By Our Reporter
Formation of the high-level judicial inquiry commission to probe into the crackdown on the Gen Z protests and ensuing arson and violence is a bold move but one that is full of high hopes. It is only natural that people will remain cynical, recalling the manner in which earlier commissions such as the Mallik and Rayamajhi commissions had their reports in vain. This time, nonetheless, the government cannot allow itself to repeat history.
The choice to appoint a former Supreme Court judge and erstwhile Special Court chief Gauri Bahadur Karki as chair has been observed. Karki is notorious for his frank statements and unbending stance against corruption and abuse of power. His earlier statements that the top political leaders like KP Oli, Sher Bahadur Deuba, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal should be barred from traveling, should be arrested, and interrogated for illegal acquisition of assets show that he is not afraid to speak truth to power. That gives the common people some amount of confidence that this probe won’t be an exercise in futility.
The two other members, former AIG Bigyan Raj Sharma and attorney Bishweshwar Prasad Bhandari, also impart weight to the commission. Both of them have been critical of state excesses and criminalities committed in the guise of unrest. Their appointment, reportedly with the support of Gen Z activists as well as Prime Minister Sushila Karki, would appear to indicate that this commission has been given a free hand to go after miscreants, whether politically or institutionally powerful.
Tackling both state violence and crimes committed in the name of protests is a challenging task. September 8 protest were not that well-coordinated, and only some state players can be suspected, so that investigation would be comparatively easier. But September 9 witnessed a lot of chaos with prison breaks, lootings, fire-bombings, and assaults on essential institutions. Those activities suggest that criminals or people belonging to parties or groups may have exploited the protests, which may complicate the investigation.
Karki has vowed to finish the task in three months, but that will require relentless attention and commitment from state institutions. The commission must be resistant to political pressure and function openly. Equally important, their reports should be made available to the public within a reasonable time. Commissions have produced reports in the past that were withheld or selectively used for purposes of bargaining, yet failing to deliver any justice to the victims.
If this commission produces a comprehensive, evidence-based report and the government acts upon it, it can establish a new benchmark for accountability. If it fails, public trust will further slide, and future protests will turn even more violent. The commission’s job is not simply to investigate a few days’ worth of upsets but to restore faith in justice, law and order.
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