CNAS-HiPeC. Vol. 1, No. 1, March 2011

Transcription

1 News Letter Vol. 1, No. 1, March 2011 A Joint Research Project between Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies, Tribhuvan University and Hiroshima University Partnership Project for Peacebuilding and Capacity Development CNAS Originally established as the Institute of Nepal Studies in 1969, it was renamed as the Institute of Nepal and Asian Studies in 1972 with the responsibility of both teaching and research activities. In 1977, the Institute was converted into a purely research centre baptizing it as the Research Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies (CNAS). It is a research institute under Tribhuvan University. HiPeC Research in peacebuilding is the new phenomena after the end of Cold War. In this regards, more of the reality went ahead than the research and various experiments. To meet this reality, Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation (IDEC), Hiroshima University, has initiated a research project on "Hiroshima University Partnership Project for Peacebuilding and Capacity Development (HiPeC-I)" in 2005 to establish the linkage between practice and education/research on capacity development for peacebuilding. The project has learned a lot from the "Indigenous Initiatives for Peacebuilding" point of view. It has realized that researchers as well as practitioners should go together in order to facilitate the peacebuilding process, i.e. the practitioners should be familiar with research findings as well as the experiences of the practitioners which should be acknowledged by the researchers. It also emphasizes that the people of the place of conflict must be at the centre of peace, and at the same time it should be more beneficial to peace and reconstruction process if the indigenous peace builders were given chance to be involved in the process. Therefore, HiPeC has initiated and planned to work in partnership with the different countries. Hence, CNAS- HiPeC is an outcome of it. CNAS has an institutional affiliation with IDEC, Hiroshima University since a decade ago. The mutual understanding of the both institutions have deepened, and the second phase of the project HiPeC-II has materialized the understanding involving CNAS into a joint-collaborative research project on peacebuilding process in Nepal. HiPeC-II has established its office at CNAS after signing preliminary agreement in May 11, It was jointly inaugurated by the Honorable Deputy Prime Minister and

2 Minister of Foreign Affairs Sujata Koirala on September 27, 2010 and His Excellency Mr. Tatsuo Mizuno, Ambassador of Japan. In the coming years, HiPeC-II will facilitate indigenous initiatives for the younger scholars who would work on peacebuilding. It is believed that will be an important hub for the long term knowledge generation in peacebuilding research. ACTIVITIES Seminar on Peacebuilding Process in Nepal on the occasion of Office Opening Ceremony: On the occasion of office opening ceremony, one-day seminar on "Peacebuilding Process in Nepal" was organized on September 27, 2010 at CNAS. The program was jointly inaugurated by the Honorable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sujata Koirala and His Excellency Mr. Tatsuo Mizuno, Ambassador of Japan. Prof. Y. Yamane, Vice-President of Hiroshima University, Prof. Madhav P. Sharma, Vice-Chancellor of Tribhuvan University, Prof. Hideko Ikeda, Dean of IDEC, Hiroshima University, and Prof. Dr. Osamu Yoshida, Chair of HiPeC Committee made remarks about the role of CNAS-HiPec office in peacebuilding process in Nepal. The inaugural session was followed by two technical sessions and one discussion session. The first session was jointly chaired by Mr. Daman Nath Dhungana, the leader of Civil Society and facilitator/mediator of peace Honorable Deputy Prime Minister Madam Sujata Koirala (3 rd from the left) and His Excellency Ambassador of Japan Mr. Tatsuo Mizuno (2 nd from the left) jointly inaugurating the programme process who was involved since the initial stage of peace talk between the Maoist and the Government of Nepal and Dr. Masahiko Togawa, Secretary of HiPeC Committee. Prof. Om Gurung presented a paper on Role of Indigenous Community, Prof. Dhruba Kumar Shrestha on External Dimension and Dr. Keshav Man Shakya on Role of Small Political Parties in Peacebuilding Process. They highlighted past contributions of the political parties and members of the civil society to peace process and the ongoing stalemate in the process. The second session chaired by Mr. Nilambar Acharya, Chairman of Constitutional Committee of the Constituent Assembly of Nepal and co-chaired by Prof. Dr. Keshav Lall Maharjan, member of HiPeC Committee focused on the role of main political parties in peacebuilding process. At the session, Hon. Mr. Upendra Yadav, CA member and President of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, 2

3 Mr. Rajan Bhattarai, foreign affairs advisor to the Prime Minister, and Hon. Mr. Ramesh Lekhak, CA member presented the papers on Role of Madhisi Parties, Unified-Marxist- Leninist-Communist Party of Nepal, and Nepali Congress on peacebuilding process respectively. The floor discussions addressed different forms of federalism, inclusion, identity of different groups, and other related problems during peace process from historical time to the present situation. The First Internal Seminar on Maoist Movement and Community Development in South Asia The first Internal Seminar on Maoist Movement and Community Development in South Asia was held on January 7, 2011 at Hotel Sunset View, Kathmandu. The seminar was chaired by Dr. Masahiko Togawa, Secretary of HiPeC Committee. Two guest scholars from India were invited to the seminar. Dr. Abhijit Dasgupta, University of Delhi, presented his paper on The Red Corridors: Maoists and Contemporary Politics in India. He made a comparison of the issues between the Maoist movement in India and Nepal. He also addressed several issues such as link between Indian Maoists with Similarly, Dr. Abhijit Guha, Vidyasagar University, made a presentation on Revolutionary Ideology versus Ground Reality: An Anthropological View of Maoist Movement in West Bengal. In his presentation, he had raised two legitimate questions: (1) what were the issues the Maoists in Nepal and India omitted, even when they did not go against classical Maoist thought?, and (2) What were the broader ground realities which prevailed during the beginning of the Maoist movements in both the countries? And, he said The Maoist revolutionaries working in Bengal have only been the Maoists in Nepal, similarities and differences in their struggle, socioeconomic Dr. Abhijit Guha (1st from the right) presenting his paper at the 1 st HiPeC Internal Seminar using the forest as their suitable hideouts not as grounds for background of Maoist leaders and role of state in dealing with the key issues raised by the Maoists in India and Nepal. He concluded by giving reasons why many tribal groups are involved in the Maoist movement, why the policy is not helping peace dialogue between state and activists, why the media coverage is against Maoists, and why the state does the anti-social advocacy against the Maoists. upholding the rights of the forest dependent tribals under the existing governmental packages His research findings were particularly based on West Bengal of India. Dr. Manjeshwori Singh, Research Consultant, presented her research proposal on Women s Participation on Peacebuilding and Restructuring in Nepal: A Comparative Study between Rural and Urban Women. She discussed the current 3

4 situation regarding women s political participation in Nepal. Despite women s crucial participation in political movement, their contributions to decision-making regarding conflict and peace have been neglected. She further discussed on why women s participants in peacebuilding and reconstruction is essential. She proposed to examine women s participation and their role in peacebuilding and reconstruction by comparing urban women with rural women. At the end of seminar, Ms. Kiyoko Ogura, correspondent of NHK, gave valuable comments on all three papers. A Half-day Seminar on Indian Nuclear Policy and Security in South Asia The seminar was hosted by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament for Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD), Kathmandu, in collaboration with HiPeC and CNAS on 3 February 2011 (10:00 a.m. 12:00 noon) at the UN House in Pulchowk. Professor Dr. Swaran Singh from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, presented a paper on Indian Nuclear Policy and Security in South Asia. Prof. Singh talked about the emergence of India as a nuclear power in South Asia. He reviewed the Indian Nuclear Policy in different stages of time from 1947, from the British colonial rule to the independence of India and the present. He justified that all these policies were suitable according to need of time for the emergence of India as a Prof. Swaran Singh (at the middle) speaking at the seminar on Indian Nuclear Policy and Security in South Asia nuclear power in South Asia. After independence the foreign policy of India was guided by Gandhian philosophy of peaceful change. The Prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru followed the Gandhian principle. And at that time main principles were Non-alignment and Panchashil leading to peace, which is still continuing, even there is difference in practice. About 40 participants from different segments of the society participated in the seminar. The floor discussion was mainly concentrated on the impact of Indian security policy in South Asian and its future direction. The seminar was moderated by Prof. Dr. Osamu Yoshida, Chair of HiPeC Committee and welcome address was given by Mr. Taijiro Kimura, Director of UNRCPD. The Second Internal Seminar on Peace and Security in Nepal The second seminar was held on 3 February 2011 (2:00-6:00 p.m.) at Hotel Sun Set View. The Seminar was chaired by Prof. Dr. Osamu Yoshida. Three HiPeC researchers Associate Professor Dr. Pancha N. Maharjan, Coordinator of, Dr. Narendra Mangal Joshi, Research Consultant of, and Dr. Kabir Humaun, Postdoctoral Research Fellow of HiPeC presented their research proposals and preliminary findings respectively. 4

5 Dr. Pancha N. Maharjan (1st from the right) speaking on his research proposal at the 2nd HiPeC internal seminar Dr. Joshi presented the research proposal on Social Exclusion and Conflict: Analyzing Participation and Leadership in Communitybased Forest Resource Management in Context of Peace Process in Nepal. He proposed to examine how Nepalese social structure directs the structure of the participation and leadership in communitybased natural resource management and benefit sharing, and examined whether the management is controlled by elite groups, which could hinder the needs of marginalized and poor groups that can create the kind of grievances leading to the conflict. Associate Professor Dr. Pancha N. Maharjan presented a research proposal on Federalism and Newa Autonomy: From Outsider Newars Eye. He reviewed the current status of Newar in the Kathamndu valley and raised questions as to what the Newars that are out of the Kathamndu valley view federalism, how they feel about their rights in other federal state where the Newars are in the minority. Dr. Humayun Kabir, presented a paper on Building Naya (New) Nepal: Negotiating Muslim Minority in State and Peacebuilding Process in Nepal. He presented the current status of the Muslims in Nepal and their current process of negotiation in political and constitution building process from cultural anthropological point of view. Prof. Swaran Singh commented on all three papers, which was followed by the floor discussions. Participation in Peace Exchange Workshop in Hiroshima A Peace Exchange Workshop was organized by HiPeC on March 7-10, 2011 in Hiroshima. The main aim of the program was to bring the people from both sides of the conflict, i.e. government, the rebel groups as well as the local civil society members who have been directly involved in the peacebuilding process to exchange their experiences. The high-level participants from Philippines (Mindanao), South Sudan, Indonesia and Nepal took part in the workshop. Four participants from Nepal were: former Prime Minister Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal; former Minister of Peace and Reconciliation Mr. Janardan Sharma (former deputy commander of Maoists People's Army); former Commanderin-Chief Mr. Rookmangud Katawal; and former Speaker of the Parliament and facilitator/mediator of peace process Mr. Daman Nath Dhugana. 5

6 International Seminar on Federalism for Inclusive Democracy in Nepal The second International Seminar was held on March 16, 2011 at CNAS, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur. The main aim of the conference was to bring together the scholars, activists, politicians and civil society members from different countries to share their experiences on the issues of federalism and inclusive democracy for permanent peace in Nepal. The first session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Osamu Yoshida and Prof. Dr. Bina Paudel. The second session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Keshav Lall Maharjan and Prof. Dr. Ramesh Dhungel. Prof. S.I. Keethaponcalan, Colombo University, talked about federalism as an inclusion of Muslim minority in the case of education in Nepal; Dr. Basanta Rijal, Tribhuvan University, addressed the issues of preserving Himalayan religion and cultural identity in Nepal; and Dr. Katsuo Nawa, University of Tokyo, talked about the issues of federalism, ethnicity and inclusive democracy for the small Janajaties in periphery in Nepal. Around one hundred participants including Retired Army General Mr. Rookmangad Katawal, Mr. Daman Nath Dungana, Rector of Tribhuvan University Prof. Dr. Surya Lal Amatya, Secretary of Constituent Assembly Mr. Toya Nath alternative to separation on the basis of Prof. Yagya P. Adhikary, Executive Director, CNAS to Hiroshima (at the middle) commenting on Prof. S. I. Keethaponcalan's paper Bhattarai, and former Ambassador Mr. Sri Lankan experience; Associate Professor Dr. Yasuno Hayami from Yamaguchi Prefectural University presented the narratives of high caste women during the Maoist conflict in Nepal; Associate Professor Dr. C. Ballesteros from University of Malina examined the conflict created by losing indigenous people rights on ancestral domains in Philippines; Mr. Muhammad Zahid Parwez, Tribhuvan University, presented the issues of social Hiranya Lall Shrestha attended the program and actively participated in discussions about various issues of federalism, identity and indigenous nationalities and minority people s rights. The sem inar concluded that the issues of federalism, inclusion, the process of peacebuilding have gone too far, so that it is better to have more concrete work on establishing and promoting the peace process leading to a stable and peaceful Nepal. 6

7 The Third Internal Seminar on Religious Extremism and Militancy in Pakistan and its Implications in South Asia The third Internal seminar was held at CNAS on March 31, The seminar was chaired by Prof. Dr. Yagya Pd. Adhikari and moderated by Prof. Dr. Keshav Lall Maharjan. The speaker was Associate Professor Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal from Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad. He talked about religious extremism and militancy in Pakistan and its implications in South Asia. Based on his insider s view, he highlighted the real Pakistani s situation in the context of current situation of Pakistan and its linkages with religious extremist groups and reality of militancy in Pakistan. He linked the past political actions including the religious extremism and militancy is spreading like viral virus in the society of Pakistan and that the presence of transnational terrorist groups through Pakistan has severed internal and external consequence for the state, for Pakistani society and South Asian security in general. More than 40 well known scholars, peace negotiators, officers and activists including Retired Army General Mr. Rookmangad Katawal, Mr. Daman Nath Dungana, Rector of Tribhuvan University, Vice Chancellor of Lumbini Baudha University, Secretary of Constituent Assembly, former Ambassador Mr. Hiranya Lall Shrestha and others took part in the seminar. President All the Dr. Nawaz Jaspal (3rd from the left) presenting his paper at Zai s participants the 3 rd HiPeC Internal Seminar. strategy to had actively combat participated Soviet s Afghanistan intervention with in the floor discussions. They commented support of US and others to the current that Dr. Jaspal s presentation was situation of religious extremism and comprehensive about the religious extremism militancy. He went on to mention that the and militancy in Pakistan. The discussions eccentric Islamic religious groups that were concentrated on implications of politicize and exploit the religion for vested religious extremism in South Asia and Nepal interest of Islamic leaders which gradually as well. Some of the questions were related to foster extremism and militancy in Pakistan rapidly expanding Christianity in Nepal and affecting the overall region. Giving the its future impacts. Prof. K. L. Maharjan example of linkage of Pakistani s extremist concluded that the sustainable peace would groups with Afghanistan, India and other be possible only after considering different countries, he said that there is link with socalled terrorist and the extremist group in and globalization as well. factors and actors in context of South Asia Pakistan though the Pakistan s government officially denied the link. He concluded that 7

8 Exchange Visits of HiPeC, Members and Other Scholars HiPeC members to CNAS SN Name Affiliation 1. Vice-President, Prof. Y.Yamane HiPeC, Hiroshima University 2. Dean, Prof. Hideko Ikeda HiPeC, Hiroshima University 3. Prof. Osamu Yoshida HiPeC, Hiroshima University 4. Prof. Keshav Lall Maharjan HiPeC, Hiroshima University 5. Prof. Masahiko Togawa HiPeC, Hiroshima University 6. Dr. Bessho Yusuke HiPeC, Hiroshima University 7. Ms. Kawaga Meg HiPeC, Hiroshima University 8. Dr. Humayun Kabir HiPeC, Hiroshima University 9. Ms. Chieko Kajiwara HiPeC, Hiroshima University 10. Ms. Natsumi Kumozu HiPeC, Hiroshima University Scholars from Other Universities to CNAS 11. Prof. Yasuno Hayami Yamaguchi Prefectural University 12. Dr. Katsuo Nawa Tokyo University 13. Prof. C. Bellestorose, Jr University of Philippines 14. Prof. Abhijit Das Gupta University of Delhi 15. Dr. Abhijit Guha Vidyasagar University 16. Prof. Swaran Singh Jawaharlal Nehru University 17. Prof. S. I. Keethaponcalan University of Colombo 18 Dr. Zafar Nawaz Jaspal University of Pakistan Visit of CNAS members 19. Prof. Dr. Yagya P. Adhikary, Executive Director, CNAS to Hiroshima 20. Dr. Pancha N. Maharjan to Davao, the Philippines Team Members of HiPeC Team Members of HiPeC, Japan Prof. Osamu Yoshida, Chairman HiPeC, Dr. Masahiko Togawa, Secretary of HiPeC Committee Prof. Keshav Lall Maharjan, Member of HiPeC Committee Dr. Uesugi Yuji, Member of HiPeC Committee Dr. Seki Koki, Member of HiPeC Committee Yamane Tatsuo, Member of HiPeC Committee Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan Dr. Bessho Yusuke, Research Fellow Ms. Meg Kagawa, Research Fellow Dr. Humayun Kabir, Research Fellow Ms. Chieko Kajiwara, Research Assistant HiPeC, Ms. Natsumi Komozu, Research Assistant HiPeC, Team Members of, Nepal Dr. Pancha N. Maharjan Coordinator CNAS, TU, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel.: (30) Offi ce (Home) Mobile No.: Fax: (Offi ce) Dr. Narendra Mangal Joshi Research Consultant Mobile: Dr. Manjeshwori Singh Research Consultant Tel.: (Home) Mobile: