Report on
the different activities on
Develop a Culture of
Peace and Non-Violent Society
organized by Idea Action, with collaboration of Gomati Youth Club.
Introduction
Idea Action is a youth-led and youth-focused human rights
organization in
Nepal.
The main objective of Idea Action is to develop a culture of peace
and non-violence. We believe a permanent end to the ongoing conflict can only
be achieved if fundamental changes take place, including:
1.
Increased
political participation among the majority of Nepalis who are
disengaged.
2.
Greater value placed on the importance of education.
3.
Widespread and institutional respect for human rights.
4.
Freedom of expression without censorship or government influence.
Idea Action believes that in order to develop this culture
of peace and non-violence, we must begin from the ground up of
Nepali society. Therefore, Idea Action specifically targets youths
in rural areas who tend to be disconnected from their community and
country. By organizing educational and social activities, Idea
Action works to develop peace in the short-term as well as cultivate
a long-term culture of non-violence. First, by organizing youth
forums and projects, we provide an alternative to youths who might
otherwise join the internal conflict or engage in other illicit
activities. Idea Action works to inform youths of the reality of
the conflict and discourage them from participating in the
violence. Second, Idea Action programs work to develop future
leaders who respect human rights and will work to build a peaceful
democratic
Nepal.
Future conflicts and political instability can only be prevented if
today’s youth play an active role in the peace process.
Idea Action at Work
Karaputar, Lamjung District
11 October 2005
To develop a culture of peace and non-violence, Idea Action
collaborates with local organizations in rural communities of
Nepal.
In Karaputar, Lamjung District (Ishaneshowar VDC, Ward 9), Idea
Action has formed a partnership with Gomati Youth Club. Working
together to understand and develop strategies to address the
present conflict situation, Idea Action and Gomati Youth Club
organized various activities to involve youths in working towards
peace in their own communities.
Idea Action specifically chose to conduct its
programs in Karaputar on Vijaya Dashami on 11 October
2005. Not only is Vijaya Dashami the most widely attended
Hindu festival which would ensure our programs reached the widest
number of community members, but it also the most important Hindu
festival. Holding the programs on this day reinforces Idea
Action’s commitment to uphold Nepali cultural traditions while
simultaneously developing a culture of peace and non-violence.
The activities included a peace rally, elocution, drama, dance
show, a signature campaign, exchange of greetings and an
interaction program on the roles and responsibilities of youths
for develop a culture of peace and non violent society.
After the program, Idea Action collected feedback
from the participants. Their responses that the programs
were informative encouraged us to organize similar programs in
other rural areas.
Peace Rally
Attended by over 1000 people, Idea Action held a
peace rally to encoura ge community members as well as the
government to participate in a peaceful resolution to the ongoing
conflict. Participants of the rally came from neighboring VDCs
such as Bhorletar, Bangra and Tharpu and represented all areas of
society including former chairpersons of VDCs, people’s
representatives, businessmen, teachers, soc ial workers, women,
students, and children. The rally began at the Gomati Club
Office, marched through the village and ended at Ram Bazar, the
main market. For many villagers in the area, this was the
first human rights and peace program they had ever participated
in. Moreover, by moving the peace rally throughout the
village, Idea Action worked to increase awareness about human
rights even among community members who had not planned on
attending the program.
Elocution on Peace and Human Rights
 In
order to encourage youths to become involved in building long-term
peace in Nepal, Idea Action and Gomati Youth Club organized an
elocution competition, awarding prizes to the winners. Forty
youths in the area recited poems they had composed on the theme of
how to develop a culture of peace and non-violence. Not only
did this competition increase awareness among the general public,
but Idea Action also believes that by participating in activities
such as composing original works on peace and human rights, youths
will increase their self-awareness of how they themselves can
become involved in building long-lasting peace in their community
and country.
Signature
campaign
 A signature campaign is a documentation of villager's
commitment to
develop a culture of peace and non-violence society. Idea
Action has made a policy to collect the signatures of the villagers
on the end of the programme where our project will be launched.
In the white cloth, titled 'for human rights and long
lasting peace' villagers jot down their signature as an agreement to
the title. We believe that this project will help the villagers to
implement and amend the commitment for human rights and peace issues
towards achieving and developing the culture of peace and non
violence society.
Similarly, our another objective to collect signature is to
deal with government and other international community to make a
policy for long lasting peace and to give priority to the youth
agendas also which is the most important factor for peace dialogue
as well as national development.
Idea Action in cooperation with its local partner
organization Gomati Youth Club had organized signature campaign on
11th
Oct 2005. The main objective of the programme was to make civilians
aware of human rights issues and involve as an active participant to
develop a culture of peace and non violent society.
In this program the chairman and vice-chairman of
Ishaneshwor, Bhorletar VDC, the leading citizens of Hunsapur VDC and
many villagers from surrounding villages, social workers,
businessmen, teachers, students, and children were actively involved
in the signature campaign. There were around 500 participants in the
programme. This huge and active participation shows the interest of
the rural people for the augmentation of peace in the country.
Similarly, in
11th
Nov 2005, Idea Action had organized signature collection campaign
for long lasting peace dialogue.
Interaction
Program: The Role of Youth in Developing a Culture of Peace and
Non-Violent Society
 In order to understand how to increase the involvement of
rural youths in the political process, it is necessary to provide
them a forum where they will be able to bring their views to
political and community leaders. Idea Action in collaboration with
Gomati Club organized a One Day Interaction Program bringing
representatives from VDCs, teachers, NGOs, and social workers to
discuss with students how youths can work towards building effectual
policies for peace. The programme was conducted on
12th
Oct 2005 at Karaputar in Lamjung District on the designation "The
role of youth in developing a culture of peace and non violent
society".
The club president, Mr. Prahad Mani Soti, had addressed the
welcome speech. In his speech he alleged that young people are most
affected by the internal war. For empowering youth national and
international community must be aware regarding the rural youth
issues and its overall social development. He further added that
this type of program should be regularly organized in the village;
it brings enthusiasm and team sprit among the youths.
Idea Action officer and the Chairman of the program Ms.
Chandra kala Ghimire addressed about the reason of conducting this
program and presented the concept paper as well. She also reported
the Idea Action's current on developing a culture of peace and non
violent society. Similarly, she had alleged that Idea Action has
selected Gomati Youth Club as a long term partner organization for
empowering local level young people and launch human rights and long
lasting peace campaign in rural areas.
The Program was inaugurated from the chief guest Mr. Purda
Chandra Pokherel by lighting the candle. Mr. Purda Chandra Pokherel
is a youth leader and a member of district development committee of
Lamjung. He said, 'young people are not only leaders of tomorrow,
but also are partners of the present time" and we must develop youth
human rights activist as a political leaders to make an effective
policy for peace and non violent society.
Similarly, the chief speaker was the principal of
Kushumakar higher secondary School; Mr. Shakti Mani Soti said that
human right is the component of quality education. We also provide
informal training among school, campus teacher and students.
Former president of Ishaneshowar VDC Mr. Bhisnu Hari
Ghimere, Mr. Parsuram Soti- a teacher, women representative
Saraswoti Soti, Mr. Govinda Prasad Soti -a teacher, Social worker
Chaturbhuj Ghimere also addressed the programme. The speakers said
that the youths play an important role for the development of the
country. They also said that the youths should come forward to bring
the long lasting peace. They further added that the youths of this
village should timely organize these kinds of program and leading
people should support the youths.
Around 200 people had attended the interaction program.
There were representative of green Valley Club Bhorletar, Green Hill
Club Bangre, representative of different NGOs and community
organizations, representatives of local level government
organization, students, teachers, business person and other social
worker.
After the program there was a refreshment programme for all
the participants. The participants were impressed and they seemed to
be committed to develop a culture of peace and non-violent society.
Drama
 Idea Action staged a drama on the theme- increasing awareness about fundamental human rights and empowering
youths for the social work. The show gave knowledge about the
advantages and disadvantages of the promotion of human rights and
why a culture of peace and non-violence is considered necessary.
Held at Ram Bazar, the main market of the village, the show
attracted over 1000 civilians. The audiences enjoyed the drama
greatly.
It is well known that Television, newspaper, wall magazine,
Drama and musical programmes are effective tools to aware people. In
Nepal lots
of rural villages lack electricity and hence are imparted from
watching television. In these areas drama and musical programmes are
the source of entertainment and way
of propagation of information. Generally, in
the drama we include bliss, sorrows, fun activities, so people are
attracted to these types of programmes
and want to see it for fun; meanwhile they gain knowledge. For
example, dramas touch people's heart easily and they never forget
the subject matter. On the title of human rights issues we can't
assemble 1000 villagers. After collecting people, if we give speech
only they will not be interested in
our programme. In this case we also include awareness building
issues and villager's problems, their solution with fun activities
like as in dramas.
 The theme of the drama was awareness about fundamental
human rights and empowerment of youth for social activities;
similarly to start human rights campaign from every house. Women
play major role in their house, if women are aware about human
rights, their children and
other family members will also be aware. Like wise, what
are the advantages and disadvantages of promotion of human rights,
disadvantages of involvement in conflicts, why Children are zone of
peace were our main issues. The key point was that why should we develop a culture of peace and non violent society?
 In our story, one teenager saw an accident, where a group
of three people (who are fighting against the government)
shoots down a district level political leader in his village. The
main revelation was no body bothered to arrest that group. If that
group demands for finical donation or any other things or cloth
every people would provide that because they can't fight against the
guns. And there are lots of examples where they have taken actions
physically or psychologically in the refusal of their orders.
Villagers must have been affected by this group when they attacked
the police station against the charge that the police personnel
killed a student. The group shot dead eight police man and destroyed
the whole police station that time.
Now, the teenager have attended the School leaving
Certificate (S.L.C) examination, but lacks good education
environment, good financial status and he can't go to the tuition
and hence he failed in the exam. There is no empowerment for
studies, he have now become an unengaged youth. No body encourages
him for volunteer works. There is no active youth clubs. He has
long hair, takes cigarette and is roaming in the village these days.
 One day he joined the group and he left his studies. He has
done some good things, such as; declaration of wine restricted area
in his village and have made women to involvement for community
development. He has no enjoyment in life but he is happy to do the
social works. But one day, his friends decided to kill one retried
teacher who was also a social worker with out any notice. He didn’t
know why his friends want to killed him. Even he did not care either
that retried teacher was wrong or right. He just cared about his
life. After few days he discussed about life issues with his friend.
He raised the issues about those who are in black list or against
their movement. He suggested not killing them but teaching them a
lesson however all was in vain. He was left alone in his group.
He thinks seriously, why 12,500 Nepalese brother and sister
have already lost their life.
Even though he didn't know about national and international
human rights law, the one evening, he decided to save people's life.
He only knew that it was wrong no body can take ones life.
On the other hand, he can't think to leave this group
because he has seen lots of examples where this group has killed
that people who left the group and they give threatening to his
family members also.
So, that day he decided to inform that person to leave the
village and he walked all night to reach his home. Unfortunately,
that day government armed personnel entered the village for cross
check, he was captured by the government armed forced and they
decided to shoot them. Nobody believed about his fact that he is
going to save one person. But after the thorough check up of body
they found a paper where they saw the decision note with signature
of the group who want to kill the teacher.
After that the teacher moved to the near town Pokhara to
save his life. After that the teenager had the risk to save his save
for leaving the group. That time government security personals also
used to give threat to the villagers and they were mentally tortured
on the name of home searching.
But now in his leadership this particular village people
have left the illegal activities like killing the people and
demanding the donation. Similarly, security person also left giving
mental and physical torture. The villagers left blaming each other.
They said the both parties are involved to develop this nation, just
the way is different and misunderstanding had caused the problem.
Now they know killing and conflict can never develop a community and
the nation. The country can only develop after the restoration of
peace. Now all the villagers are staying peacefully. And they have
learned that young people can lead the village in the path of
development.
Conclusion
Like most rural areas, villages in the Karaputar, Lamjung District
receive little exposure to human rights issues. By holding multiple
programs that were informative, entertaining and that also respected
Nepali cultural traditions, Idea Action worked to increase awareness
among the general public and especially community youths about
peace, non-violence, and human rights. Moreover, by organizing
activities such as peace rallies and signature campaigns, we
provided examples of how youths can peacefully engage in the
political process even if they are not provided an official forum to
voice their opinions.
The End |
