Foreword
Where it is a prerequisite for social transformation violence may be necessary, but this is unlikely to be accepted by those injured and victimised in conflict. Shree Ram Chaudhary has created this book documenting incidents of violence and grief from the Deukhuri valley, Dang: these stories are those of families unconnected with the parties to the armed conflict, but who became their victims. The book discusses the fate of 12 Dalits killed by the army while looking for timber in a local forest to build electricity poles. It talks about the indigenous Tharu families murdered by security forces while bringing the annual harvest home. The book also talks of the villagers who were brutally killed without cause by security forces while they were preparing buffalo meat for a feast day.
We get a heartbreaking sense of the conflict from the story of Radha Nepali who committed suicide following the murder of her innocent husband by the security forces, leaving her 10 year-old daughter and one year-old son behind. These are the innocent, powerless victims, caught in a fight between those with power. How did these families manage to survive, even after the death of the heads of their families? The stories told here, from a handful of people from Dang, reveal the pain, struggle and pathos of all the victims of Nepal’s conflict.
Following the peace agreement between the Maoists and the government, the bloodshed has now stopped. The dominance and cruelty of those with guns has ceased. Those political leaders who defended the use of force say they have changed politically and ideologically. The Maoist supremo Prachanda reiterates that the phase of armed conflict has come to an end; both Maoists and the Government agree that the nation has entered a new era. We hear claims from both sides that Nepal could become a new Switzerland or Singapore, setting an example to the world through new political strategies. We still don’t know if the children orphaned by the conflict dream of Switzerland and Singapore, but I personally feel the Government should protect these children from cold; at least provide them with sweaters to cover themselves, and make provisions to wipe their running noses and prevent them from hunger and disease. This is also the request of ‘Sighs of the conflict’. Thank you.
Dambar Chemjong
Sociology and Anthropology Department
Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur
November 2006
Preface
Maoists attacked Ghorahi, the headquarters of Dang district, on 23 November 2001. Three days later a state of emergency was declared throughout the country and curfew imposed in Dang. Although the emergency was later withdrawn, the curfew in Dang continued for four and half years. This book has its origin in the documentation of typical incidents that occurred during this period. However, this book makes no claim to completeness; it has merely noted incidents that occurred in the areas where the Society for Environment Education Development (SEED) was working, and these have been recorded based on the responses of local people.
This book has been prepared in collaboration with workers from the area, children of conflict victims, youth and women: during the study all members of the study-group gained the confidence to try their hand as writers. I have the hope that after the publication of this book all victims will similarly feel able to tell their stories more freely. This book will also allow people to understand the work and activities of SEED.
Since this is the first attempt at such a project, the study team has been under extreme pressure, but their hard work and patience have paid off and they have succeeded to get this book published. I would like to thank team leader Shree Ram Chaudhary; my special thanks go to team members Amrita Chaudhary, Rekha Shah, Purna Chaudhary, Devendra Chaudhary, Apsara Pariyar, Man Bahadur Chaudhary, Santosh Chaudhary and the others. I am equally grateful to all who have told their stories in the book.
Similarly, I would like to express my gratitude to Niwano Peace Foundation, Japan, and its coordinator Ms Masako Tanaka for her support in making this publication a success. The foundation has helped us in all aspects: financial, conceptual and technical. Finally, I would like to express my sincere thanks to my dear friend Shree Krishna Sarbahari, who helped edit the document and provided valuable advice and suggestions. I look forward to continued support from all of these people in the future.
We at last have something to celebrate after 11 years of conflict: the peace accord signed between the Maoists and the government on 21 November 2006 has laid the foundation for lasting peace in the country. Let us hope the country never again faces such an emergency.
Bhagi Ram Chaudhary
Chairperson
SEED
Dang, Tulsipur
Acknowledgement
Whilst peace is at the heart of all civilisations, conflict has always been a means of social transformation. Since ancient times there have been conflicts, both big and small, that have led to changes in society; it seems to be an almost natural process that conflict becomes violent whenever injustice and tyranny take hold. Such positive conflict is unavoidable to achieve lasting peace and in practice ordinary citizens have the responsibility for transforming society through their own sacrifice. The contributions of such ordinary people however have been neglected in the writing of history: only the leaders and the parties involved in the conflict have been considered. Whilst history blows the trumpet of the powerful and of the victors, the blood and sweat of the common man are rarely taken into account.
To respect the contribution of ordinary people, SEED initiated the process of documenting the impact of the conflict. This publication aims to provide some modest motivation to future generations as to how they can consider the experiences they have lived through and tell their stories to the world.
The spirit of SEED is the voice of the people and its main objective is to advocate for the poor, Dalits and indigenous Janajatis. This is why we have tried to document their painful past in this book. Beyond this, the experience of women and children tormented by the conflict is given special consideration. This book tries to address the issue of ordinary people as the means of social transformation, even during the conflict. How did they gain enough courage to live peacefully and inspire others to maintain peace in such chaos? We have tried our best to incorporate such issues here.
Readers of this book will understand the terrible fate of the Tharus and Dalits of Dang during the insurgency. This book has been shaped by the stories of small children, women and youth; their journals, songs and paintings. All of those involved in the study have been empowered by the process of documentation.
With this book, I hope that we can change the preconceived notion that only the learned have the privilege to document their experience and to publish books. The experiences we had talking with victims and documenting their stories, including those of children and women, made us realise that we must continue such work for broader social gain. The presence of the victims themselves in the process of documentation made it easier for us to understand their experiences and sentiments and record them accurately. The victims also gained an ideas and skills on documentation.
Although SEED worked throughout the conflict, only now has it been able to make a contribution in documenting the impact of the conflict. The financial and technical support of Niwano Peace Foundation, Japan, and Ms. Masako Tanaka has made the documentation and this publication possible. We must thank them: without their support it would have been impossible to bring the inner voices of conflict affected women and children to public attention. Without their support, victims’ experiences would have been confined to notebooks and organisational records. I would particularly like to thank Amrita Chaudhary, Apsara Pariyaar, Man Bahadur Chaudhary and Santosh Chaudhary for their tireless efforts in the process of documentation.
I must also thank Krishna Sarbahari, who helped to edit this book despite his busy schedule. I am grateful to the renowned anthropologist Dambar Chemjong who spared valuable time to write the preface for this book.
In conclusion, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the women, children and the whole Dangali community, who directly and indirectly helped to make this endeavour a success.
Shree Ram Chaudhary
Team leader
People’s Documentation for Peace
Dang
