Seminar on: IMPLICATIONS OF THE 13TH SAARC SUMMIT

PROGRAM

ABSTRACT
EMERGING CHALLENGES IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABLE
PEACE BUILDING IN NEPAL
GANESH ARYAL

Nepal is sandwiched between India and China. The neighboring countries are economically progressing day-by-day and competing in global economy. The expectations of Nepalese people were naturally increased for better improvement of socio-economic condition after restoration of democracy in 1990. The Governments formed after 1990 movement foe the restoration of democracy failed to bring visionary plans and policies to address the needs of the Nepalese people. The Communist Party of Nepal- Maoist (CPN-M), a fraction of the former United People's Front put 40-point demand for fulfilling the agenda of radical transformation of Nepali politics and society. Government's failure to address these demands led to the Maoists to take up arms. It was called people's war or Jan Yuddha that lasted for 10 years.

People supported the CPN (M) to some extent for social and economic reforms and changes. But they immediately subsequently turned to end class and caste dominations of certain sections of society in addition to the agenda of abolition of monarchy. The War claimed about over 15,000 people and a loss of billion of Rupees. The People's War ended with the termination of the mass movement jointly launched by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA). The Maoists supported the movement to make it decisive. Later, SPA and the Maoists entered into an agreement that led to the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) of November 2006. Challenges and prospects of peace process are given below.

Challenges of Conflict Management and Sustainable Peace Building

Negotiation/agreement has not gone into grassroots and various sections of society.
Undermine the role of HR defenders and leaders of civil society in the overall peace process
Postponing CA Election and break of their commitments expressed in the Interim Constitution and other agreements. Addition of new agenda every time and none compliance of such agendas (e.g. Republic, Federal structures, Proportional Election system, inclusive democracy etc.)
Non implementation of CPA
Maoists are losing public confidence day by day due to their continuation of extortion, abduction, killings etc
Expectation of People increased from April Uprising 2006. Failure to address them by the government.
Initially Maoist provoked the armed groups in southern part of the country (Terai) creating a large number of small armed groups
Deteriorating Law and Order situation. 8-party Government and system put in difficulty.
No address of crucial HR issues mentioned in CPA (e.g. internally displaced persons, disappearances/ abduction, extortion etc.)
Not addressing Terai and other issues in integrated manner
Credibility of Government and Parties are gradually eroded nationally and internationally and people's confidence in political parties and government are also on the decline.
More priority to Party -centered agenda than to SPA's common agenda

Way Forward

Participation of people in the peace process is essential
Role of national institution on human rights and other UN agencies to be recognized in peace process
CA Election should be held soon ( Parties' Commitment needed)
Address armed groups in Terai in a package and maintain law and order.
SPA supremacy and role of others to be highlighted
Republican and Federal issues to be settled by CA Election
DDR initiation and implementation
CPA implementation
ESC Rights -based plans and policies
Speedy establishment of intuitions/ mechanisms mentioned in CPA (e.g. TRC, RRR commission etc.)

*Paper presented in an International Workshop on Conflict Management Mechanisms and the Challenge of Peace organized by the Program on Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, Department of International Relations, University of Karachi in collaboration with the Hanns Seidel Foundation, Islamabad at the Arts Auditorium on November 26-27-2007

** (Officer)-National Human Rights Commission Of Nepal