Major Activities (2000-2001)

1. a) Membership: In the stipulated period, the CEC provided membership to the 482 new applicants who accepted the statute of the Society and paid the necessary membership fee. The accumulated membership of the organization since its establishment has reached 1591.

b) Honorary membership: The CEC decided to award honorary membership to Mr. Rory Mungoven ,the Coordinator of the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers and former Director of Asia Pacific Region of Amnesty International.

2. District Committees: In this period, 13 new District Committees have been formed making the total number of such committees 37 (in eight other districts such committees are about to be formed). (the country has 75 districts). The newly formed committees are:

District

Nuwakot
Saptari
Makwanpur
Surkhet
Gulmi
Gorkha
Dolpa
Dolakha
Siraha
Kapilbastu
Bara
Syangja
Routahat

3. National Council Meeting: The third National Council of the Society took place in Pokhara on 22 and 23 September 2000.The council meeting was Inaugurated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Honorable Taranath Ranabhat, the meeting had a main slogan "Non-violence Harmony and Tolerance". It was participated by 148 representatives. The meeting had discussed and endorsed the CEC annual activities report, account and audit report, the annual plan and budget of 2001-2002 and also adopted various 13 policy resolutions. The meeting also unanimously elected Krishna Pahadi, Purushottam Dahal, Suresh Chandra Pokharel, Sanat Acharya and Kumar Ghimire respectively as Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, General Secretary, Secretary and Treasurer. In the election held for the members of the CEC, Ms. Shanti Neupane, Surya Prasad Dhakal, Dilliram Dhakal and Komal Lamichhane were elected. The CEC later co-opted Tak Bahadur Sarki and Padam Naupene as members of the CEC.

4. CEC meeting: During the period, a total of six CEC meetings were held. No members of CEC has taken meeting allowance and the transportation expenses incurred.

5. Secretariat and Co-ordinators: In the National Secretariat of the HURPES, three permanent staff are working. The CEC appointed 24 coordinators [ volunteer] on different theme.

6. Library: At the library located in the National Secretariat of the Society, there are 982 books, including journals.

7. Transparency: As per the transparency policy of the Society, the audit and activities report were made public through the press (the reports were sent to 75 newspapers and magazines) and it was mentioned that if the press had any query on those reports, they could contact within three days and get more information to satisfy them. Internally, the decisions of the CEC, programs and other information were sent to all District Committees through fortnightly mailings.

8. Financial Support: In this period also, the Society has not taken any financial assistance from any government or government agencies. The Finnish NGO Foundation for Human Rights (KIOS) provided Rs. 930,000 (Rs. 144472.15 to be received yet) for Social Equality Awareness Campaign and Norwegian Human Rights Fund provided Rs. 593,712 for Child Rights Seminar. As per the Society's policy of transparency, on both occasions when the assistance was received, the name of the organization providing such assistance, program and amount were made public through the press.

9. Research: HURPES carried out a fact-finding mission on the incident at Anekot of Kavre district and the report was made public (Forum for the Protection of Human Rights and GRINSO had also taken part in the research ). Apart from that, with the assistance of local District Committees and members, research conducted in local levels on the reported violation and abuse of human rights and 12 press releases were issued. The findings of various research held by the HURPES were included in the booklets entitled "Need of everybody's cooperation for peace ", "Untouchability: Crime Against Humanity" and "Nepal: Children under fire of violent politics " and a concept paper on "Non-violence, Harmony ,and Tolerance"

10. Campaign: The Society organized five major campaigns. The main campaign of the year was the peace conferences held in 50 districts of the country including Rukum, Rolpa, Salyan and Jajarkot, , the intense violence hit area. Similarly, symposia on "Non-violence: Harmony: Tolerance" were organised in 15 districts. As a campaign against impunity, interaction programs and demonstrations were held. As a part of the Social Equality Awareness Campaign, theatre group SARWANAM performed street drama Hahakar (Cry) in 49 districts and 24 talk programmes and open air s meetings were organised. Likewise, keeping in view the reports of the involvement of children in the incidences of armed conflict, seminar on "Nepal: Children under fire of violent politics " were held in 39 districts focusing on the rights of children.

11. Program: The programs organised by the CEC of HURPES during the period are as follows:

On 23 July 2000, human rights symposium against torture in Tikapur, Kailali district
On 10 August, membership training on "Peaceful Campaign for Peace Culture" in Nuwakot district.
On 22-23 Septermber Third National Council meeting of the Society in Pokhara. A peace march was held at the beginning. The meeting elected the CEC for a two-year term.
On 11 November, in the context of the Directors forum Meeting of Amnesty International, HURPES organised a reception to honor the delegates to the meeting from around the world and also held a talk program "Politics and Human Rights". The program was addressed by former prime minister [present PM] Sher Bahadur Deuba, Chairperson of AI's International Executive Committee Colm O' Couanchain,the then Secretary General of AI Pierre Sane and other distinguished guests.

5-54 PEACE CONFERENCES:

On the occasion of United Nation's Day 24 October 2000, Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES) started the first ever district level peace conferences from Kathmandu. So far, it was concluded in 50 districts of Nepal in February 2001 including Rolpa, Rukum, Jajarkot and Salyan, which are the most affected districts of Maoist "Peoples War". 2967 people from various walks of the life participated in the conferences including judges, members of parliament, lawyers, human rights activists, local administrators, police, teachers, trade unions, journalists, women, NGO representatives, representatives of political parties and elected representatives.

In these conferences, the human rights situation of the country was explained and stress was put on the need to initiate a peace process. Through the conference papers, seven recommendations were made to His Majesty's Government, three to Nepal Communist Party (Maoists) and five to the civil societies and the different political Parties. The conference also explored the possibility of collaborated effort from the different sector to stop the human rights violation and abuses.

A special 72 page booklet was published and distributed widely which includes two working papers on "Need of Everybody's Cooperation for Peace" and 'There is no Alternative to Peace". This includes UDHR, ICCPR and it's protocols, ICESCR, Summary of International Humanitarian Law (1949 Geneva Conventions and two additional protocols) and fundamental rights guaranteed in Nepalese Constitution article 3).

55. On 7 December 2000, a protest demonstration was held in Kathmandu opposing disappearances of the people by government and abduction and hostge taking by CPN Maoist.

56. On 10 December 2000, organised a symposia focusing on disappearances and abduction in Nepal by Government and CPN Maoist.

57. On 8 January 2001 , a press conference organised in Kathmandu .

58-72. From 2nd February 2001 , Symposia on Non -Violence, Harmony and Tolerance was held in 15 districts of Nepal including Salyan , Dang and Kathmandu .. A concept paper was also presented in the programs.

73. 6 February, in the context of impunity to the perpetrators of human rights violation, a protest demonstration was held in Kathmandu .30 participants of the demonstration was arrested by Police and released on the same day.

74. 11 February, an interaction programme was held in Kathmandu on "Impunity : an impediment to the creation of human rights culture "

75-123. April - May 2001, HURPES launched one month long Social Equality Awareness Campaign Focusing on the rights of the Dalits.

. During the campaign, pioneer drama group SARWANAM performed a new drama HAHAKAR (Cry) in 49 districts in Nepal. The focus of the play was against UNTOUCHABILITY and discrimination..

124-147. In April - May 2001, Talk programmes and mass meetings held in 24 districts against untouchability during Social Equality awareness campaign .

148. 3 May, A press conference was organised in Kathmandu .

149. 1 June 2001, a talk programme "Peace Is Our Right " organised in Kathmandu in connection to HURPES' 5th anniversary day addressed by Former Prime Minister,MPs and former Ministers.

150. 3 July, an workshop /orientation held in Kathmandu on the rights of the child.

151-189. In July 2001 , HURPES organized 39 seminar in 39 district of Nepal on the rights of child focusing on children situation in armed conflict. The first seminar was held in Kathmandu on 2nd July 2001. 1755 persons from different walk of life participated in the seminar including Judges,MP,, former ministers, lawyers, police officers , human rights activists, representatives of different ministries of government, local administrators and child rights NGOs. The seminar was concentrated against involvement of children in armed conflict .A special 42 page booklet also published for the seminar.

12. Joint Programmes:

1. on 13 June HURPES and other Human Rights Organisations jointly organised demonstration against the attack by Government on freedom of expression .

2. on 29 June, HURPES and 6 other Human Rights Organisations Jointly organised a Sit -in in Kathmandu, opposing Public Security regulation .

13. On 12 June 2001, Coalition To Stop The Use Of Child Soldiers released "global report on child soldiers 2001" worldwide. HURPES released this report in Nepal . HURPES is in the steering Committee of the Coalition representing Asian Coalition.

14. Information/Technology:

From this year, HURPES has started its own website [www.peacesocietynepal.org] which has 12 sections describing about HURPES's present and past activities, structure, transparency etc.

15. Publication: The following booklets were published during the year.

1) Need of Everybody's Cooperation for Peace"

2) Untouchability: Crime Against Humanity

3) Nepal: Children under fire of violent politics

Apart from those, a concept paper "Non-violence, Harmony and Tolerance" and other two booklets relating to the policy and activities of the HURPES and Peace Journal were published.

16. Participation in International Meetings

1) Working paper on "Global Trends Towards Abolition" presented by Chairperson Krishna Pahadi at a Conference Against Death Penalty organised by the Campaign Against Death Penalty (India) held in Delhi on 22 - 23 July.

2) Chairperson Krishna Pahadi was invited to Sri Lanka, and participated as an expert as a part of the election monitoring held on 10 October 2000[Parliamentary election] at the invitation of National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI).

3) In April 2001 , Chairperson Krishna Pahadi participated in a consultation held in London on the human rights situation in Nepal at the invitation of Amnesty International .

17. 12 press releases were issued by HURPES during the year opposing human rights violations and abuses..

18. Several programs were organised by District Committees of the HURPES at local levels. The representatives of the organisation addressed various programs organised by other organisations.

19., The letter writing campaign was carried out through out the year.