Nepal's war victims watch political changes with fragile hope

When families of those killed in Nepal’s deadly September protests that toppled the government demanded justice, the anguish felt painfully familiar to Sunamati Chaudhari.

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Her husband, an English teacher, was taken by security forces 22 years ago at the height of a decade-long civil war. He never returned.

Chaudhari, 62, has been searching for the truth about her husband’s disappearance ever since.

"We left no stone unturned in search of my husband. We went to court, sought help of many organisations -- and even reached Geneva," she told AFP, referring to her bid to seek help from the United Nations. "But nothing happened.”

She is among the thousands of relatives waiting for closure since a 2006 peace deal ended a conflict in which more than 16,000 people were killed and 1,400 remain missing.

Abuses were committed by both Maoist rebels and state forces.

"I would dream of him every night," Chaudhari said.

Justice has been glacial in the Himalayan nation.

Nepal’s authorities have long been criticised for failing to adequately probe wartime abuses.

Two transitional justice commissions set up in 2015 have yet to resolve a single case, despite receiving more than 65,000 complaints of rape, murder and enforced disappearances.

'Culture of impunity'