete the peace process," the statement read.
They reminded that supporting Nepal in establishing a credible transitional justice process and ensuring the stability and prosperity of Nepal remain priorities for the international community.
"In particular, we support a Nepali-designed, Nepali-led process that is consistent with the 2007 and 2015 judgements of Nepal’s Supreme Court and the country’s obligations under international law," it pointed expressing commitment to work with the government and all other stakeholders to advance a transitional justice process that engenders broad public confidence.
PM Oli also took swipe at the European countries for not allowing Airbus planes of the Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to conduct flights to Europe, where the planes are manufactured, during the program. "Our friendly nation France sold us two Airbus planes (sic) as they can land at and take off from the airport in Kathmandu. But the same planes are not allowed to fly to France."
He pointed how Indian airlines companies, with poorer safety records than that of NAC, are allowed to fly to Europe but NAC is not, and added that the government is taking initiative to lift the blacklisting of Nepali aviation sector by the European Union.
