The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs has completed the regulations required to implement the amended Enforced Disappearances Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act, more than a year and a half after changes to the law were introduced.
The regulations are essential for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission on the Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) to begin full investigations into conflict-era human rights violations. Both commissions were reconstituted in May last year following amendments to the Act but have been unable to move ahead in detail due to the absence of supporting regulations.
According to ministry officials, the regulation related to the disappearance commission will be presented to the Cabinet for approval this week, while the one concerning the truth commission will follow soon after. The government says it is committed to strengthening the legal framework so the commissions can carry out their responsibilities.
However, a section of conflict victims and human rights activists has been demanding fresh appointments to the leadership of both commissions. They argue that the current officials, appointed under the previous government, lack their trust. Protests were staged during a consultation programme earlier this year, with victims accusing the government of pushing the process forward without addressing their concerns.
Despite the objections, the government has decided not to halt the transitional justice process. Officials say moving ahead with the regulations demonstrates its intention to support the commissions and avoid further delays.
The TRC has received more than 15,000 new complaints since its reconstitution, bringing the total number of cases to nearly 79,000, including tens of thousands pending from earlier years. The disappearance commission has also recorded new complaints, with around 2,500 cases still awaiting investigation.