Lalkumari Silwal of Bharatpur was 25 years old when her husband, who was working in the police, was killed during the armed conflict. Despite the loss of her husband, she raised her two children with great difficulty.
Two sentences said by her husband before his death became an inspiration for her. "You should keep your own surname, not mine. have children. Silwal remembered her husband's last sentence at a program held in Bharatpur on Monday.
Even though her husband's surname has been changed, she has been keeping it as Silwal. She raised, educated and empowered her children without any discrimination. Meanwhile, the armed struggle ended. Time has changed a lot, political situation has changed and society has also changed.
Yesterday, it has been a long time since the political parties in the two camps, who were willing to kill each other during the armed conflict, stood together in the elections and ran the government. But no one seems to remember us. It is said that people have no value, we have lost such a precious person,'' she said at the interaction program for women affected by armed conflict organized by Adarsh Nari Vikas Kendra.
She said that since she lost a family member in the armed struggle, there should be an environment where she walks with her head held high. She expressed her sorrow that even though a commission is formed from time to time to give justice to the victims of violence and find out the truth, the work is stalled.
I hear that such commissions are being formed and collapsing. They come saying file a complaint. What to do even after filing a complaint? What is the basis for us to get justice?' Lal Kumari said. She said that what kind of people come to the commission is the basis for the victims not getting justice.
"If we are not involved in such a commission, but who are victims and understand the pain of the victims, we also have some hope," she said. Sapna Rana of Kalika municipality said that the victims of that time lived with injuries on their bodies, pain in their hearts and tears in their hearts. "My heart still closes when I remember what the royal army did at that time. It has been 20 years since the peace process. Is it justice?' said Rana.
She said that she lost one leg at that time and currently wears a prosthetic leg that needs to be replaced every six months. She said that in the 10-year struggle, she was in jail for 5 years, disappeared for 1 year, and how much the royal army did at that time is in a state of uncertainty. "It's sad that this constitution was born out of blood, but we don't see the voices of the victims being included in it," said Rana. She said that the work of the state in matters of justice and treatment and rehabilitation is like removing weeds.
Since the victims of that time had to live in physical and mental pain until now, she demanded to provide immediate and effective free treatment. She also asked for free legal services. She also demanded that the victims of the conflict be given identity cards so that they can have self-respect. "In the context of bringing the peace process to a conclusion, it should not be done to close the same chapter of a heinous crime like rape. If you do this, it doesn't seem to be justice," she said.
Theerthamaya Amgai of Ratnanagar said that even though the victims had filled the forms many times for various commissions and committees, they were disappointed when there was no result. She said that the budget given to the victims should come as the responsibility of the state. "When we look at our body, we are not in a state of eating and working. The municipality has also given a budget for self-employment. But it is not because it is the right of the victim that there are people who come to beg and act as if they are giving," she said. Dandamaya Roka Kandel of Rapti Municipality said that when asked about the budget and program for the victims of the armed conflict with the municipality, the people's representatives would reply that if they distribute the budget in this way, they will be blacklisted.
Ruku Adhikari, President of Single Women's Group for Human Rights, Chitwan, said that women should pay attention to this issue as the presence of women will increase at every level and level only if they are financially strong. "The state should also bring policies and rules that are suitable for making women financially strong," she said.
Parvati Khadka, president of the conflict-affected women's district network, questioned how peace is possible without justice, just as justice is not possible without peace. He said that it is ironic that even though the armed war is over, the war of justice for the victims of that time has not yet been completed. "We have been victims but we are not disappointed. We have started speaking and writing. Now it seems like we are on a journey to change," said Khadka.
Sangeeta Bhattarai, co-coordinator of the joint campaign against sexual violence, complained that the government did not listen to her. How much of the memorandum was submitted, but the feeling of justice? There should be a sense of justice and the state should also manage the basic needs of life,' said Bhattarai.
