Finding. Funding.Promoting.
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PEACEBUILDERS: 'YAPE' PROJECT: Rapid Response Fund (RRF) COUNTRY: Nepal RUNNING COSTS: £11,500 pa
“The district is hardly 60 kilometres east of the capital Kathmandu, but you could be forgiven for thinking that it is a million miles away from civilisation.”
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The 2006 peace agreement in Nepal ended a decade long conflict that claimed over 13000 lives and displaced thousands more– but politicians from all parties are still manipulating local disputes to build their power base. Stopping these conflicts from escalating, and protecting the vulnerable from abuses of human rights are YAPE’s (Youth Alliance for Peace and Environment) day to day work – and essential to building ‘peace on the ground’ in the districts around Kathmandu.
“While on a mission last year to settle a dispute between villagers and local Maoists in Dolakha, we had representatives from a big INGO. I spent almost three hours each day documenting and filling in the forms. A French national, who was in the delegation, commented later that the forms reminded him of Soviet Russia. I felt like I was given a sack full of money to ‘help people’ and my hands were tied. With YAPE, we devise our own plans and strategies, and we don’t bureaucratise much.”
Bhoraj Timilsina YAPE
In the 2008 elections the Maoists gained a majority in government and, after a 240-year reign, the monarchy was abolished. However although the election results were accepted by all parties, the new republic has not run smoothly. The situation in Nepal remains fragile, as groups who had previously united for democracy or under the banner of the Maoist insurgency, have begun to split and regroup around ethnic identities. There is growing anarchy in the countryside.
YAPE works by being on hand to intervene in a conflict situation before it escalates. They have created a network of contacts across civil and political leaders in Nepal and their first approach in any conflict is to mediate. Because YAPE knows who to contact and how best to calm a situation they are able to find non violent solutions before it gets out of hand. They call on high level contacts with the Maoist senior command to rein in local agitators, whilst persuading villagers to stand up to intimidation and report incidents to the local police. When disputes turn to violence they use the media to gain national and international attention, and they are quick to involve international bodies such as the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
Key achievements:
- During the elections Maoists tried to use violence and intimidation to stop people from voting. They barred people’s entry from the election booths and threatened to set off bombs in villager’s front yards if they voted. YAPE persuaded the police to intervene and detain the Maoists, and set up a reconciliation meeting to stop further violence.
- Local Maoists forcefully overran a local health centre, leaving three villages with no access to basic medical needs and defying the orders of senior Maoists. YAPE held three negotiation sessions, but the only response they got was threats to kill family members of those who protested. YAPE used its media connections to draw attention to the situation and a national story broke. The Maoists left quietly in the middle of the night.
- Local workers went on strike over conditions in the hotel industry and local Maoists backed the movement due to the potential for political gain. Within days they had drawn up a list of unreasonable demands and bought the 36 hotels in the area to a standstill. Tourists had deserted the area and tensions increased as political parties began to get involved and people took to the streets in protest. YAPE organised a resolution meeting and devised a solution which met everyone’s needs and allowed the hotel to open again.
- A dispute in Kavre between locals quickly spread to involve the police and all political parties. The Maoists’ named 12 people as the troublemakers and released orders to ‘break their bones’. YAPE raised the case with international human rights organisations and got the story into the local media. At the same time YAPE bought the different parties together to negotiate, and in the spotlight of national attention they came to a resolution.
How you can help
The cost of intervening before a dispute gets out of hand is nothing compared to the cost of picking up the pieces after a violent conflict. YAPE needs money to cover their communication and transport costs – most interventions cost less than £200. Your donation will get Bhoraj where he needs to be, and talking to the people he needs to.
YAPE were one of three Nepali organisations in Peace Direct’s Nepal Rapid Response Fund. We have now decided to concentrate funding for Nepal on YAPE alone.
We would like to thank our generous donor who is giving $10000 a year to fund this project, in memory of his wife who loved Nepal.
May 2010 Preventing Political Violence in Nepal
Around the beginning of April, the situation began get worse. At meetings and gatherings of the UCPN-M – the main Maoist party – there was talk of a “final war” against the government, the fourth stage in the “revolution”, and of overthrowing the government. There were reports of children being forced to attend weapons and explosives training, schools were being shut down, and people were being forced to donate to the UCPN-M. In one case, teachers were being asked to donate a whole months wages. Things got more tense as May Day approached, the UCPN-M had called for an indefinite general strike, beginning on May 1st, demanding the resignation of the government.
Peace Direct funds the Youth Alliance for Peace and Environment (YAPE), a grassroots organisation that is building peace on the ground in the districts around Kathmandu. In partnership with it’s allies, YAPE began work to avoid major escalation and potential violence. YAPE chairs the Human Rights Defender Network for Peace and Conflict Management (Network) – a network of organisations from across Nepal committed to the success of the peace process. Through Network, YAPE is able to translate it’s grassroots knowledge into national action.
As May 1st approached, YAPE and Network began putting pressure on the UCPN-M to return to the peace process. YAPE’s unique links to people at local, national and international levels, provided it with tremendous opportunities for influence. YAPE’s representatives met with officials from both the UN mission in Nepal (UNMIN) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (ONHCR). They made appearances on radio stations calling for peace. And they resolved local conflicts whilst the strike was in effect, to ensure the situation stayed as calm and peaceful as possible. In one case the local Maoist party, in defiance of central party orders, had blockaded milk delivery trucks on their way to sell in town. The situation could easily have resulted in violence, but YAPE was able to step in, and, using their contacts on both sides, negotiate a peaceful resolution.
YAPE was central to the meetings between Network and other prominent members of Nepalese society (lawyers, doctors, etc) in district of Kavre. The culmination of the efforts of YAPE, and other groups right across Nepal, was a huge peace rally in Kathmandu organised by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI). Tens of thousands of people came from all over the country to demonstrate their commitment to the peace process.
With the combined pressure at local, national and international level, and the massive show of peace in Kathmandu, the UCPN-M ultimately called off their general strike, and agreed to return to the negotiations. YAPE’s unique position as both a credible, respected grassroots organisation, with links to people at national and international level, put it in a unique position to act on all levels in the building of a movement for peace. Whilst at a local level, YAPE’s interventions meant that nobody was injured in the Kavre district during the strike.
The coming weeks are critical for Nepal’s future. 10 years of civil war has left thousands dead, and many more forced to leave their homes. The work of YAPE and it’s allies is now more important than ever before; to ensure that the Nepalese people’s commitment to peace is not overshadowed as political parties vie for power.
Apr 2010 Nepal: School reopens after vicious attack
The school bus winds along the mountain road in the remote village of Kavre, Nepal. The bus is filled with the laughter and chatter of teenagers as they make their way to school, their exams are over and for now they can relax a little. But just a few weeks ago, when their school was forced to close down, they weren’t even sure they would be able to take their exams. At the end of February their school principle was accused of raping a 13 year old student. Two weeks later the accusation led to a vicious attack, forcing the school to close and leaving the students in fear and confusion.
The school of 600 pupils was attacked by an unidentified group; the group set fire to the school bus and caused mass destruction to school property, setting fire to the school computer, smashing windows and kicking doors down before chasing and attacking the school principle. 177 of the students are residential, and had no safe home to run to as the chaos ensued.
Peace Direct funds YAPE – the Youth Alliance for Peace and Environment – a local NGO which stop conflicts from escalating into full scale violence. As the students came under attack YAPE’s representative Bhoraj called the police and the fire brigade to bring the situation under control. They called the local community development organisation and worked with them to coordinate the safe rescue of the children caught in the midst of the violence.
The girl who had been raped had attempted to take her own life in despair and the attack on the school was seen as retaliation for her suffering. The Principal was arrested, and the girl taken to hospital where she could get the care she needed, but the school remained closed, and tensions in the town remained dangerously high.
Bhoraj began to collect personal reports of what had happened, for four days he talked to the students and the villagers to gain a full picture of the situation, and he collaborated with politicians and journalists to make sure that the attack and the rape would get the attention it needed. He discovered there were existing tensions with a neighbouring school, and it may have been them who carried out this attack. Both of the school authorities were affiliated to different political parties, and political manipulation may have played a role in the school attack.
The case is ongoing, and the Principal and his attackers remain in custody. YAPE is monitoring the school authorities and working with local communities to reduce the likelihood of violence. But through careful consultation YAPE has worked with the school authorities, the student’s parents and the local community to calm the situation. As a result the school reopened on 15th March, in time for the children to take their exams.
All it took was four days and the cost of car hire, accommodation and a few phone calls – in total less than £150 per day to ensure the children could continue their education without fear of further attacks. YAPE is entirely funded by donations from individuals, without your generous gifts Bhoraj could not have travelled to gather the personal reports and he would not be able to continue to monitor the situation.
Jan 2010 A look back on 2009 – Nepal
The situation in Nepal is still very fragile, only last month a general strike called by the Maoists brought a part of the country to a halt. At the beginning of the peace process in 2006 the UN estimated there were 32,000 rebel fighters still armed, to date only 19,000 have given up their weapons. With 128 rebel groups still at large in the south, the task of building peace in Nepal is far from complete.
But, there is still hope for Nepal. Peace Direct funds the work of YAPE in the south of country, who intervene in conflicts before they are able to threaten this fragile peace process. YAPE works to bring justice to people who have suffered human rights abuses to challenge the culture of violence as well as responding to conflicts as they arise.
In October of this year Peace Direct’s Head of International programmes, Tom Ghilespy visited Nepal. YAPE’s representative Bhoraj Timilsina took Tom to meet the people who had suffered through Nepal’s years of conflict. Tom met a widow who talked painfully of her husband’s abduction by Maoists. The rebels extorted money and valuables from her through threats to her missing husband’s life. Only after two years did she find out he was already dead. Bhoraj has bought this case to court, and whilst the case remains ongoing, by demanding justice YAPE is taking the first steps to bringing an end to the cycle of violence.
YAPE in action
In September a disagreement between local people and Maoist affiliated trades unions threatened to enthrall a whole town in violent conflict. Local youths began gathering in the town centre armed with knives, spears and iron rods, whilst on the other side of town the union members were preparing for a fight. The police became involved and arrested some of the youths, which only provoked the situation further as townspeople swarmed the police station accusing the police of caving in to the Maoists by arresting people who were just looking to protect their communities from attack.
Bhoraj Timilsina from YAPE was invited to intervene. As a well known human rights activists the opposing parties were confident their side of the story would be heard without bias or vested interest. At the police station Bhoraj held mediation talks between the community and the transport workers that resulted in the opposing sides signing a pledge to live in harmony.
Oct 2009 Tom’s blog from Nepal
As soon as I arrived in Nepal I had to change my plans – what I had expected to be a time of cheer and celebration as I arrived at the end of Dehwali (festival of light) had become a source of ethnic tension. The argument was over the dates of the festival and as the level of contention rose the government had to concede and extend the festival.As my bag had decided to take a break somewhere in the Middle East, I was grateful for the extra day to allow it to catch up with me. With my bag in hand, and the new schedule for the Delhwali festival finalised we headed 2 hours out of Khatmandu to Kavre district where I met with Bhoraj Timilsina from the Youth Alliance for Peace and Environment (YAPE). Despite numerous death threats and offers of more lucrative INGO jobs in the capital, Bhoraj has stayed committed to Kavre district for over 12 years. He has earned himself respect across society; from the poorest communities up to the police and army chiefs. Mixing his attention between human rights abuses of the past and conflicts of the present as they emerge, Bhoraj and YAPE are working to bring stability to Kavre District.
YAPE has dealt with more conflict related issues that they can count and everywhere we go there is somebody who is grateful to Bhoraj. We met a number of victims of the conflict that he has helped, from a former child soldier to a more recent victim/perpetrator of the violent Tamasaling clashes last June. The story that sticks most in my mind is that of a father who was dragged from his home by security forces one night during the height of the conflict and shot 18 times. His body was found by his wife who died a few months later from heart failure. The consequent anger of one of the man’s daughters led her to disappear one day herself to join the Maoists. Tragically, whilst trying to revenge for her father’s death, she was also killed by security forces in combat. Her brother talked of the cycle of violence and his family’s loss certainly brings the point home.
Nepal is by no means at peace yet; it has yet to face the challenges of political differences, years of ideological indoctrination, unfulfilled promises and at least 13,000 of the 32,000 armed cadres still thought to be in the jungle. Combined with the inevitable anger that is the legacy of civil conflict, the challenge is huge, but as he’s already proven, Bhoraj is not a man to give up hope.
Tom Gillhespy
Head of International Programmes
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Sep 2009 YAPE curbs violence in Nepal
What happened?
Kavre is situatued in the central hilly regions of Nepal, and one of the dominant ethnic groups in the area is the Tamangs (adj: Tamasling). On Sunday 7 June 2009 a Maoist-affiliated Tamasling pressure group instigated a curfew across the district forcibly shutting down businesses. In the town of Banepa a local man chose to ignore the curfew and go out on his motorbike – leading to violent consequences. A small group attacked the man and set fire to his bike. Repercussions spread through out Banepa resulting in local people being assaulted by the Tamasling forces as they rampaged through the town, setting fire to vehicles. Banepa residents took to the streets in protest but what started out as a protest turned into an irate mob of over 1000 people, including party workers from the Nepali congress and United Marxist Leninists (UML). The mob attacked the Maoist regional office – pelting stones, kicking the doors and shouting anti Maoist slogans at the top of their lungs.
The Maoists retaliated by throwing stones and shouting threats. Within minutes a dozen locals and four policemen were injured and chaos ensued as people gave flight in all directions. By 2pm Banepa looked like a war zone and there was wide spread fear felt across the region.
The following day Maoist armed forces gathered from Kathmandu and led by Maoist regional leaders they descended upon the town. A local described their entrance as, ‘a victory parade of a warrior king on a chariot’. Police who tried to halt the offensive were beaten to the ground, the Constable suffering injuries from sticks and bricks. 6 other police officers were similarly beaten up, and over 20 locals were pelted to the ground as they tried to intervene. The violence culminated in the destruction of the UML office.
In the aftermath of the destruction, the Maoist followers gathered in front of their party office and a list of 12 names was read out, some from the Nepali congress, some from UML and some, members of the local community. The order was given ‘Don’t just break up their limbs, crack their backbones.’
Fearing for their lives 3 of the 12 named approached Bhojraj, YAPE’s local co-ordinator and asked him to help secure their safety.
Bhojraj immediately went into action, using his high level contacts and knowledge of the local situation to find a non violent solution to the conflict. He began by reporting the case to the National Human Rights Commission, UNCHR and the Nepal Bar Association, bringing the situation to the eyes of officials and ensuring any further violence would not go undocumented. He then began negotiations with the Maoists – not an easy task as the initial response from the Maoist local leaders suggested they were more concerned with saving face than maintaining peace in the region.
YAPE and other local rights organisations worked tirelessly to raise attention to the case amongst international rights organisations, and to use their position to apply pressure to the Maoist rulers in Kathmandu. The press began to pick up the story: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/MYAI-7ST5H3?OpenDocument and finally Kathmandu was forced to take action to calm their district troops.
Through Bhojraj’s unrelenting negotiations and by working jointly with local and national rights organisations, this summer’s most violent conflict, escalating from a dispute between a local resident and a Tamasling cadre, was bought to a peaceful resolution.
Jul 2009 Rapid Response Funds – Lessons learnt
Independent evaluation of the RRF’s has now been completed and overall the RRF has been seen to be a positive intervention and the main criticism is not so much with the concept itself but the way it was managed and especially recorded. It has proven to be difficult in all cases to adequately identify the impacts of the RRF and information has been lost. As such, the true impact and activity of the RRF has not always been reflected in the evaluations and this needs to be addressed in the future.
To read the evaluation of Rapid Response Funds in full click http://www.peacedirect.org/wp-content/uploads/rrf-lessons-learnt.pdf
To read the evaluation of the Kenya Rapid Response Fund in full click http://www.peacedirect.org/wp-content/uploads/rrf-evaluation-kenya-02-06-09-final.pdf
To read the evaluation of the Nepal Rapid Response Fund in full click http://www.peacedirect.org/wp-content/uploads/nepal.pdf
Nov 2008 KIRDARC Case Studies
Supporting conflict victims
RRF provides KIRDARC with funds to respond immediately to the needs of conflict victims.
For Munakali, a 38 year old internally displaced woman, RRF has allowed her to change her life, “I am blind, displaced and had been raped. I had no shelter, clothes or food but I hoped to work hard if only someone could give me the means to do so.” KIRDARC responded immediately and after a community meeting to identify the greatest need helped Munakali start a small tea stall promoting peace. Munakali says, “I have found my lost family. KIRDARC have changed my life and now I am able to promote peace and earn through this small business.”
Peace Talks
RRF funding has helped set up peace forums and train peace talkers. There are now 823 grassroots peace talkers helping communities resolve conflict before they escalate. In Dharaphori people were violently beaten whenever they spoke out for peace. KIRDARC training helped 25 year old Maita Buda mediate in a recent dispute over firewood from the public forest. She said, “I never thought I could do something about peace but KIRDARC training helped me to settle our own conflict. The community can now see that collective cooperation can bring positive results. Now we do not need third parties to intervene in our own problems.” Communities now have a feeling of ownership and realize they must do something for peace.
Giving a voice to the voiceless
Gorkha Thapa was so inspired by RRF work that he now broadcasts KIRDARC initiatives through his show on community radio Karnali FM. The “Shanto Bhas” programme encourages others to work for peace, educates and informs. Approximately 432 individuals from the community have aired their voice and provided information about the violent conflict in their respective area.
Caste Conflict
RRF is used to intervene in conflict flashpoint. Violence was threatening in Jumla district after someone from a low caste drank water from a public tap for high caste people. KIRDARC peace workers spent two days with the community to convince both parties to respect human dignity and not use violence against each other.
KIRDARC initiatives through Peace Direct’s RRF have enabled conflicting groups to come closer to the peace without violence, increase willingness to dialogue to resolve the conflict, provide knowledge to bring change in their life. In purpose to promoting peace in the grassroots level it seeks long term RRF to motivate and empower the conflict affected community.
Min Shahi
Director
KIRDARC”
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TOOLS OF PEACE.
FROM EVERYDAY ITEMS.
TO CONFLICT RESOLUTION.
You might not think of your daily paper as a life saver but in Nepal, Bhoraj knows the power of the newspaper.
In the districts around Kathmandu politicians from all parties are using every small local conflict to build their power base. Bhoraj works for YAPE – the Youth Alliance for Peace and Environment, and stopping these conflicts from escalating, and protecting the vulnerable from abuses of human rights is their key objective. Bhoraj does this by mediating between groups, and if necessary using his contacts to get the stories into the press. Sometimes they use pressure from local and national media – at other times the threat of media exposure is sufficient.
Read how Bhoraj used a newspaper article to curb violence in this summer’s most violent conflict >>>
A busy Nepalese street
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