No Constitution No Peace in Nepal

Is the Nepalese Constitution and Peace Process in Limbo ?

May 28, is the most crucial day for Nepali people. All Nepali, neighboring countries, and the international communities are very closely watching Nepal's peace process and political transition. If today Nepali Political parties couldn't come to an positive agreement for the extension of Constituent Assembly by 12 PM Nepal will again move another term of violence and uncertainty.

Indian, US and European interest and support will be converted into advice--concern--deep concern and --finally invite international interference in Nepal.

We can hope for the best solutions like: Maoist will hand over their arms and PLA to the Goverment and NC, UML and Madeshi Morcha will offer Maoists to lead the government where all parties will provide their support. The new government will carry only three agenda:

a. New constitution

b. Integration of PLA in Security force through greater Security Sector Reform Plan and

c. Election for new government

In second and most likely case, Nepal will remain same..the peace process will not move forward practically, parties will fight for government and compel to extend another term of CA that will create another constitutional and Judicial complication which will again create threat of relapse peace process in Nepal.

In worst case, government will decide impose 'State of Emergency" and extend CA for six months through President. Which will keep Nepali peace process in limbo. In worst case small parties, ethnic and religious groups start declaring own state which will worsen the country's security and territorial integrity and finally invite international (particularly Indian) intervention. Country can go for civil war where thousands of people will kill each other where party leaders will be instrumental to get credit and rule by law and dismantle all the democratic institutions.

Peace Education in Nepal

Save the Children, Nepal: Leading Peace Education Initiative in Sub-Regional Level

Education can reduce the intent of violence and attack on education by promoting understanding, tolerance, fairness, and friendship among all nations and among racial or religious groups (UNESCO, 2010). Peace educatin helped to reduce tension among children, teachers and parents in Nepal by increased access of knowledge and skills on mitigating disputes in child clubs, schools and families. The inclusion of marginalized groups in curricula writing process; integration of contents that prevent tensions and intent of violence; collaborative approach of actors led by government; and intervention in multiple sector of education are major characteristics of Nepal's peace education program that accelerated towards positive outcomes.

Major Outcomes:
Peace education in Nepal is amied to foster to foster nonviolent behavior by imparting knowledge on human rights, civic participation, and value diversity. This initiative is helping children, youth and parents for increased access of information and skilled related to peace, human rights and civic responsibilities. The joint collaboration of government, UNICEF, UNESCO and Save the Children and other orgainzations helped to reduce the violence.

Save the Children (SC) has been working with Ministry of Education for integrate peace, human rights and civic educatin in formal and non-formal curricula. Similarly, it has been helping the Government for teacher professional developement.

SC is also collaborating with UNICEF and providing technical leadership for implementation of peace, human rights and civic education in child clubs in Nepal. Moreover, SC is implementing peace educaiton for youth clubs, for ex-combatants, and riot affected community in Nepal.

As the technical partner of Save the Children Sweden's Regional Office based in Kathmandu, SC Nepal is helping to initiate peace education in Pakistan and Afghanistan through the SC Country offices. SC Nepal is extending its knowledge in Sri Lanka in November by inviting the Ministry of Education and SC team in Nepal.

By: Raj Kumar Dhungana

Women's Agency on Anti-Bandh Politics in Nepal

Women's Agency on Anti-Bandh Politics in Nepal



Introduction:



The literal meaning of bandh is closure, but in Nepal, it is considered as a power discourse designed to impose pressure and to challenge state's monopoly on force. In 2008 755 and 2009 total 201 attempts of bandh shows the prevalance of bandh imposed in the fate of Nepali people. Since the government of Nepal and Maoist signed Comprehenisve Peace Agreement, the number of parties organizing strike, particularly bandh is drastically increased. Political parties, ethnic minority groups, religious groups, regional groups, and many instances locals calls bandh and create chaos.



Women's as victim and agents in bandh:



Women are considered as victims of conflict and not taken into serious consideration during post-conflict peacebuilding. The other face of the Nepalese women in conflict, as highlighted by Rita Manchanda, is the active insurgents, spy or combatants etc.



Mother's Group in Nepal:



Mother's Group is universalized traditional volunteer women's organization in Nepal initiated from 1980s in rural Nepal. In the initial stage, these groups were flourished in Gurung and Magar communities where most male members were out of home and joined army in Nepal, India and UK. These women were organized for cultural, soical, religious matters and started to convene meetings, discussions, and small programs which gradually get exposure of development programs initiated by various NGOs in rural Nepal since 1990s.



Women's Agency in Anti Bandh Movement:



This writing is basically based on the case study of women group's anti-bandh movement carried out in early 2010 in Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan ward-6, Baidam.



In Baidam, total six mother's groups are active for religious, social and cultural activities. These groups are influenced from one or the other political parties, though they do not openly share about this fact. Saving credit, anti-drug abuse campaign, anti-alcohol campaign, vocational trainings, playing active role to maintain law and order in support with community police and community awareness programs.



Women do not have war instinct, as they are mothers, peace lovers, and non-violent peacebuilder are the widely contradicted notion with the concept of women as actros of violent conflict. In the case of nonviolent anti-bandh movement in Nepal's major touristic destination 'Pokhara', all six Mother's Groups organized and acted jointly to deter friquent bandh imposed by various parties. They are successful to create interest of powerful media sector, high level government officials and civil society organizaitons.



The anti-bandh move is the deliberate act of women organized to stop any kind of strike and protest that hinder tourism and touristic activities. The latent motive of the movement is to strengthen the anti-Maoist campaign of Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal, Marxist and Leninist, and other parties by capatilizing local people's anti-bandh sentiment.



Women groups were instrumental for this movement as they got signficiant support from Government Administration, Locals, Civil Society Organizations, Police, Educational Institutions and major political parties.



Raj Kumar Dhungana

Peace Education: The Forgotten notion in social reintegration of ex-combatants

Without preparing recipient community if we send ex-combatants and child soldiers to the society it will be a counterproductive for the ongoing peace process. Nepal's peace process is in the right direction both slow and steady.. Releasing disqualified ex-combatants from cantonments is a positive step for lingering Nepalese peace process which is started from January 7, 2010. Our community is politically indoctrinated, exposed to severe violence, dehumanized, mentally and socially divided into many fractions in the name of ideology, caste, class, region, sex, religion and so on. In this social reality the released combatants and children must have to face vicarious challenges. These children and ex-combatants are not losers but they deserve equal respect in their recipient society as other people but this is going to be a nightmare if both communities are not well prepared for social reintegration. In the absence of welcoming environment in the recipient community the children and combatants will again join violent activities and therefore it can be counterproductive for our peace process. In every step these people have to face with bias, prejudice, exclusion, suspicion, mistrust, apathy, blaming, and coining as a symbol of violence in society.

The Maoist and the government failed to reach in consensus on the package to be provided for the released combatants. So in the discharge process, the government is not very much included, so apparently, this process is now leading by UN Agencies by offering various packages like education (formal and non-formal by UNICEF), vocational skill and small starter support, and also support for foreign employment by UNDP, and Health Worker's training by UNFPA. Besides this the discharged combatants are receiving 22,000 (twenty two thousand rupees) for transportation and initial living cost. It clearly shows that there is no any package to prepare community and the released combatants in the new context.

On the other hand, the community people who are suffered from overt violence since 15 years are still living in miserable circumstances. They are still living with the feeling of insecurity, fear, rejection and stigma against combatants including security forces. This community is not properly oriented about the importance of reintegration and reconciliation in sustainable peace. Government, through international support, is providing various packages to the combatants to make their life easier and better after coming back to the society. While providing packages, the government should not forget that the released combatants should not feel shame, or dishonor from this process and similarly other armed groups who are also demanding similar process should not motivate to be organized in another armed group so that they can claim similar kind of benefit from government later. This is a great dilemma for every reintegration process in other countries as well. So far, the package is concerned there should be a good education package which help these indoctrinated people to unlearn the past grievances, to protect them from joining another armed group, adapting violent means while demanding their rights.

“ .. . the only way to fight violence with non-violence is education.”
- Winners of Nobel Peace Prize in Le Monde (July 2, 1997)

Peace and conflict are two realities of a society and we can't imagine a society without conflict and peace. But some societies and countries are more peaceful than others is an interfacing reality of our world. People by birth are neither peaceful nor violent but they react as they learn from society. Education can be instrumental if we can strategically design curricular materials, instructional methodology and maintain integrity and trustworthiness during teaching learning processes. Learners can learn peace through family, media, games and sports, interacting with teachers, modern media, peers etc. If value of peace applied congruently through the skills of peace and practiced in all these domains definitely peace can be promoted in any society. In my view, peace is a process and also an outcome. So, if the process is peaceful, it is most likely to achieve its outcome in the form of intrapersonal, interpersonal, family, and societal peace.
Education is only the instrument that can transform combatants into the neutral and constructive citizens.

As defined by UNICEF Peace education is the process of promoting the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values needed to bring about behavior changes that will enable children, youth and adults to prevent conflict and violence, both overt and structural; to resolve conflict peacefully, and to create the conditions conducive to peace, whether at an intrapersonal, interpersonal, inter-group, national or international level. Peace Education is a necessary but forgotten package for the released combatants.

Peace education can create conditions conducive to peace and promote resiliency skills among the released combatants and the recipient community. This is activity based program which can be practiced in everyday life. Peace education can help the recipient community and the released combatants to build their skills on tolerance, handling emotion, mediation and negotiation to mitigate disputes, empathy, cooperation and dealing with prejudice labeling, stereotype, bias and discriminations. It can help people value peace by learning the importance of tolerance, trust, respect, unity, coexistence, acceptance, mutual understanding and positive thinking. These conceptions are not just bunch of jargons but the valuable notions for promoting peace and harmony in society.

Peace Education can promote resiliency skills among ex-combatants and the recipient community. It also can enhance value of peace in society by providing opportunity to practice various activities. We need to provide opportunity to all these released combatants to enjoy the taste of peace by including them in peace education program. It is not too late, we can't build peace by repeating our mistakes so let's include peace and resiliency education program as a key component for released combatants and for the recipient communities. Let's think and act together to maintain peace and later we may get opportunity to sustain peace through our common action. Following due respect and recognition to their pride as ex-combatants, initiation and introduction to the alternatives of peace building can put them on track. The ‘Paradigm Shift’ starts in their minds the core of peace process.

-By: Raj Kumar Dhungana

Raj Kumar

Peace can be built if we all work jointly with trust, faith, and passion for peace and development in our society. We can change this world and for this we need to think, plan and strategically act for peace in self, family, society, nation and in the world. We have to learn nonviolent way to resolve every greviences and problems that naturally come in our life with two fold faces: chellange and opportunity.

Raj Kumar Dhungana