Nepal's War Families Hold Fragile Hope as Political Upheaval Tests Promises of Justice

Nepal's war victims watch political change with cautious optimism

When relatives of people killed during Nepal's recent violent September protests demanded justice after the government fell, their grief struck a familiar chord for 62-year-old Sunamati Chaudhari.

Her husband, an English teacher, was taken by security forces 22 years ago at the height of a decade-long civil war and never returned. Chaudhari has spent two decades searching for answers, pursuing court cases, appealing to organisations and even taking her plea to Geneva, she says — all without resolution.

'We left no stone unturned in search of my husband. We went to court, sought help of many organisations — and even reached Geneva. But nothing happened,' Chaudhari said.

The 2006 peace agreement formally ended a conflict that killed more than 16,000 people and left around 1,400 missing. Abuses were committed by both Maoist rebels and state forces, but families say transitional justice has been painfully slow. Two transitional justice commissions created in 2015 have received more than 65,000 complaints alleging rape, murder and enforced disappearance but have yet to close a single case.

Fresh turmoil, fragile hopes

Nepal was rocked in September by youth-led protests against a social media ban, worsening economic conditions and allegations of corruption. The unrest turned violent in a crackdown that left at least 76 people dead, with parliament, courts and civil service buildings set ablaze and the government collapsing. Former chief justice Sushila Karki, 73, was appointed interim prime minister to lead the country until elections planned for March 2026.

For families still haunted by the civil war, the political shake-up has brought a tentative mix of hope and anxiety. 'The previous government only showed assurances,' said 22-year-old Preeti Tharu, whose father was abducted by rebels before she was born. 'And I know, with this changing situation, the state's priority might be something else.'

Gita Rasaili, head of the Conflict Victim Women National Network, says victims' groups hope to align their demands with a new generation of protesters. 'We worried that our agenda was over, because there are now new victims' families and new martyrs,' she said. 'But we are all fighting against a culture of impunity.'

Local efforts and limited progress

In August, before the uprising, families gathered at a new memorial park in Bardiya district to mark the International Day of the Disappeared. Relatives of some of the district's 258 missing people planted trees and lit candles. Park coordinator Niranjan Kumar Chaudhari, whose father was taken by the army, said some members of the interim government have taken concrete steps to support victims, but the political environment remains unstable.

While high-profile legal steps have occurred — for example, when a court under Sushila Karki's tenure as chief justice sentenced three soldiers in 2017 to 20 years for murdering a teenage girl (only the second wartime conviction at the time) — overall accountability has been limited.

The Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons says it will continue its work irrespective of political shifts. Commission chief Lila Devi Gadtaula said the body has received 2,610 complaints so far and aims to complete investigations within four years, though progress is slowed by scarce forensic resources.

'We have received 2,610 complaints so far,' Gadtaula said. 'We aim to complete investigations within four years, but limited forensic capacity is a major constraint.'

For many families, time has already taken its toll. In July, Chaudhari and her two sons performed her husband's death rites, a ritual that brought painful finality. 'It's already too late,' she said. 'Many prime ministers have come and gone, but nobody addressed our problem.' The interim government's commitments will be closely watched by victims and activists who want concrete, timely action rather than renewed assurances.