Short Introduction to the Program:
The program in Kapilbastu was completed
as informed by the central office of the NCBL. Making the people aware,
report of mine explosions in the district has been prepared through
field inspection. In course of the reportage, mine-affected people
were visited at their doorsteps and data collected accordingly. Data
on mine (mis)use has been collected from 2001 to till date from the
district. The data will be sent to the central office. A district
level seminar on MRE was held at the DDC conference hall Taulihawa
on 24 September 2005.
The program was chaired by Huma
Nath Pandey, NCBL facilitator for Kapilbastu and vice-chairperson
of Human Rights and Legal Education Service Centre, and emceed by
Nanda Ram Paudel, NCBL facilitator and INSEC district representative.
Deepak Kumar Joshi, Officer at the District Administration Office,
was the chief guest of the program.
Local Development Officer Purna
Chandra Bhattarai, District Education Officer Uma Kanta Mishra, Dhana
Prasad Gurung,…….of Royal Nepalese Army, Tulasi Ghimire,
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Department of Investigation; Bala
Ram Adhikari, District Secretary of CPN-UML, Sudhakhar Pandey, Nepali
Congress District President, Rajesh Gyawali, Nepal Students’
Union Central Member, Babu Ram Khanal, Chairperson of Hospital Development
Committee including more than 70 representatives from various organisations,
political parties and government offices took part in the seminar.
Mine Problem in the District:
The intensifying internal conflict has its impact on Kapilbastu
district as it has on others. The Maoists have used mines in 34 VDCs
and a few of them have died in mine explosion. The problem of mine
surfaced in this district especially since 2001. There have been hundreds
of mine-related incidents in this district over the years and it is
one of the mine-affected districts of Nepal. The incidents that took
place since February 2002 are given below.
More than 30 security personnel
have been injured and 22 have died in over 100 incidents of mine explosions.
Five common people have died and 15 other injured. The loss of life
and injury on the side of the Maoists could not be recorded.
Besides these, mine explosions
in the district have caused damage to bridges, roads, private houses,
government buildings, VDC buildings, police stations, health posts,
land revenue office, court, forest office, electricity office, communications
office and educational institutions.
Major mine incidents occurred
in Kapilbastu district:
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On 26 December
2003, five police and five army men were killed and four other injured
when a vehicle was trapped in an ambush laid by the Maoists at Dhankhola
of Shivagadhi-4.
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On 3 March 2004,
two security personnel were injured in a bomb explosion caused by
the Maoists on a culvert near Hathausa-4 Deubapar section of the
Taulihawa road.
-
On 29 April 2004,
four common people – Shiva Kurmi 8, Gauri Kurmi 70, Keshmati
Kurmi 27 and Basmati Kurmi 35 – were injured at Manpur-4 in
an unclaimed bomb explosion.
-
On 18 September
2003, one security personnel was killed in a bomb explosion caused
by the Maoists at Dhankhola Bridge in Shivagadhi.
-
On 16 May 2004,
seven security personnel were injured in a bomb explosion caused
by the Maoists at three kilometres east of Dhankhola on the Mahendra
Highway.
-
On 19 February
2004, two common people Badka Chaudhary and Asha Chaudhary were
injured in an unclaimed bomb explosion at Gajaheda-1.
-
On 17 May 2004,
one security personnel was killed in a bomb explosion caused by
the Maoists near Siddartha Campus.
-
On 11 June 2004,
Anita Thakur 8 was killed and Birendra Bhar 8 and Krishna Bhar 10
were injured in an unclaimed bomb explosion at Buddhi-6, Pratappur.
-
On 13 June 2004,
Radha Dhobi 75 was killed and Anita Dhobi 4, Rahaman Dhobi 2, Lauddin
Dhobi 20 and Sunnani Dhobi 45 were injured in an unclaimed bomb
explosion at Mahuwa 8, Padailiya.
-
On 4 December 2004,
seven security personnel were killed and two others injured in a
bomb explosion caused by the Maoists at Shivapur Surai check point.
-
On 3 July 2005,
one security personnel was killed and three others injured in a
bomb exploded by the Maoists at Chanai 5, Khagendrapur.
-
On 8 July 2005,
two common people – Rakesh Chaudhary and Mathura Devi Panthi
– and two security personnel were killed and one common people
– Kul Bahadur Khadka – and five security personnel were
injured in a bomb exploded by the Maoists at Khururiya-4.
-
On 8 May 2005,
Tulsi Pariyar, a civilian, was seriously injured in a bomb explosion
that took place inside the Shivagan Battalion barrack at Gorusinge.
-
On 10 August 2005,
two security personnel were injured in a bomb exploded by the Maoists
at Taulihawa road.
Response to MRE:
This is a very effective program. Such
program should be launched in the district. Every section has to lend
their support in order to advance this program. This program is encouraging
and has new dimension and meets the demand created by the situation
in the country.
Suggestions on Future Programs:
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To keep the record
of the incidents taken place in the district.
-
Organise district
level seminar under the MRE in order to exchange information and
lend support.
-
To distribute MRE
materials in an organised manner and to evaluate their effectiveness.
-
Besides the said
activities, keep records of mine victims and approach various organisations
for their support.
-
To create an environment
conducive to support for mine victims and coordinate among human
rights organisations in order to make mine-related incidents public
and to request and to exert pressure on the parties to conflict
not to use mines.
Suggestions on School Program:
-
The program should
get continuity.
-
The program should
be launched at all the higher secondary, secondary, lower secondary
and primary schools of the district.
-
The program should
also be launched at villages and communities.
-
It is timely and
required.
-
The program’s
scope should be broadened.
-
The program should
not be allowed to slacken.
-
Wishing the further
progress of NCBL, we expect that it will help humanity to protect
from mine risks.
Response to Distributed Publications:
-
Publications should
be of varied and available sufficiently so that they could reach
to all the students of the district.
-
Publications should
be based on the incidents occurred in districts and they should
be more elegant.
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