Human Rights & Peace Society (HURPES)Eighth National Council Meeting
Summary of annual activities of the central executive committee [CEC]
(This report covers the period between 16 July 2004 -15 July 2005)
A) Membership & Identity Card:
HURPES has been issuing receipt alone to its General member & cards to its CEC and DC Members since its inception. As per the discussion with its members and demand of the DCs, CEC meeting held on March 20, 2005 decided to issue General Membership identity card to its General Members. Till the date of 16 July 2005, the number of applicant for the general member reached 125. Similarly, the number of the ID card provided to the DC member reached 125. In this stipulated period, the CEC provided membership to the 809 new members who accepted the statute and policies of HURPES and paid necessary membership fee. In this period, 870 existing members renewed their membership, bringing the current total registered membership of HURPES to 1669. The total number of people taking membership of HURPES since its inception has reached 4178.
B) District Committees M On April 10, 2005 (Chaitra 28, 2061BS) Achham district committee [DC] was formed under the chairmanship of Madan Bahadur Kunwar and received the recognition as per the CEC meeting. Despite several request to renew membership and holding Annual Meeting the following DC's have been suspended by the CEC meeting held on January 7, 2005, as they ignored frequent request from the CEC:
Arghakhanchi, Saptari, Dolakha , Sunsari, Doti and Baitadi.
C) District General Meeting [annual]: In this specific period, 37 District Committees out of 57 [DCs] of HURPES held district annual general meetings as per the district by-laws.
D) Release of Suspended DCs. In this specific period, Gulmi & Kailali DCs got released by the CEC meeting held on September 7, 2004 and September 30, 2004 respectively.
E) National Council Meeting: The seventh national council meeting [NCM] of HURPES, which is the apex body of HURPES on decision-making, took place in Kathmandu on October 2-3, 004 with the slogan of "Outlet of Ongoing Conflict: Development of Advanced Democratic Culture".
As many as 258 participants, including representative and observer from 44 district committees, participated in the council meeting, which was inaugurated by the chief of the draft committee of the constitution of 1990 (2047 BS), and chief guest Bishwanath Upadhyay. The National Council meeting was held in collaboration with its Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur District committees. Speaking on the inaugural session of the meeting, leader of Nepali Congress Narahari Acharya, CPN UML leader KP Sharma Oli, former Justice Laxman Aryal, Krishna Jung Rayamajhi, AI Nepal Chairperson Dr. Rajesh Gautam, President of Federation of Nepalese Journalist Bishnu Nisthuri, advisor of HURPES Purushottam Dahal and senior human rights activist Nutan Thapaliya shed light the essence of Human Rights and peace in the present context.
In the closing ceremony, the Gandhian leader Ramhari Joshi was the Chief Guest. The 7th national council meeting elected 11-member Central Executive Committee under the chairmanship of Purushottam Dahal. Suresh Chandra Pokharel, Homa Kanta Chaulagai, Uddhav Bahadur Lohani, Balaram Aryal, were elected unanimously as the Vice Chair, General Secretary, Secretary and Treasurer respectively and Govinda Koirala, Narayan Dutta Kandel, Purna Nath Ghimire and KS Paul were elected as the member. The meeting proposed and passed a proposal to continue Krishna Pahadi as the founding Chair. It also passed 5 proposals on Human Rights and Peace, and CEC activities report, audit report and financial report of 2004/005 ( )^)÷^!), annual plan and budget for the year 2005-2006 .Prior to 7th National Council meeting, a peace rally was organized on 1 October, 2004. In the meeting, 4 branches of HURPES namely Gorkha, Parbat, Kathmandu and Dolpa were awarded as best District Committees of the year.
F) Nomination/ Appointment: CEC meeting held immediately after 7th National Council Meeting nominated Ms Ratna Laxmi Shrestha (Kathmandu) and Ms Kamala Lamichhane (Gorkha) as the Central Member meanwhile a Membership Appeal Committee was formed under the coordination of Founder Member Subas Dhakal where Shusil Panta was its member. Similarly, the meeting appointed 24 other coordinators.
G) CEC Meeting: During this stipulated period, 9 CEC meetings were held.
H). National Secretariat [NS]: At the national secretariat, 2 permanent staff members are working.
I). Library: The peace society library located at the central office of the HURPES has 1,073 books and several hundreds of journals.
J).Peace Journal: In this period, the HURPES published 3 issues of its quarterly publication, Peace Journal. From this very issue of the Peace Journal, Rs 25 is charged as the fee.
K). Transparency: Following the organizational strict policy of transparency, CEC activities, financial report and audit report of the year 2003-2004 were made public through media, at the same time it was also made public that if has any queries about the publicized document/statement, any one can obtain further information contacting the Central office within three days.
L).Financial Assistance: HURPES adopted the strict policy of not applying any where for funding. As earlier this year too, HURPES totally depended upon its own membership fee, identity card fee, fees collected by selling the books penned by founder chair Krishna Pahadi and Chair Purushottam Dahal, other HURPES publications and fund raisings. Senior members of the organization and well-wishers also helped in fund raising.
M) Research Mission/Visit: The HURPES conducted a research on indiscriminate killing of Madi and produced a report titled 'Bomb Explosion on A Passenger bus at Bandarmude Madi Kalyanpur: A Crime against Humanity' on 11th June, 2005. Immediately after the incident, HURPES formed a 3-member committee under the coordination of HURPES Secretary Uddhav Lohani while the members were Central Member Purna Nath Ghimire and HURPES Chitawan DC Chair Bishwa Prakash Bastola.
N) Campaign:
1) The HURPES conducted discussion programs on Human Rights Movement against Autocratic Regime. At the mean time, HURPES & HURPES DC's organized a signature campaign to release Founder Chair Krishna Pahadi who was arrested and detained after the royal coup.
2) The HURPES actively participated in the anti-regression movement. After the royal coup of February 1st, 2005, the HURPES launched programs against the royal coup. Similarly, the HURPES chair and Board Member participated in the program on the issue of human rights, peace democracy and non-violence launched by FNJ, SAFMA, Nepal Bar Association, HR organizations, political parties and its sister organization and some free radio campaigner to protest the autocratic move of the king Gyanendra.
3) Immediately after February 1st royal proclamation, HURPES issued a press release protesting the move, and held discussions with HR activists, media persons, politicians and academicians to campaign against the despotic ruler. HURPES held meeting on 5, 7 and 9th February 2005 and decided to protest with its banner and black arm band. On February 9 at 3:45 PM, HURPES founder chair Mr. Krishna Pahadi was arrested without any warrant and detained till 4th July 2005. As prescheduled programs HURPES protested on 10th February 2005 with black flags and arm band at Padmodayamod, Putalisadak in Kathmandu. This is the first organization to crack the hardest nut, to protest against the despotic king with black band where 11 members of the HURPES were arrested immediately after they marched into the protest. The arrested members were Vice-chairman Suresh Chandra Pokharel, Treasurer Balaram Aryal, Central Member Narayan Dutta Kandel, cultural upliftment coordinator Laxmi Pariyar, members Suman Shrestha, Jib Lal Kharel, Laxman Acharya, Hiralal Acharya, Balaram Neupane, Jaya Ram Basnet and Vice-chair of Human Development and Peace Campaign, Basu Devkota. They were released after 5 days.
4) The HURPES CEC and District Committees organized protest programs in public places to mark its Establishment Day on 1st June with the slogan "Peace Is Human Rights, Absolute Democracy Is the Demand Of Time, Release Founder Chair Krishna Pahadi"
O) Programs: Programs conducted in the stipulated period are as follows:
1) The HURPES organized a protest program on 4th July 2004, against the rights violated by both warring parties- state and armed rebels.
2) The HURPES held an interaction on 6th July on the theme of ''Competition in the Development of Atomic Invention: A Great Threat to Human Civilization" in Kathmandu.
3) On June 8, 2004, the HURPES organized a talk program on the theme of "Continuation of Human Rights Violation and Abuses: Growing Militarization and Possibility of Peace Talks" in the capital.
4) On August 15, 2004, the HURPES organized a press meet.
5) On August 20, 2004, the organization staged a demonstration to protest the killing of human rights defender of Dailekh district, Dekendra Thapa by the CPN Maoist.
6) On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, the HURPES organized a 5-day talk program.
a) On 13th September, 2004, a program was organized in the East Pole Secondary School, Jorpati, Kathmandu.
b) On 15th September, 2004, the HURPES organized a program in the Bidhya Sagar Secondary School, Banepa, Kavre.
c) On 17th September, 2004, the HURPES organized a program in the Prabhat Secondary School, Bhaktapur.
d) On 20th September, 2004, the HURPES organized a program in the Namuna Machhindra Higher Secondary School, Lalitpur.
e) On 21st September, 2004, the HURPES organized a talk program on the theme, "Attack on Educational Sector: Hindrance to the Culture of Peace " in Kathmandu.
O) Demonstration and Arrest:
1) HURPES protested against the TADO (terrorist and destructive Ordinance) on 4th November 2004, which has a provision of detaining anyone for a year without presenting in the court. In the protest, police intervened and arrested 27 demonstrators, including founding chair Krishna Pahadi, Vice chairman Suresh Chandra Pokharel, and released them later.
2) On the 15th Constitution Day, HURPES organized an interaction on the theme, "Activeness of Current Constitution and the Question of Human Rights ". Several HURPES District Committees, including Banke and Bardia, held interactions on the same theme.
P) 56th Human Rights Day:
On the occasion of the 56th HR Day, HURPES organized a 3-day program. On 6th December, 2004, a compendium of songs penned by founder chair Krishna Pahadi "Manma Bagdachha Koshi" (The Koshi Flows inside the Heart) was released by the poet Mohan Koirala, former Vice-Chancellor of Nepal Academy.
On 8th December 2004, a talk program was held focusing on "Human Rights Movement against Despotism". On the occasion, Bamdev Gautam of CPN UML, Narayan Khadka of NC (Democratic), Navaraj Subedi of PFN, former minister Nilambar Acharya and founding Chair Krishna Pahadi expressed their views.
On 10th December 2004, HURPES organized a demonstration against the autocratic rule of the king at Putalisadak, Kathmandu.
Q) HURPES organized two-day orientation program. The orientation was hosted jointly by Chitwan and Nawalparasi HURPES District Committees at Vijaya Development Resource Centre (VDRC), Gaindakot Nawalparasi. Participated in the program were CEC members, Coordinators, Chair and committees members of Nawalparasi, Chitwan, Makwanpur and Rupandehi. The VDRC provided accommodation for two days.
R). HURPES, protesting against the Feb 1st royal coup, conducted an interaction with right activists, media persons and intellectuals on 5, 7 and 9th February, 2005 respectively.
S) Similarly, HURPES protested the royal coup, waving black flags and tying arm bands on 10th February 2005. Police arrested 11 members of the HURPES while protesting and released on 14th February.
T) HURPES organized a talk program to welcome the released 11 members of HURPES.
U) In order to campaign in favor of democracy, the HURPES organized an interaction on 28th February which would also strengthen co-work between HR activists and media activists.
V) On 4th March, HURPES held an interaction between teachers' union/organizations and members of university teachers union on the theme of "Autocracy and Its Impact on Educational Sector".
W) HURPES organized an interaction on the theme of " The Role of Political Parties to Protect Human Rights in Current Situation" on 1st June, 2005 with various political parties. Central leaders of Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Nepali Congress (Democratic), Janamorcha, United Leftist Front & RPP participated in the program.
X) HURPES organized an interaction to strengthen democratic movement on the theme of "Movements for Democracy abd Human Rights" on May 11, 2005.
Y) On 16th May 2005, the HURPES launched a signature campaign at various three places of Kathmandu valley- Baneshwor, Chabahil and Bhotahiti to release founder Chair Krishna Pahadi who was in detention since his active participation in the protest of Feb 1st coup. HURPES collected more than 10,000 signatures and even the District Committees under the organizations campaigned for signature collection. Later, more than 50,000 signatures were sent to the Home Ministry through the respective district administration offices.
Z) On the occasion of HURPES's 10th Anniversary, HURPES organized a peace rally beginning from Kalikasthan and ended at New Baneshwor, Kathmandu.
Z1) On 10th June 2005, a Three-member Research Team of HURPES conducted a research at Bandarmudekhola of Chitwan Madi and report was made public on June 16. CPN-Maoist had planted bomb on public bus and more than 3 dozen civilians were killed.
Z2) On 4 July, 2005, the then government released founder chair Krishna Pahadi, as he planned hunger strike and the international human rights community also exerted strong pressure on the government. In this connection, HURPES organized an interaction with various rights organizations, media, and educational institutions and representatives from Nepal Bar Association.
Other Activities
Press Release: During this period, HURPES issued 67 press releases on various subjects on different dates.
Letter Writing: HURPES wrote various letters on extra judicial detention, arrest, and murder to draw the attention of the concerned authorities.