Short Introduction to the Program:
The country is marred by violence. All the communities are
suffering from the scourge of violence. Landmine has posed a serious
threat to the nation at present. Used by both parties to the conflict,
landmine has created terror among the general people. NCBL has been
launching program to reduce the risks of mine in 25 districts and
Nuwakot is one of them. The report of the seminar organised in this
district as part of the larger campaign is as follows:
The general public had shown interest right from the beginning as
they heard of holding the program. Some people used to inquire about
it while meeting on the way. Some even approached at home asked about
it. All appreciated the program even during inviting them to it, but
the major reaction from all was that it should be launched in the
remote villages.
Respecting the interest of those people we pasted posters in offices
and places of greater public gathering, main cross sections and shops.
We also distributed some appeals and brochures at market places with
a view to informing the common people. All had but one conclusion:
the program should be launched for the students of schools and campuses
in view of its efficacy.
Despite being geographically close to the capital, Nuwakot lags behind
in terms of education and awareness. A large number of youths even
in Bidur Municipality of the district headquarters are uneducated
although some of them are attracted towards education. Except for
the headquarters, rest of the parts of the districts are hilly areas.
A district level seminar on Mine Risk Education was held here amid
the presence of Chief District Officer Janardan Sharma at Bidur Municipality.
Chaired by Tribeni Chengbang, NCBL Nuwakot district facilitator, and
emceed by Narayan Basnet, the program was participated in by 66 people.
Chief of Taradal Gan (battalion) of the Royal Nepalese Army, chief
of District Police Office, District Education Officer and representatives
from various organisations, civil society, journalists, and human
rights activists were present in the seminar. The program was very
effective.
Locally agitating students’ unions had called for Nuwakot band
(general shutdown) on that day, however, the office bearers attended
the seminar coming on foot and expressed their views.
Mine Problem in the District:
The conflict has been claiming the lives of people and it
shows no signs of abating on the one hand, and the use of landmines
by parties to the conflict has been killing, maiming and injuring
non-combatants indiscriminately and without the notice of the people.
Mostly innocent children, women, farmers, firewood and fodder collectors,
tillers, herders and common working people have fallen victim to landmines.
Every steps needs to be put cautiously and every work on farms and
forests needs to done cautiously. If not checked in time, Nepal will
be known as a country of landmines.
The situation is worsening further. Mostly non-combatants have been
victimised by landmines. It has terrorised all the people. It is an
unseen, indiscriminate and lethal weapon. Landmines are basically
used for offensive and defensive purposes during war.
“The state uses bombs and mines in an organised way. In almost
all cases, the rebels use them recklessly. Therefore, it has become
imperative to make the people aware. His Majesty’s Government
has taken this issue very seriously. We have not been able to take
a concrete step to reduce the risks of mine yet. The security forces
also use landmines, but for specific purposes and with mapping only.
They put notice board around the mine laid areas and when base camps
removed or transferred, they clear the mines.”
“In Nuwakot, the rebels have been using mines. Within the past
10 months we have disposed 37 bombs. They included 6kg weighing bucket
bombs. Mines are found used mostly around highways and particularly
around Pasang Lhamu High Way. One army police died and two were injured
in course of deactivating such explosives.”
The ongoing conflict has worst and direct impact on schools and children.
Both parties to the conflict have been using schools as training centre
and shelter. Victimisation of innocent children and common people
indicates but of a dark future. In many places, especially where fighting
takes place, the problem of mine is more apparent as they are not
cleared even after wars are fought. In other cases children unknowingly
play with mines and bombs taking them as toys and are killed, maimed
and injured. The practice of laying mines around school premises has
also resulted in big accidents.
Response to MRE:
The program is quite result-oriented. This program gives
information on knowing, removing and staying away from landmines.
The process of killing and being killed is going on. If fresh ditches
are dug or covered in unnecessary places and the security personnel
are informed of it in time it will help reducing the risks of mines.
I would like to thank NCBL for organising this program. I had not
thought that there could be such institutions. I liked this program
very much.
“I would like to thank NCBL for foreseeing the emergence of
landmine problem in Nepal and acting to control it in time. If this
organisation launches this program in the villages, the District Education
Office is ever ready to support. The resource centres can be mobilised
to run such program in various schools. The materials are good. The
display of the publicity materials themselves can inform a lot on
landmine. I would like to express the commitment of District Education
Office for coordinating and supporting this program. If the publicity
is generated in a geometrical ratio, it would be more effective. If
the teachers are asked to dedicate periods to each class for MRE during
training, it would be more effective.”
In fact the government had to
carry out such program. We should accept it with high value. The programme
is very good. I express commitment on our part for the coordination
and support of this program. It would be better if you run the program
in coordination with the District Education Office.
This program is contextual and
timely. It is very useful to educate on landmines as it has created
terror every where. In my opinion, this program should be school-centred
as many people can learn about at one time and it expands further
soon. This program needs massive publicity. It would be more effective
in minimising the risks if leaflets are distributed even before and
after the program. It is the first program of its kind held in this
district.
If this program is completed
successfully, it could be a good step towards reducing the risks of
mines. It is an awareness building program. I request all the people
to take the publicity and information given by this program seriously.
If we present in this program start speaking on this issue it will
also help in mitigating the risks of mines. This program needs to
be launched in the villages of all the 75 districts as a campaign.
This is a praiseworthy program. This will ease the tense situation.
Forget about the illiterate villagers and innocent children, even
we were unaware of its risks earlier.
Suggestions on Future Programs:
As the remote villages
are worse affected by the use of mines, it would be more effective
to launch this program there. Teachers can be good catalysts. If the
monitoring of publicity materials is done by the civil society and
the political parties, its usefulness would be higher. The remoter
parts of the country are in need of such publicity materials on the
risks of mines.
So I would like to request all
to inform the security agencies upon noticing strange objects immediately.
I also assure you that the security personnel could deactivate them
in time. Therefore, all sectors should accept schools and children
as zone of peace. Thorough inspection of such objects must be made
after the warring parties leave school buildings and school premises.
The responsible agencies should not shy away from it.
Suggestions on School Program:
