Mine Risk Education in 25 Districts of Nepal

July-September, 2005

Nepal

Bardiya District


 

Short Introduction to the Program:

The program was participated in by 40 people including Chief District Officer as chief guest, representatives from Royal Nepalese Army, Nepal Police, National Investigation Department, Local Development Office, Nepal Bar Association District Branch, Federation of Nepalese Journalists District Branch, NGO federation District Branch, local organisations and educational institutions, government offices, business community, political parties and human rights activists.

Mine Problem in the District:

Suspicious objects which could be explosives have been found in and around villages and settlements far away from the district headquarters. The explosions that take place around the villages have badly affected the psychology of the children. Explosives have been used in and around school premises.

Response to MRE:

  • Comprehensive information on the program has been received.
  • All sectors have acknowledged that MRE is a new issue, but every one has to take care of.
  • All the stakeholders present in the program have committed to raise awareness in their respective areas.
  • Participants have received information on the use of landmine by the security forces and the rebels and the possible ways of protecting oneself from it.
  • The participants were informed about the activities being carried out by NCBL and the stakeholders’ attention was drawn towards the issues and they were positive towards them.

Suggestions on Future Programs:

  • It is necessary to launch awareness raising programs on landmines and other explosives in all schools of the districts.
  • Need to make teachers and students of protecting themselves from landmine explosions.
  • Plans should be made to protect the other sections of the population from the negative impacts of landmine.
  • Need to exert pressure on the government to sign the Ottawa Convention by collaborating and coordination among various organisations and garnering broader support from the civil society.
  • Both the security forces and the rebels have to make commitment not to use landmine in factories and transport sectors.
  • Need to incorporate the industrial and transport sectors in MRE.

Suggestions on School Program:

  • Instead of putting all the students in one place, it would be better to form a group of 40 and make them aware regularly in order to avoid accidents.
  • Program should be helpful to affected people.
  • It is timely. This process must be given continuity.
  • The MRE is useful for both teachers and students.
  • The program should reach the villages and not confined to schools alone.
  • It should cover all the schools in the district.
  • The program should be carried out in a creative manner (like through street drama, acting, repartee etc.).
  • It is necessary to carry out the program in all the schools and villages of conflict-affected villages.

Response to Distributed Publications:

  • Posters are very much contextual.
  • Size of books needs to be larger.
  • It would be better if the manuals could be distributed to all students.
  • It would be better if awareness raising hoarding boards could be kept at different places of the district.
  • It would be better to inform the students through audio-visual materials.
  • It would be better if we could number the mutilated pictures instead of showing them and explaining them through the numbers. Similarly, there should be classification of touchable and untouchable objects.
  • Need to explain on the pictures so that it would not have negative impact on viewers.
  • It would be better if the reactions of the injured could be played through audio tape for the listeners.
  • It would be better if to put all the publicity matters in one place and publish in book form so that it could be long lasting.


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Ban Landmines Campaign Nepal (NCBL)
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