KATHMANDU: The Accountability Watch Committee (AWC) has taken positively the fact that the Investigation Commission, which was mandated to uncover the truth and make recommendations regarding the violations and excesses that occurred during the Gen Z movement, has finally submitted its report to the government, albeit late.

Issuing a press statement, AWC said that it is eager to obtain the Commission’s report, which concerns serious public interest and concern, in order to study it and form its own position.

“Whether or not to make the report public is not a matter of the government’s discretion. Access to information about the report is a constitutional right of citizens, and it is the government’s responsibility to make the investigation report public as soon as possible,” AWC said in the statement.

The AWC further said that it expects that, unlike in the past when investigation reports were hidden and their recommendations ignored, the government will quickly make the report public and implement its recommendations appropriately.

“To end the vicious cycle of impunity, ensure justice for victims of violations and abuses, and prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future, it is essential that the Commission’s report be made public and implemented,” said the statement signed by AWC Coordinator and senior advocate Raju Prasad Chapagai.

The AWC statement also stressed that not only the recent Karki Commission report, but also the reports of other investigation commissions formed under the Commission of Inquiry Act since 1990, such as the Mallik Commission, Rayamajhi Commission, Lal Commission, and Lamsal Commission, should also be made publicly accessible in order to promote a culture of accountability and good governance.

“Therefore, the committee strongly demands that the entire report of the commission be made public, respecting the right of victims, civil society, the media, and the general public to be properly informed,” reads the statement.