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An active civic society is always needed for leading the social movement because strong civic society is the foundation of democratic development and creation of a just and equitable society. In any time of conflict, it is the civic society that plays the lead role in bringing about a tangible and lasting solution to the problem facing the nation and the people. Nepal, too, is not an exception. Currently peace process has been initiated owing to the sincere and serious efforts of the present government to restore peace, stability and security in the country. Maoists have also realised the importance of peace and stability. The cease-fire announced by both the government and the Maoists is the result of the widespread desire and will of the people, civil society and international community.
Recently, Prime Minister Chand called for an all-party meeting, perhaps, to converge all divergent political views and make one single national approach to solve this seemingly intractable and embarrassing problem of this country. The question of interim government, round table conference and constituent assembly have occupied lot of space of the journalists and National newspapers in the recent past. Even Recently Minister for Physical Planning and Works and government appointed coordinator for the peace talks, Narayan Singh Pun, said the 20-point draft code of conduct was sent to the Maoists on Saturday but added differences still remained on two points so Maoist response was awaited and that formal negotiations between the two sides would then begin in earnest. The lack of trust and respect for politicians makes us all wonder whether the proposed negotiations will lead to permanent peace? There is no hope for peace unless the major political forces the King, the Maoists and the parliamentary parties recognise the urgency of a negotiated peace and are willing to take bold initiatives to address the concerns of the common people. The mainstream political parties, particularly Nepali Congress and the United Marxist-Leninist, are as much to blame for Nepal's present situation as the other political forces. The civic society in Nepal should rally for more social transformation and stability and to bring about social reforms. A member of civil society can help bring about drastic and conceptual changes because the role of the civil society in Nepal has largely confined to issuing a couple of press statements and organising mass meetings of a selected group of people in the capital in case of heavy losses of lives in confrontations in the remote parts of the country.
Civic society in Nepal has to be trained in the skills they will need to organize nonviolent action, including: public speaking, managing people, preparing effective appeals for support, fundraising, and identifying and neutralizing informants and infiltrators because given the high likelihood of harassment, repressive violence, imprisonment, solitary confinement, or even torture, leaders also need to be prepared with the basics of trauma management.
To promote a permanent peace and respect for diversity through citizen participation in programs that develop a consensus around peace issues. To contribute to the definition of a permanent national peace policy through action, ideas and research aimed at the construction of a society based on policies of social justice and sustainable, humane development.
Nepalese people cannot forget how Glen Stassen said "Peacemaking, whether in personal, group, or international relations, requires a variety of capacities for self-transcendence: transcendence of one's own interests and perspectives for the sake of understanding the interests and perspectives of the other side, which calls for the virtue of empathy; transcendence of one's pride and defensiveness, which inhibit the acknowledgment of injuries done to others capacity for repentance and perhaps restitution; transcendence of one's own grievances and desire for vengeance over injuries inflicted by others capacity for forgiveness"
Negotiation is only one of many ways that organizations and societies deal with conflicts so how interest-based negotiation can be combined creatively with other rights-based and power-based procedures such as arbitration, adjudication, voting, and third-party intervention in order to constitute a "dispute resolution system."
Nepalese people bear the brunt of the country's violent armed conflict. Maoists actions increasingly turned anti-peace by the early 2000s. Thousands have been killed in recent years, and thousands more have been kidnaped for ransom. Small children, some as young as thirteen or fourteen, have been recruited into the irregular forces - guerrillas and paramilitaries - that play a primary role in the conflict, fleeing their homes to protect themselves and their families. The violence targeted against the local infrastructure community forestry projects, small hydro plants, bridges, telephone stations, and office buildings. The closure of educational institutions, businesses and cession of ordinary life in the country in response to their frequent calls for "bandh" helped only to make the lives of ordinary people more difficult.
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Journalist and Story Writer Kamala Sarup is specializing in in-depth reporting and writing on Peace, Anti War, Women, Terrorism, Democracy, and Development. Some of her publications are: Women's Empowerment in(South Asia, Nepal)Booklet). Prevention of trafficking in women through media,(Book) Efforts to Prevent Trafficking in for Media Activism (Media research). Two Stories collections. Her interests include international conflict resolution, cross-cultural communication, philosophy, feminism, political, socio-economic and literature. Her current plans are to move on to humanitarian work in conflict areas in the near future. She also is experienced in organizational and community development. A meeting of jury members held on 21 March in Geneva has decided to attribute Kamala Sarup, The Conservative Voice, writer, with a Honorable Mention of International Award for Women Issue.
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