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Journalistic Initiative Connects the Terai and Hill Regions - August 2008
Journalists in the Terai region of Nepal are often criticized for failing to keep their stories impartial and for inaccurate reporting on issues that concern the Madhesi people, the predominant ethnic group of the fertile lowland. At times, inflammatory media reports based on stereotypes and generalizations have triggered violence between Madhesis and Pahadis, an ethnic group with ancestral ties to the country’s hill regions. And over the past two years, various agitating groups in the Terai have targeted media outlets and journalists. To moderate the biases in the media that fuel these tensions and to promote mutual understanding, USAID/OTI organized an inter-ethnic exchange program for 10 Madhesi and 10 Pahadi journalists.
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Madhesi journalists interview a businesswoman in the hill district of Sankhuwasabha. |
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Youth Observe Second Anniversary of Democracy - May 2008
Young people, who were instrumental in reinstating democracy during Jana Andolaan II (People's Movement), have been playing both positive and negative roles in the ongoing transition. Accordingly, one of the important challenges of the post-election period will be to educate youth on democratic practices, political tolerance, and nonviolent means of political expression. On April 23, 2008, with assistance from USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), the Social Organization for Liberal Volunteer Engagement Nepal (SOLVEN) held a day-long cultural and awareness-raising event on the second anniversary of Jana Andolaan II.
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The crowd cheers during a concert promoting youth engagement in Nepal’s ongoing political transition. |
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Community Radio Debuts in Remote Humla District - June 2008
To increase opportunities for residents of the remote Humla district to participate in Nepal's peace and transition processes, USAID/OTI provided support to establish Radio Kailash in Simkot. Today, Radio Kailash is broadcasting to 17 village areas and more than 20,000 listeners across the district. The station provides seven and a half hours of daily service, broadcasting music, Nepal Chautari (a national, live call-in talk show supported by OTI), national news received via a national satellite communication system (also supported by OTI), and local programs.
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Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Evan Feigenbaum (left), U.S. Embassy in Nepal DCM Randy Berry, and USAID/Nepal Mission Director Beth Paige cut the inaugural ribbon at Radio Kailash. |
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Youth Observe Second Anniversary of Democracy - May 2008
Young people, who were instrumental in reinstating democracy during Jana Andolaan II (People's Movement), have been playing both positive and negative roles in the ongoing transition. Accordingly, one of the important challenges of the post-election period will be to educate youth on democratic practices, political tolerance, and nonviolent means of political expression. On April 23, 2008, with assistance from USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), the Social Organization for Liberal Volunteer Engagement Nepal (SOLVEN) held a day-long cultural and awareness-raising event on the second anniversary of Jana Andolaan II.
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| The crowd cheers during a concert promoting youth engagement in Nepal’s ongoing political transition. |
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Citizens Respond to "A People War" - April 2008
In the post-conflict period, there has been a need for messaging that reminds people of the brutal consequences of war and the suffering incurred during the conflict so that efforts for truth and reconciliation are continued and a return to violence is avoided. To address this need, local nongovernmental organization nepa~laya exhibited photographs from the book "A People War" at 31 locations around the country. The book is a collection of 172 photographs that capture the conflict and serve as a collective memory of this dark decade in Nepal's history.
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| A bombed-out hospital in Chautara, Sindhupalchok District, the site of a major battle between Maoists and Nepalese security forces, makes an evocative backdrop for an exhibition of war photography from “A People War.” |
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Sharing the Message of Peace in the Eastern Terai - April 2008
In the months before the April 10 Constituent Assembly elections, Nepal's eastern Terai experienced a wave of criminal violence and civil disturbances that threatened to delay the polls for a third time. In response to the increased unrest, USAID/OTI provided support to a nongovernmental organization (NGO) based in Itahari, Sunsari District, to engage residents positively in the peace process through commercial, cultural, and educational events.
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| Visitors receive information on the CPA at the “Peace Stall” at a commercial fair in Itahari, Sunsari District. |
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Supporting Nepal's Historic Constituent Assembly Election - April 2008
With the successful execution of the Constituent Assembly (CA) election on April 10, 2008, Nepal's political transition has passed a critical milestone. Voter turnout was around 60 percent, and the CA will be tasked with drafting Nepal's new constitution.
USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) worked closely with Nepal's Election Commission (EC) to support several successful election-focused projects.
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| Nepal's Election Commission briefed journalists at its OTI-supported Media Centre. |
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Peace Traveler Program Bridges Rural-Urban Media Divide - February 2008
Aiming to increase awareness of the transition process in Nepal's troubled eastern Terai, USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) has provided support for a unique radio program that was launched by the region's oldest and most popular radio station. Using a format new to stations outside of Kathmandu, Koshi FM has been sending teams of bilingual radio journalists to rural areas to dialogue with residents and record their concerns and questions on pressing political issues such as the elections, the security situation, and the role of the CA. The recorded comments are then played on the air and addressed in the studio by a panel of local experts.
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| A radio journalist conducts street interviews in a Nepali-speaking community. |
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Peace Rallies Diffuse Tensions in Eastern Terai - January 2008
In the months leading up to the scheduled November 2007 elections, communal violence spiked throughout Nepal's eastern Terai region, as protesting groups openly harassed the Pahadi (people with ancestral ties to Nepal's hill areas) living in the southern plains along the border with India. In an effort to inspire peace, USAID/OTI, from its field office in the Terai town of Itahari, provided funding for a well-known Nepali human rights nongovernmental organization (NGO) to hold a series of rallies promoting communal harmony. At the rallies, residents were encouraged to use peaceful methods to resolve issues and diffuse tensions in their communities.
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| More than 30,000 people attended rallies promoting harmony in Nepal's Terai region. |
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Democratizing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement -
December 2007
Since January 2007, USAID/OTI has supported several grassroots CPA-awareness-raising activities, some of which have been successfully replicated. The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) on November 21, 2006, brought an end to 11 years of armed insurgency waged by the Maoists and increased the hopes for sustainable peace and democracy in Nepal. As the foundation document of the peace process, the CPA outlines the rights and responsibilities of all key actors during the transition phase.
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| Citizens discuss rights guaranteed under the CPA in a public forum. |
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Strengthening Security and the Rule of Law - November 2007
The Terai, a region of flat, fertile lands that borders India, has seen a proliferation of armed groups that claim to fight for the causes of ethnic populations. In the past year, violent clashes in the region have claimed many lives and caused extensive damage to property. In order to enhance security, promote order, and increase cooperation between civil society and local government, USAID/OTI supported the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) from February to August 2007 as it held a series of dialogues in six critical Terai districts.
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| Panel responds to questions after USIP releases its report on security in Nepal. |
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Engaging Youth in the Peace Process - October 2007
With USAID/OTI support, the Association of Youth Organizations Nepal (AYON) launched a campaign on March 28, 2007, to positively engage Nepali youth in the peace process. The grant provided training on peace building to 126 young people – including 46 young women and youth from marginalized groups. Once the youth completed the five-day workshops, they organized 25 district-level Youth Peace Dialogues.
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| A peace poster calls for youth vigilance against returning to violence. |
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Identifying Issues of the Madhesh and the Role of Media -
September 2007
Although they constitute about one-third of the population, according to the 2001 census, Nepal’s Madhesis have historically been marginalized from the country’s political, economic, and social life. With USAID/OTI assistance, a local nongovernmental organization (NGO) facilitated -- in seven critical Terai districts -- day-long district-level dialogues aimed at building consensus on the key Madhesi issues and demands. The 357 dialogue participants, including Madhesi activists, local leaders, civil society members, and representatives from the media, focused first on identifying and then on categorizing the critical issues into four broad categories: social, political, economic, and cultural.
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| A woman discusses issues of concern to the Madhesi people at a workshop." |
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Informing People about Transition through Comedy - July 2007
To raise awareness of the issues the country faces during its political transition, and to promote positive attitudes that can constructively influence the peace process, USAID/OTI has provided support to launch a TV series featuring Nepal’s leading comic duo, MaHa (Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya). The show’s episodes focus on pertinent transition issues, such as the plight of displaced people, inclusiveness and social harmony, demonstrations and strikes, the CPA, arms management, women’s rights, landmine problems, human rights abuses, compensation for victims, and elections.
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| Hari Bansha and Madan Krishna in a comic scene from their show, "Madan Bahadur/Hari Bahadur." |
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Reaching Out to Rural Areas through Mobile Radio - June 2007
Following the restoration of democracy in 1990, Nepal experienced a media boom. In geographically remote areas of Nepal, however, the media has not established a strong foothold, and many radio-blind areas have a negligible media presence. To address the need for a platform for discussions and information dissemination, Antenna Foundation Nepal created Doko Radio to bring radio to remote areas.
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| A woman speaks with Doko Radio. |
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Raising Dalit Awareness of the Constituent Assembly - May 2007
Dalits are traditionally the most marginalized people in Nepal, with Hindu custom placing them at the bottom of the caste ladder. Although they comprise an estimated 15 percent of the population, Dalits have minimal representation in governmental bodies, and they have been one of Nepal’s most conflict-affected groups during the 11-year Maoist insurgency. With USAID/OTI assistance, beginning in early March 2007, the Nepal National Dalit Social Welfare Organization (NNDSWO) organized a Constituent Assembly awareness campaign by mobilizing 25 peace facilitators.
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| Tharu women (a higher Hindu caste) share their experiences with a Dalit woman. |
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Supporting Students
for Peaceful Protests - April 2007
Despite the positive momentum toward peace, Nepal's transition has been crippled by countless demonstrations organized by a wide, and continuously expanding, variety of groups. Unfortunately, demonstrations have often been violent, resulting in loss of life and extensive property damage. Starting on March 13, 2007, with USAID/OTI assistance, Social Organization for Liberal Volunteer Engagement Nepal (SOLVEN) conducted a 2-day workshop on demonstrating more peacefully and reducing damage during protests.
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| SOLVEN's president
briefs Speaker of the House Subash Nembang on the conclusions
of the protest workshops. |
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Music Promoting Diversity
and Unity in Nepal - March 2007
With ethnic groups around the country taking part in violent demonstrations, ethnic tensions threaten to derail the peace process. In light of these tensions, it is essential to celebrate Nepal's diversity and emphasize the need for communal harmony as the country works toward a sustainable peace. On February 17, 2007, with USAID/OTI assistance, the two-time Grammy Award winning American band Ozomatli performed for the first time in Nepal. The theme of the concert was "Different Instruments but One Rhythm-Together We Can Make a Prosperous Nepal," and the band members, who are politically conscious and come from a number of ethnic backgrounds, proved to be the perfect ambassadors for advocating peace and harmony.
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| Ozomatli band
members respond to questions from the press in Nepal. |
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Rapid Response to
Election Commission - February 2007
On November 21, 2006, Nepal's Seven Party Alliance government and the Maoists signed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, bringing an end to 11 years of armed insurgency. Both parties have agreed to a timeline and committed to hold Constituent Assembly elections by mid-June 2007. On January 23, 2007, voter registration teams began deploying to the country's 75 districts to begin the voter registration process, which is to last approximately two weeks. Late in the evening on January 22, OTI/Nepal received an urgent request from the Election Commission for the procurement of equipment essential to the voter registration process.
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| The OTI/Nepal team and Election
Commission IT specialists inspect new equipment. |
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Launch of Live, National,
Toll-Free, Call-In Talk Show in Nepal - January 2007
After 11 years of an armed insurgency, the signing of
the Comprehensive Peace Accord on November 21, 2006, between
the government and Maoists represented a critical turning
point in Nepal's history. During this sensitive transition
period, there is a need to increase the awareness and
participation of people across the country through public
debate on a range of important social, political and economic
issues. Radio is a medium of communication that can help
bridge the daunting geographic boundaries of Nepal, increase
the inclusiveness of the national debate, and effect positive
change
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Bharat Mohan Adhikari, Deputy
Prime Minister, former Finance Minister and UML leader.
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