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VOL. 27, NO. 23, February 15, 2007 (Falgun 03 2064 B.S.)
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"People Have Been Getting A Lot Of Peace Dividends"
Madhav Prasad Ghimire
MADHAV PRASAD GHIMIRE is the Secretary at the Ministry for Peace and Reconstruction. Ghimire recently presented his paper on Peace Process and Emerging Order in pre-consultation meeting with donors. Ghimire, who also headed the foreign aid division and drafted a Foreign Aid Policy in 2002, spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on various issues related with post conflict reconstruction. Excerpts:
How do you find the response from the stakeholders including Nepal's development partners towards Nepal's reconstruction needs?
First of all, this meeting was not for pledging with the donor agencies. Instead of pledging with the donor agencies, the meeting was held to develop confidence showing how our overall peace process has been going on and what are the challenges of government in terms of moving forward. What are the strategies of government in terms of linking peace with the development?
If it was not for pledging, what were other purposes of such meetings?
Basically, we have focused our attention towards engaging international community in our peace building process and to get their support. Along with that we wanted to share our calculation on how much investment we require to push forward the ongoing peace process, particularly after the holding of election for Constituent Assembly and till the formulation of new constitution. That was not a meeting to get commitment from donor partners.
Although the donors have expressed their commitments to support Nepal's peace process, some of them have argued that they will have difficulty to provide the support indefinitely without election. How do you look at it?
Basically, donors have shown interest to provide resources to Peace Fund. What donors have been stressing is the transparency and accountability in the peace fund. They want to see that we have very good system in terms of transparency and there is good system to make it accountable. We have come up with so many actions and strategies to make the system transparent and accountable and they are in the process of implementation.
How is the overall assessment of damages due to the conflict?
The decade-long internal conflict caused enormous human loss as well as loss of physical infrastructures. It is estimated that more than 13,000 people have lost their lives. Similarly, it is estimated that there have been physical losses amounting to Rs. 8 billion.
How much money Nepal needs to start the reconstruction?
Our estimates have shown that Nepal requires US$ 471.44 million for rehabilitation and reconstruction. The construction and rehabilitation of physical infrastructures of the public sector alone requires US$126.98 million.
After signing the comprehensive peace agreement between the government and the Maoists, how do you see the overall scenario in the country?
We have seen drastic changes since then. People have been getting a lot of peace dividends. Number of violent activities have been drastically reduced including the killings, and kidnapping. For instance, in 2005, 1848 people were killed but it was reduced to 95 in 2007.
How do you see the ratio of investment?
There has also been increase in investments in Nepal. In fiscal year 2006/2007, Rs.2.75 billion worth of securities were issued but it increased to Rs 4.31 billion in 2007/08. Tourism sector has benefited a lot following the signing of the peace agreement. The number of tourists increased from 383,926 in 2006 to 550,000 in 2007.
How do you see the investment in the peace and role of international community?
We need support from international community to invest in various sectors for the purpose of rehabilitation and reconstruction. With the help of international community, the Nepal Peace Trust Fund has been established to mobilize the resources in five crucial areas of the peace process.
What are those areas?
Those areas include the cantonment management of the Maoist combatants, security strengthening, and rehabilitation of the IDPs, CA elections and support to the peace process.
There are reports of lack of transparency in the distribution of resources to the victims. How do you look at it?
The ministry has approved modalities with transparency and accountability in the distribution of the fund to the victims of insurgency. One can get detailed information regarding the expenditure of funds.
How will the government finance these things?
Besides regular financing, the peace process is being financed primarily through twin trust funds, the government-operated Nepal Peace Trust Fund (NPTF) and the United Nations Peace Fund for Nepal. The government has made an overall forecast of US$ 265 million to be required to finance projects through NPTF.
Has the fund approved the budget for the projects?
We have already approved around US$ 51.4 million to projects designed to improve living conditions, meeting the basic needs and improving the physical infrastructure in Maoist cantonments, finance voter education an training of electoral offices and facilitate the return of internally displaced persons to their villages.
What is the contribution of donor community in the fund?
The contribution of donor community in the fund has been considerable as they have contributed around US$ 24 million. The government has also contributed US$ 22.2 million. The United Nation Peace Fund has supported complementary projects that can be implemented by United Nations agencies.
What is the immediate task of management in peace process?
A successful holding of Constituent Assembly election will lead to a new political order, and contributes in promoting a peaceful, prosperous, just and New Nepal.
Do you see possibility of holding the election for CA?
It is the politicians who have to make it possible to hold the election. As a bureaucrat, I have limitation and I will follow the decision of the government.
What is the state of Internally Displaced Population (IDPs)?
There are 24,800 IDPS in 73 districts. Among them around 600 are disabled. As it is an initial report, the number of victims is likely to increase. We have already spent Rs.42 million so far for relief and rehabilitation of IDPs. The money was spent for transportation, incidental expense, daily expenses, education support, house construction, house repair and interest free loan for agriculture inputs and equipments.
What are the challenges faced by the ministry in securing peace?
Meeting people's expectations, peace negotiations, security reforms, implementing all agreements, assisting conflict victims, rebuilding physical infrastructures and institutionalization of peace process are the main challenges.
What strategies have you been following?
We have been taking special measures for disadvantaged, post-conflict social reconstruction, conflict sensitive development approach, creating local bodies and capacity building of institutions.
As national and international human rights groups are opposing your proposed draft for the Truth and Reconciliation Bill, what is the state of the bill?
We are still in the process of discussions and we will introduce it after consulting with all stakeholders. As we know, the truth and reconciliation process would bring about transitional justice to thousands of victims, who have lost family members as well as sustained other physical and mental harms including disabilities and traumatic conditions.
