A Cross Party Approach to Conflict Resolution and Democracy

The initiative aims to work towards resolution of the conflict in Nepal by influencing the major political parties.

Description

The programme has been developed to focus on the current internal armed conflict and its political solution. Therefore, the programme is being implemented with the major political parties in Nepal. The other programmes such as “Training of Trainers in Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding” have been implemented to build up the capacity of the tools and techniques of conflict resolution and prepare the manpower (civil society members, political workers, women workers and local CBO members) for working in the post-conflict peacebuilding process.

This is an ongoing initiative over a long period of time. Participants are the same, from major political parties, but the programmes and activities are new. New programmes engage them in new themes and agendas.

Aims / Objectives

This project focuses on peacebuilding at the political levels and includes members of all the political parties represented in the dissolved parliament. The aim of the project is to transform violence into politics.

How it is Articulated

The initiative is made up of a number of elements.

• Workshops with senior political leaders on different themes such as “The internal armed conflict and its peaceful transformation”; “State Structure”; “Why Negotiation Failed in Nepal”; “Democratic Issues”.
• Exposure visits to conflict-torn countries such as Sri Lanka and Northern Ireland.
• TOT on conflict transformation and peacebuilding.
• A monitoring mechanism to assess the impact on participants of the ToT (Training of Trainers) programme of conflict resolution and peace building and ToT follow-up and support activities.
• Three day district-level training workshops on conflict resolution and peace building.
• A five-day workshop on conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
• A fact-finding mission within Nepal.
  
  

Achievements / Learning Points

This is a political conflict between the King, Maoists and the Political Parties. The organisation has been able to establish cross-party links with the parliamentarian political parties and is working to develop common agendas to end the internal armed conflict and resolve the constitutional and political crises in Nepal. The NPC is working with an inclusive approach. It has published research on "Failed Negotiation", "The Costs of War" (both in Nepali and English) and a training manual on Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding. Through this, the political leaders have gradually been realising and understanding that there is no military solution of the armed conflict in Nepal.

Geographical area of operation

Kathmandu and some districts of Mid-Western Region of Nepal.

Funding resources

Misereor-Germany, DfID-Nepal.