The government on Thursday extended the terms of two commissions formed to investigate human rights abuses committed during the decade-long insurgency. A brief meeting of the Cabinet decided to extend the terms of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) by a year during which they have to study and investigate around 60,000 complaints related to murders, rapes and disappearances. The commissions, formed in February 2015 with a two-year mandate, however, are hamstrung by a lack of laws, funds and human resources. They were set up under legislation that allows amnesties for perpetrators. The government is yet to amend the Enforced Disappearances Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act, to bring the legislation line with Supreme Court orders and Nepal’s obligations under international law. Supreme Court’s January 2015 orders striking down around a dozen provisions have been ignored so far, much to the chagrin of conflict victims and rights defenders. The court had ordered to criminalise torture and disappearances and remove the statute of limitation for registering conflict-era cases. The court had also ruled out amnesties for perpetrators of grave human rights violation. The Cabinet decision to extend the mandates of the two commissions will not mean much unless they are empowered with required laws, rights activists said on Thursday, pointing out a lack of political will. “The government has neither amended legislation nor enacted required laws in line with court orders,” said rights lawyer Govinda Bandi. “These commissions have to rely on the government approval for its staff and budget. The commissions also lack experts,” he added. The TRC has received over 58,000 complaints while the CIEDP has to look into around 3,000 cases. Suman Adhikari, president of Conflict Victims Common Platform, described Thursday’s government decision of extending the terms of the two commissions by one year as formality. “There is nothing to rejoice as far as conflict victims are concerned, as the government has extended the mandates without making public the achievements of the commissions and plan of action.” CIEDP Chairman Lokendra Mallick, however, hoped that the government would in a week or two provide the commissions with the legal framework and logistics so that they could complete their tasks. “We will try our best to complete our tasks within the mandate,” he said. TRC member Manchala Jha said one year will not be sufficient for the commission to investigate around 58,000 cases. सत्य निरुपण तथा मेलमिलाप आयोग र बेपत्ता छानविन आयोगको म्याद एकवर्षका लागि थपिएको छ । विहिवार प्रधानमन्त्री निवास बालुवाटारमा बसेको मन्त्रीपरिषद्को बैठकले म्याद थप्ने निर्णय गरेको हो। प्रधानमन्त्रीका नीजि सचिवालयका अनुसार आधा घण्टाका लागि बसेको बैठकले म्याद थप्ने निर्णय मात्र गरेको थियाे। विहान साढे दश बजेका लागि बोलाईको मन्त्रीपरिषद्को बैठक विविध कारणले स्थगित भएको थियो। पछि म्याद सकिनै लागेको आयोगका लागि मात्र मन्त्रीपरिषद्को बैठक बसेको थियो। आयोगको म्याद विहिवार नै सकिन लागेको थियो। विहान बस्ने मन्त्रीपरिषद्को बैठकमा शान्ति तथा पूनः निर्माण मन्त्रालयले आयोगको म्याद थप्ने प्रस्ताव लग्ने तयारी गरेको थियो तर बैठक नै स्थगित भएपछि आयोगका पदाधिकारी निराश थिए। मन्त्रीपरिषद्को बैठक स्थगित भएपछि आयोगका कर्मचारीले बोर्ड र नाम प्लेट समेत हटाइसकेका थिए। पछि मन्त्रीपरिषद्को आकस्मिक बैठकले म्याद एकवर्ष थपेपछि बोर्ड र नाम प्लेटहरु राखिएकाे थियाे। दुई वर्षका लागि आयोग गठन गरिएको थियो। आयोगका सदस्य मञ्चला झाले दुई वर्षमा जति काम हुनुपर्ने त्यति काम हुन नसकेको तर त्यसमा आयोग मात्रै दोषी नरहेको बताउनुभयो।