Monthly Update – March 2013 UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator’s Office Nepal

This report is issued by the UN RCHCO with inputs from its UN Field Coordination Offices and other

partners and sources. The report covers March 2013. The next report will be issued the first week of

May 2013.

CONTEXT

Political update

On 13 March the four major political parties (Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, Nepali Congress,

Communist Party of Nepal - Unified Marxist Leninist and United Democratic Madheshi Front) signed an

agreement to appoint an ‘Interim Electoral Council of Ministers’ (IECM) under the Chairpersonship of the

sitting Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi. The following day, President Ram Baran Yadav swore in Chief Justice

Regmi as Chairperson of the IECM, ending ten months of political and constitutional crisis since the

Constituent Assembly (CA) was dissolved on 28 May 2012.

The 11-point agreement between the four major political parties mandated the new caretaker administration

to hold elections for a new 491 member CA1 by 21 June or mid December 2013 at the latest. Most members

of the international community, including UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, welcomed the agreement that

appears to have paved the way for elections. During his visit to Nepal UN Undersecretary General for the

Department of Political Affairs pledged UN’s support for elections, stressing the need for major parties to

bring on board smaller parties currently opposed to the process. Also agreed as part of the package deal

was the promulgation of an ordinance to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and final ranks of

former Maoist combatants being integrated into the Nepal Army. However, both national and international

human rights actors continue to express serious concerns both over the process as well as certain

provisions in the Truth and Reconciliation Ordinance, in particular provisions related to amnesty.

On 24 March, Election Commissioners, including former acting Chief Commissioner Neel Kantha Upreti,

were appointed to the Election Commission of Nepal (ECN) but an election date has yet to be announced

and necessary changes to election laws have yet to be made. Several political, technical and practical

challenges for a June election remain. Various identity based groups and leftist fringe parties, notably the

Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist) opposed the process and disrupted attempts by the ECN to

register new voters in nearly 30 districts. The protesting parties have objections over the lack of

inclusiveness of the current political process and fear several provisions of the proposed elections will

reverse their gains in representation made at the last election or be disadvantageous to them in this election.

Operational space

The month of March witnessed an increase in reports of operational space issues by signatories to the Basic

Operating Guidelines (BOGs) mainly due to bandhs imposed by various political parties in protest of the

decision by the four major parties to form the Chief Justice-led government (IECM). On 6 March, a

nationwide bandh called by various parties, including CPN-Maoist, was observed effective across Nepal and

led to the closure of markets and academic institutions.2 Also, vehicular movement of BOGs signatories and

implementing partners with red-plated vehicles was affected. Though some agencies imposed self-

restrictions UN vehicle movements in general were not affected.

On 7 March, the nationwide bandh enforced by the Madheshi People's Right Forum-Nepal (MPRF-Nepal)-

led Federal Democratic Alliance3 was observed effective particularly in the Eastern Region (ER) and Tarai

1 240 First Past The Post, 240 Proportional Representation and 11 nominees.

2 The nationwide bandh called by the same group of protesting parties on 14 March was observed effective only in the ER of Nepal.

3 The FDA further comprises the Rastriya Madhes Samajbadi Party, Nepal Shanti Samaj Dal, Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch, Nepal Nagarik Party, Janamukti Party Nepal, and Tamsaling Nepal National Party.

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districts of the Mid Western (MWR) and Far Western Regions (FWR). Only those BOGs signatories and

implementing partners with red-plated vehicles faced difficulties moving or imposed self-restrictions on their

vehicle movements.

Nationwide protest against the Chief Justice-led government

Many districts in Nepal witnessed protest programs by various political parties, most notably CPN-Maoist,

and identity groups against the formation of the Chief Justice-led government, which they denounced as

unconstitutional. The protest programs, mostly conducted in the district headquarters and major towns,

included rallies, mass and corner meetings, chakkajams and sporadic burning of Chief Justice Regmi’s

effigy. In the current political context protest programs are likely to continue in the coming period as well and

the protesting parties have already announced a nationwide bandh for 7 April.

Obstructions to the Voter Registration Process

In light of potential Constituent Assembly elections being held within the coming months District Election

Offices (DEO) intensified voter registration and voter role updating and to that effect organized mobile

registration camps in their respective districts. However, there have been numerous reports of obstructions

to the process, most notably by the CPN-Maoist and the Federal Democratic National Front (FDNF) affiliated

Federal Limbuwan State Council (FLSC). The latter was active in obstructing the process in the ER only.

In the FWR CPN-Maoist cadres reportedly seized documents from DEO officials in Baitadi District and

disrupted the process in various other districts. Similarly, in Dailekh District in the MWR, cadres of CPN-

Maoist allegedly seized a laptop and official documents from a mobile voter registration team on 25 March.

Reportedly, CPN-Maoist cadres returned the stolen equipment to DEO officials a few days later. However,

laptops that were seized in Palpa District have apparently not yet been returned. In various other districts of

the region the party’s cadres threatened DEO officials to not continue with voter registration.4 In addition, the

Nepal Police (NP) briefly detained two CPN-Maoist cadres in Banke District, on 25 March, as they were

allegedly disrupting the voter registration process and, on 26 March, NP reportedly interfered to stop CPN-

Maoist cadres from disrupting the registration process in Dang District. In the ER both CPN-Maoist and

FLSC (FDNF affiliated) were reportedly involved in the obstructions.5 On 25 March, the NP arrested two

CPN-Maoist cadres and one FLSC cadre reportedly while they were obstructing DEO officials in Jhapa

District. The cadres were released the following day supposedly after CPN-Maoist and FLSC threatened to

impose a bandh in the district. Also, on 26 March in Bhojpur District CPN-Maoist cadres allegedly seized a

complete set of voter registration equipment (computer, camera, etc.). The seized equipment was reportedly

returned to DEO officials after three days with a warning not to continue with the voter registration process.

The CPN-Maoist demands the scrapping of the 11-point agreement, holding of a round table conference

with all stakeholders to end the current political deadlock and formation of a government under political

leadership. The FLSC in turn submitted a letter to the Election Commission demanding a halt to all election

related activities until all its demands are met, including providing opportunity to migrant Nepalese to vote in

the country where they work and live, revising the proposed reduction in the number of proportionally

allocated seats and scrapping the one percent threshold of total votes to be recognized as a national party,

amongst other. Some Madhesh based political parties, including the MPRF-Nepal, are allegedly also

opposing the reduction in the number of proportional seats and in addition are demanding re-delineation of

constituencies on the basis of the 2011 Census.

Citizenship certification is another major issue in relation to the voter registration process, particularly in the

Tarai districts, as a citizenship certificate is required to be able to register to vote. For instance, in 2011, the

voter registration process was obstructed in Banke and Kapilvastu Districts over the demand of citizenship

4 CPN-Maoist cadres threatened officials of DEOs in Budhagaun VDCs of Rolpa District, Sipkhana and Malkot VDCs of Kalikot District, Gutu, Kunathari, Bajedichaur, Maintada, Lekhfarsa and Matela VDCs of Surkhet District and Mukundapur VDC of Nawalparasi District to halt the voter registration process.

5 Districts include Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Therathum, Dhankut, Taplejung and Sankhuwasabha.

EMERGING ISSUES AFFECTING PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT

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certificates by Madheshi political parties.6 In order to put pressure on the implementation of the recent 11-

point agreement, particularly regarding citizenship certificate distribution, Madhesh based political parties, on

24 and 25 March, submitted a memorandum to the District Administration Office of Kapilvastu and

Rupandehi Districts, respectively.7

Although a number of District Election Officers stated that despite the obstructions and threats the mobile

registration teams would continue with voter registration and voter role update, albeit under security

protection of the NP, the ECN on 2 April suspended the voter roll update at the local level following the

continued disruptions. A journalist based in Biratnagar opined that ‘without taking identity-based groups and

political parties on board, it would be almost impossible to conduct elections’ and CPN-M cadres in the

Western Region (WR) have categorically stated that they will not allow an election to go ahead under the

proposed conditions.

Local grievances continue to create tensions in FWR and MWR

As noted in February, different groups have been carrying out protest programs across the MWR and FWR

pressuring local authorities to address their concerns. While the protest programmes were initiated by

activist and civil society organizations, some of them were supported by the political parties and their sister

organizations. Such protests by different groups also continued during the month of March and it is

foreseeable that these groups may intensify their protests in the coming months if their demands remain

unaddressed.

On 14 March, landless people in Kanchanpur District in the FWR organized a Bhumi Sabha or ‘regional land

assembly’, which was reportedly attended by around 4,000 people, including small farmers, squatters, freed

Haliya and victims of natural disasters. The assembly called for the implementation of previous landless

commissions’ recommendations and inclusion of land rights in the new Constitution. Similarly, freed Haliyas

continued their protest programs demanding proper rehabilitation and to press the government to address

their land concerns. On 1 March they organized a demonstration rally and interaction program in Baitadi

District. On 24 March, presumably following the landless peoples’ protests, the Kanchanpur District

Committee of the ‘Landless People’s Problem Resolution Commission’ initiated the distribution of identity

cards to landless squatters. The process started after finalization of the verification process of 8,400

applications. The identity card will formally recognize the holder as a landless squatter and provide eligibility

for government rehabilitation programs targeted at the landless.

On 5 March, the District Forest Office (DFO) of Banke District in the MWR forcibly evicted 29 families from a

community forest area in the district.8 Following the eviction, the affected families staged sit-in-protest in

front of the District Administration Office on 6 and 7 March, demanding for alternate arrangements.9 In lieu of

alternatives the Chief District Officer (CDO) allowed the landless people to continue to live in the forest area.

However, the CDO and the leaders of the landless people agreed to explore alternative shelter

arrangements for the evicted families in the long term.10

There has been an increasing trend of forest

evictions over the last three months which has been a cause for rising tensions in the Hill and Tarai districts,

particularly in the MWR. ‘The prolonged political transition has severely affected the work of the DFO in

protecting the forest area, it is becoming increasingly difficult to get political consensus on alternative

arrangements for forest area occupant landless people’, according to a DFO official in the region.

In Gulmi District in the WR local grievances against the prolonged power cuts continue as locals of a VDC

padlocked the ‘electricity users’ committee office’ on 5 and 6 March, demanding regular power supply. They

submitted a memorandum to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) demanding a public audit of the ‘electricity

6 A local human right activist in Kapilvastu District estimated that around 59,000 Madheshis in Kapilvastu and 65,000 Madheshis in Rupandehi District do not have citizenship certificates.

7 Four major political parties including UCPNM, NC, CPN-UML and UDMF signed a political agreement on 14 March to end the political deadlock and forming electoral government. In the agreement, it is agreed to distribute citizenship certificate to the eligible children of those who acquired citizenship by birth. (Article 10).

8 In coordination with Banke National Park and Community Forest User's Committee in Bankatuwa VDC.

9 Landless people of Bajura district were residing in the community forest area of Naubasta VDC in Banke District since 2002. The settlement was earlier evacuated by District Forest Office in September 2003, September 2006, and November 2006. Having no alternative, the landless people continued to stay in the same location.

10 Squatters Problem Resolution Commission, Land Right Forum, Akhil Nepal Squatters Organization, People's Unity Council Nepal and Akhil Nepal Farmers Federation in Banke District.

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users’ committee’, suspecting embezzlement of funds. Though the district was declared 'load- shedding-free'

three years ago due to the contribution of the Kali Gandaki Hydro Project, various VDCs have been facing

frequent power-cuts in recent days.11

On 6 March, the ‘electricity users’ committee’ agreed to the holding of

a general convention and to conduct a public audit. Earlier last month the district headquarters had

witnessed violent demonstrations against the power-cuts in the district. As a result, the NEA agreed to

continue regular power supply.12

Overview of localized disasters and immediate response

During March, a total of 34 people lost their life to various small scale disasters across the country.

According to the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) 20 people were killed by lightning (and

another 74 injured), ten were killed by landslides and four by accidental fires. A total of 229 houses were

destroyed by accidental fire in different districts. The District Disaster Relief Committees (DDRCs) of the

respective districts in coordination with other humanitarian partners provided immediate relief to the affected

families.

In Govindapur VDC Morang District, where 90 households were affected by an incidental fire, the DDRC

provided NPR 3,000 to each displaced household, Nepal Red Cross Society distributed tarpaulins and Non

Food Relief Items (NFRI) and other humanitarian partners provided support with items such as cooking

utensils and shelter materials to the affected households.13

During the DDRC meeting on 28 March, a

number of humanitarian organizations committed longer term rehabilitation support to the affected

households.

On 3 March an earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale hit Rukum and neighboring districts.

According to the District Police Office (DPO), around 39 stone buildings were partially damaged by the

tremors. No human casualties have been reported so far. The DDRC in the district in coordination with the

DPO and VDCs gathered information to assess the needs and the extent of the damage. The DDRC will

decide if relief support will be provided to the affected families on basis of the assessment report. During

2012, a total of 37 quakes between 4 to 5.6 Richter scale were recorded in Nepal, out of which 17 occurred

in districts in the MWR, with seven quake’s epicenter in Rukum District.

Disaster preparedness and response coordination

The Regional Disaster Relief Committee (RDRC) in the ER and FWR organized a meeting on 14 and 22

March respectively to discuss the ongoing as well as future disaster preparedness and response readiness

activities at the regional level. In the FWR, the meeting decided to undertake a Regional Monitoring

Committee’s mission to Kanchanpur and Achham or Bajura Districts to monitor the response preparedness

in those districts and to express commitment to implement the consolidated 12-point action plan, as

recommended by the regional workshops held in 2012. Other decisions taken during the meeting included to

insure adequate pre-monsoon preparedness and enhance coordination among District Administration

Offices, regional authorities and non-government agencies. The Chairperson highlighted the importance of

the 12-point agreement recommendations and requested to channelize the technical support of the non-

governmental sector through the Regional Monitoring Committee (RMC). In the ER, the meeting reviewed

the status of the District Preparedness and Response (DPR) plan, its endorsement status through the

District Development Council and discussed the key challenges for the implementation of DPR Plans in the

districts.

On 25 March, a meeting with the regional representatives of the District Lead Support Agencies (DLSA) and

other humanitarian actors was held in Dhangadhi District to discuss possible support (including preparing a

presentation on achievements and challenges of DPR planning initiatives) to the upcoming regional

11

The VDCs are Balithum, Paralmi, Wadagaun and Hastichaur. 12

For more information please refer to UNFCO Regional Monthly Update of Nepalgunj of February 2013.

13 The fire that broke out at Maldaiya settlement in Govindapur VDC of Morang district was allegedly caused by a short circuit on 26 March and destroyed 90 houses. All the affected families were rendered homeless.

HUMANITARIAN UPDATE

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workshop. The meeting also reviewed the role of DLSAs in DPR planning initiatives in the past. It was

discussed to explore the possibility of synchronizing district level DPR Planning initiatives with the District

Disaster Management Plan (DDMP) as the government has recently adopted the DDMP Guidelines.

Trainings and simulation exercises

On 24 and 25 March, a two-day training on mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Local

Development Planning was organized in Dhangadhi District to develop a common understanding on disaster

and disaster risk management and enhance skills to mainstream DRR in local development plans. The

training emphasized urban risks with in particular earthquake vulnerability and building code enforcement

requirements. Participants developed an immediate action plan with the prioritized disaster risk reduction

activities at the end of the training. The training was organized by Oxfam’s Urban Risk Management

Program in coordination with Dhangadhi Municipality and Regional Learning Centre.

The Sunsari DDRC organized an earthquake based simulation exercise with the aim of testing an SOP of

District Emergency Operation Center (DEOC) and to assess the effectiveness of the existing DPR Plan

during disaster. Similarly the Mahottari DDRC organized a simulation to test the effectiveness and

functionality of their DEOC during an accidental fire.

The RCHCO IMU produced a number of mapping products, some of which are listed below and also available on the Nepal Information Platform (NIP) (http://www.un.org.np/resources/maps )

Nepal: Report of Security Incidents March 2013 http://un.org.np/maps/nepal-report-security-incident-march-2013

Nepal: Reports of Bandh/Strikes March 2013 http://un.org.np/maps/nepal-reports-bandhs-strike-march-2013

Some of the recent reports available on UN Nepal Information Platform are listed below.

RCHCO Field Bulletin: An Overview of the History of Tharu Mobilization, Issue #54 http://un.org.np/headlines/field-bulletin-54

RCHCO Field Bulletin: Violence Against Women: A study on Underlying Causes and Survivor’s Challenges to Justice in Udaypur District, Issue #53 http://un.org.np/sites/default/files/2013-03-20-Field-Bulletin-53.pdf 2013 Human Development Report - The Rise of the South

http://un.org.np/reports/country-programme-action-plan-2013-2017-0 Our heritage: our pride, our responsibility. Explore Nepal's World Heritage Sites with Fulmaya and Pasang http://un.org.np/reports/environmental-impact

United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator’s Office

UN House, Pulchowk, Kathmandu, Nepal (GPO Box 107)

Phone: +977 1 552 3200 Ext. 1518 | Fax: +977 1 552 3991 | Email: rchco.nepal@one.un.org

Visit the UN Nepal Information Platform at www.un.org.np

RECENT MAPS AVAILABLE

RECENT REPORTS AVAILABLE

CONTACT

Disclaimer: The information in this report is consolidated from media, UN, NGO and other development and

humanitarian partners, subject to availability of data. Although the RCHCO aims to confirm reports independently,

occasional factual inaccuracies can occur.