| Posted: Mar. 16 2005,08:36 |
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PROGRESS: Has your organization seen
progress toward a culture of peace and nonviolence in your domain of
action and in your constituency during the first half of the Decade? |
BACKGROUND
Land-locked
between India and China, The Kingdom of Nepal is renowned for her
spectacular natural beauty of her mountains and cultural of tolerance
and peace symbolised by Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the
Apostle of peace.
For this very reason, Nepal had once declared herself a Zone of Peace.
Nepal
is a poor developing country ailing with various social and economic
ills. Until about twelve years ago, the country political system was
not multi-party democracy. The prevailing political system was blamed
for country's socio-economic ills. Democracy was seen as the panacea,
and it became Nepal's great hope.
Although political parties were
banned, pro-democracy movement was continuing. From the outset, this
was centred at educational institutions of higher learning where
country's rulers tolerated it. Students and teachers were at the
forefront of democratic struggle.
Pro-democratic movement gathered
much strength in late 1989 and the Late King Birendra finally acceded
to their demands, giving the country a constitutional monarchy and
multi-party democratic system. Nepal now had a democratic constitution
and multi-party elections. The Maoist communist party also contested in
the first election and held almost a third of the seats in Nepal's
Parliament.
People had expected that much development would follow
democracy. However, development did not come to fulfil the hopes of the
impoverished people as expected.
Unemployment soared, and along with
it, disillusionment and dissent. Certain social ills, like corruption,
also increased. In short, little of substance in improving the living
conditions of the people occurred even after the dawn of democracy.
The
Maoist seemed betrayed by the failed promise of democracy, and felt
powerless even though they were hardly a fringe political party
represented in the national parliament.
In 1994, they abandoned
their legislative seats and their leaders went underground. In February
1996, they declared People's War, claiming that only a communist state
could solve the country's various social and economic ills. That is how
Maoist Insurgency was born in this country.
After 8 years of the
rising tide of Maoist insurgency, peace has been destroyed giving rise
to widespread fear and sense of insecurity. Likewise, the linchpin of
the democratic system, election of the local bodies and the national
parliament has been stalled. Education institution are in shambles and
economy on the path to ruin, throttling badly needed development works
to address widespread poverty which will likely fuel more insurgency.
Country's social and physical infrastructures built over the years are
also being gradually destroyed, eroding the capacity of the country to
deliver much needed development.
The Maoist insurgency took a dark
turn last November when rebel leaders walked out of peace talks with
the government. Violence has increased considerably since that time,
the country is virtually in a state of near civil war with killing
going between the Maoist insurgents and government security forces with
ordinary people often caught in their cross-fires.
Apparently, both sides have realised the need for negotiated settlement but peace talks still seem remote.
CONCEPTUAL PREMISE
There
can be neither democracy nor development in the absence of peace. Peace
is disturbed when conflict arises. Its main source is perceived threats
from the other people, differences, misunderstanding, competition over
resources, a sense of prejudice, hatred, etc. All these things need
better understanding. They need better knowledge. They need more
co-operations. So people begin to understand different points of view.
When people understand the different points of view, they can most
likely resolve the differences in a more peaceful way.
The
conditions conducive to permanent peace must have their foundations in
what the UN has called a "a culture of peace". Peace fostering
attitudes (or attitudes of peaceful solution of disputes) need to be
promoted by raising awareness of human rights among the members of the
society. Peace once attained cannot be taken for granted. It must be
cultivated and nurtured in order to support participatory democracy and
sustaining development. Indeed, all of these need be addressed is a
coherent manner through education research and advocacy in order to
promote peaceful democratic societies.
* Considering that peace begins with each person, and extends to the home, neighbourhoods, nation and beyond.
* Understanding that peace is the right of every human being and that defending it is the responsibility of everyone.
*
Realising that the cause of peace, democracy and development through
active dialogue is achievable not only by the active participation of
individual citizen but also the collective involvement of all
stakeholders.
* Also realising that peace and co-existence are not
possible without active dialogue and without dialogue there cannot be
peaceful settlement of disputes.
* Reaffirming that peace is sine qua non for human happiness, democracy and any development.
* Acknowledging that development is needed to ensure peace and democracy and vice versa.
*
Recognising the need to establish peace at every level in our country,
in the region and in the world to support democracy and development.
*
Further recognising that there are many serious obstacles to achieving
lasting peace such as persistent inter-generational poverty, ignorance
and structural injustice al, of which are the main sources of conflicts
threatening peace locally and globally.
* Considering that peace
entails more than just tolerance but active mutual respect by learning
how to live in a world of differences and diversity and by working
collectively to overcome suffering from hunger, disease,
discrimination, ignorance, injustice, fear and violence.
And to help
contribute towards peace, democracy and development hereby it is
proposed to establish a CENTRE FOR PEACE, DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT
under Youth Advocay Group has been proposed last Year. This is on the
conceptual period.
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OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
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The
obstacle is that the both parties involved in the conflict in Nepal so
called "Maoist Insurgency" has been neglecting the Human Rights and the
Civil Liberties of People. They are more concerned about themselves
rather than the issues of the people and citizens. And they don't agree
to accept their mistake. This has been the greatest obstacles in our
project.
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ACTIONS: What actions have been
undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?
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The
following kinds of activities in (a) research & study, (b) dialogue
& inter-action, © education, and (d) dissemination are undertaken
for the purpose of fulfilling the objectives:
1. Formulation,
implementation and management of various research & study projects
for promotion of peace, democracy and development;
2. Organisation
of periodic interaction - dialogue activities (across political, ethnic
and religious spectrum, both locally and globally) such as conferences,
forums, seminars on current issues in conflict resolution, peace
building, strengthening of democratic system and other areas of
concerns and priorities.
3. Peace education and campaigns for
democracy and development thorough both formal and non formal
educational processes such as organising periodic exhibitions, TV and
radio broadcasts and such other activities to promote public awareness
and action.
4. Development of Young Champions of peace or peace
promoters through training programs on leadership under the guidance of
Lucca Leadership Trust and setting up of a "network of peace defenders"
across Nepal and the region.
5. Activities dissemination of research
and studies carried out by the organisation and/or through
collaborative efforts with other local and international organisations,
including publication of print resources and production of
documentaries including a regular newsletter/Journal of the Centre,
"The Peace Dialogue Alert" and publication of a periodic "Peace Index"
(based on some criteria to be established) and Status of Peace in the
nation and/or Region/World Report.
6. Development of virtual peace
and democracy e-communities through a website that provides up-to-date
information, actively disseminates, build awareness and encourage
interaction.
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ADVICE: What advice would you like to
give to the Secretary-General and the General Assembly to promote a
culture of peace and nonviolence during the second half of the Decade? |
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PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and
networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the
global movement for a culture of peace? |
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PLANS: What new engagements are
planned by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence in the second half of the Decade (2005-2010)? |
The
new engagements would be definately not been formalized but we are
going to continue the above mentioned activities as they were not been
able to fulfil ue to the ongoing conflict in Nepal. They are as follows:
1.
Formulation, implementation and management of various research &
study projects for promotion of peace, democracy and development;
2.
Organisation of periodic interaction - dialogue activities (across
political, ethnic and religious spectrum, both locally and globally)
such as conferences, forums, seminars on current issues in conflict
resolution, peace building, strengthening of democratic system and
other areas of concerns and priorities.
3. Peace education and
campaigns for democracy and development thorough both formal and non
formal educational processes such as organising periodic exhibitions,
TV and radio broadcasts and such other activities to promote public
awareness and action.
4. Development of Young Champions of peace or
peace promoters through training programs on leadership under the
guidance of Lucca Leadership Trust and setting up of a "network of
peace defenders" across Nepal and the region.
5. Activities
dissemination of research and studies carried out by the organisation
and/or through collaborative efforts with other local and international
organisations, including publication of print resources and production
of documentaries including a regular newsletter/Journal of the Centre,
"The Peace Dialogue Alert" and publication of a periodic "Peace Index"
(based on some criteria to be established) and Status of Peace in the
nation and/or Region/World Report.
6. Development of virtual peace
and democracy e-communities through a website that provides up-to-date
information, actively disseminates, build awareness and encourage
interaction.
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Postal address of organization
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P.O Box: 19532, Baluwatar-4, Kathmandu, Nepal
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E-mail address of organization
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yag_nepal@yahoo.com
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Website address of organization
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Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Culture of Peace Domains
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Second priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Free flow of Information
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Highest priority country of action (or international)
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INTERNATIONAL
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Second priority country of action (or international)
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Nepal
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