National Human Rights Commission Member Lily Thapa Warns of Releasing Report

Surkhet. National Human Rights Commission member Lily Thapa has warned that if the National Human Rights Commission does not make public the report related to the demands of the youth and the change movement, she will release it herself. Speaking to journalists in Birendranagar, she informed that the report, prepared over 6 months, has already been submitted to the Commission's Chairman by the investigation committee. She clarified that the process of passing it from the commission's meeting, preparing recommendations, and sending those recommendations to the Nepal government is underway. She stated that she expressed such an opinion to put pressure on the commission, as some of the commission's reports have not been made public in the past, and expressed her determination that this report will definitely come out, and if not, she will bring it out herself. Responding to journalists' questions about the delay in making the report public, member Thapa revealed that the process was prolonged because the Nepali Army's statement came late. She explained that the written statement from the Nepali Army came only after the investigation committee was dissolved, and it took some time to review, verify, and analyze it to include in the recommendations. Although the army initially refused to give a statement, it later sent a written statement, and its verification is currently underway by the commission, making her confident that the report will be released within the next 8-10 days. She informed that this report is a total of 10,000 pages, of which 600-700 pages are full fact analysis. The report includes statements taken from stakeholders, the main class of the then government, and individuals involved in the incident. She stated that the report points out who is guilty, where improvements are needed, and what changes are necessary in policy, institutional, and structural terms. She also mentioned that the report includes 30-40 policy points and recommendations for action. When asked by journalists whether the people currently in power are guilty, member Thapa only gave hints without naming them directly. She said, 'Everyone here knows whether those who are in power then were the campaigners of that change or not. After looking at the report, it will be known who was there and who was not.' Reminding that it is the responsibility of journalists and civil society to seek accountability from the government as to why past recommendations were not implemented, she emphasized that journalists are also a type of human rights defender, and everyone should raise questions for implementation.