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INTRODUCTION

1. Rastriya Sarokar Samaj (National Concerns Society, hereinafter "NCS") is neither a non-governmental organization (NGO) in typical sense nor a political party or front organization. It is a common forum to undertake and/or encourage various campaigns and direct actions in the interests of the peoples and the country, thus, is neutral on political matters. It is, however, registered at the Kathmadu District Office as a voluntary organization as per the law.

2. All of its activities and campaigns are undertaken on voluntary basis by those who are committed to do something for this country. It does not accept any financial or material support from any governments or foreign agencies to support its campaigns and activities. Its expenses are covered through membership fees, sale of publications and donations.

3. It was first established in Kathmandu in 1995 (as a follow up to the Arun Concerned Group that successfully campaigned against the World Bank on the Arun III Hydroelectric Project which got canceled in 1995). The first national conference of NCS held in 1997 has adopted its manifesto and program of action.

4. The local people and their groups who are active on issues of local and national concerns are its members. It is, thus, a network of local concerned groups and movements such as concerned groups relating to the Arun valley, Kule Khani reservoir, Koshi dam, Mahakali Treaty and Pancheshwar dam, Kali Gandaki 'A' and Jhimruk hydropower projects, Melamchi Water Project, West Seti dam, Save the Kathmandu Valley and Save the Lumbini-Kapilvastu Campaign(s) etc.

OBJECTIVES

1. To undertake study, research and campaign as necessary on issues relating to the country and our national interest.

2. To highlight local issues at national level and national issues at local level.

3. To correspondence and interact with the concerned government agencies and international organizations or companies on the right to information and other issues of public interest; facilitate dialogue between the local people and the concerned agencies to resolve the problems in a timely and peaceful manner; and to fight for the guarantee of the rights of the local people through court litigation and other administrative actions as and when necessary.

4. To assist local people to launch campaigns and actions through their own local groups.

5. To build pressure against the governments, political parties and leaders who have made Nepal corrupt, economically, morally and culturally destroyed and have sold our natural resources to foreigners on unequal terms and conditions.

6. To work for the pro-people alternatives and their promotion in the interest of human rights, democracy, environment and development.

7. To assist local groups in practicing democracy in a peaceful manner for the protection of their rights and interests.

COMMITMENTS

1. There will be no existence of Nepalis unless there is Nepal and vice versa. For this, there is a need of pro-Nepal development approach. Nepal can also be one of the world's prosperous countries, and not always poor. We have got everything with us such as human resources, natural resources and other means to fulfill basic needs. But, we are made one of the poorest countries in the world by our rulers and the so called donors. We have to liberate ourselves from this phenomena of modern slavery and dependency.

2. The development of Nepal is not possible by foreigners. If it was not the case, it would have already been possible in the 50 years. Likewise, we also cannot develop our four thousand villages from the cities. First of all, we have to use our own available means and resources for development. Foreign loan and assistance has to be made optional. There is no single country in the world that has developed through foreign loan and assistance. Therefore, we have to expose those elements who are increasing our debt burden and have to support to those who work for the reduction of our foreign debt and promote alternative approach to development.

3. One of the main features of the present Constitution is to make Nepal a welfare state. But, there have been gross violations of the spirit and the objectives of the Constitution. The whole economy, politics and social system is influenced by foreign interests. We need to be alert on all these problems and put pressure on the government to make it more welfare as well as people-oriented.

4. The government of Nepal has ratified several international human rights instruments with the promise that all the civil and political as well economic, social and cultural rights of the Nepali people will be fully guaranteed. But there has been no serious attention towards their implementation. We need to be well-aware of this situation before it is too late. So, act now!

5. It does not matter to us who sit in the government, but, they have to provide free and compulsory education for all. They also have to provide clean and safe drinking water, electricity in affordable price, the right to health care and primary aid, nutritious food, the right to housing and employment or unemployment benefits to all those who need as their fundamental human rights. These are the kinds of issues in which we need to build national consensus.

6. The Nepali people are now suffering from the rhetoric of the present style of multiparty system as the only alternative to democracy. But those who are in power must understand that the multiparty system alone will not mean anything unless we abolish the practice of economic exploitation and inequality, eliminate poverty and hunger and establish a society based on social justice. To vote once in every five year alone is not a democracy. Instead, it has to bring significant change in the economic and social living standards of the Nepali people, and it is not impossible. It is the rhetoric of democracy, but action that matters the most.

MAIN ISSUES FOR NATIONAL AND LOCAL CAMPAIGNS

1. Opposition to the abolition of economic, social, cultural and political corruption at all levels of society.

2. Exposition and condemnation of bad practices, undemocratic behaviors and criminal activities of people in the governance.

3. Demand and the realization of the local autonomy, decentralization and the right to self-determination as and when necessary and in an appropriate manner.

4. Transparency and accountability in the governance.

5. Investigation of repression, state terrorism, illegal arrest, detention and torture, extra-judicial killings and other forms of human rights violations committed by the government officials, the police and the military, and punishment to those who are responsible.

6. Investigation of all ill-gotten wealth and property (black money) of those holding power such as the members of the Royal Palace, ministers, political figures and other public officials whether it is deposited in Nepal or abroad (e.g. Swiss banks).

7. Protest and condemnation of increasing corruption, foreign penetration and the commercialization, foreignization and the dependency pattern that is taking place in the name of social work through NGOs and INGOs.

8. Regulation of Nepal-India open border and the resistance against border encroachment (e.g. Mechi and Kalapani), prohibition on free entrance of Indians to Nepal and the introduction of the system of work permit for foreigners, safe repatriation of Bhutanese refugees who have taken refuge in Nepal through by crossing the open border, and the control of other forms of crimes being committed in the border areas, particularly looting, dacoits and the trafficking of hundreds of thousands of Nepali women and young girls to Indian brothels for forced prostitution as a slavery.

9. Safeguarding the rights and interests of Nepali society, particularly women and children, from naked and pornographic western consumerist culture; the so called beauty contest; alcoholism and tobaccos, including their public advertisement; and other forms of violence.

10. Opposition to forced and/or unwanted religious proselytization at the cost of poverty and the ignorance of the Nepali people, particularly those living in rural and remote areas, and the control of increasing religious and cultural conflicts which is taking place again at the cost of century-long social harmony and tolerance.

11. Solving problems that are created due to the misuse and mismanagement of nation's property and industry, natural resources, and in the name of protection of public land, forest as well as the conservation of national parks.

12. Cancellation of all unequal treaties and agreements and guarantee our national interest.

13. Opposition to all forms of exploitation created by the free-market economy which is based on western monopolist capitalist framework; foreignization through privatization and the so called economic liberalization, and work for the promotion of appropriate alternatives that already exist.

14. Protection of Nepal's rich historic civilizations, cultural heritage sites such as the Kathmandu Valley, Bagmati civilization, Lumbini-Kapilastu, Janakpurdham and Swargadwari; the return of the stolen sculptures and handicrafts and other historic objects of archeological importance; and the conservation of the Himalayan ecology, the lakes and the rivers.

15. Protection of the rights and interests of Nepali migrant workers, and the Gorkha soldiers who have fled the country out of rural poverty and serving the British Army as mercenaries, ignorance and exploitation.

16. Supply of safe and healthy drinking water, control in the import and the sale of outdated and harmful medicines and demands for compensation as per the negative effects in public health of such hazardous activities that are widely taking place in the country due to the government's negligence.

17. Opposition to the widespread exploitation and the imposition of all forms of severe lending conditionalities such Structural Adjustment Program, privatization, cuts in social spending, through the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, Asian Development Bank and the "donor" countries, including their local agents.

18. Demand for the adoption and promotion of appropriate national policies, programs and alternatives for the development and the proper utilization of Nepal's rich water resources and energy potential; opposition to the construction of economically costly and environmentally unfriendly and socially destructive dams that is taking place in the name of hydropower development; and the protection of the rights and ownership of the local people and the communities over the water, the land and other natural resources.

19. Protection, promotion and the development of the rights and interests of the indigenous peoples, ethnic and minority groups and the untouchable communities (the Dalits), including their language and culture.

20. The following are the specific issues for campaigns relating to the development projects:

(a) the disclosure of project information and documents to the affected people in their local languages in a timely and meaningful manner;

(b) the guarantee of the participation and the involvement of the local people throughout the project-cycle such as feasibility study, planning, implementation and operation of a project;

(c) the study of the local social and environmental problems, and the development and implementation of appropriate mitigation plan with the effective participation and leadership of the affected people and the communities;

(d) involvement of Nepali engineers, experts and workers in the project management, including priority in their employment, and the cuts in the hiring of highly expensive foreign experts and consultants;

(e) mandatory provision for training and employment to the local people and the priority use and involvement of local raw-materials and industries in the construction work;

(f) protection of human rights of the local people on water and other natural resources;

(g) implementation of all appropriate policies and legal provisions for land acquisition, compensation, employment and resettlement of the project affected and displaced people and the communities;

(i) allocation of, at least, 5% of the income from any project for local development and the provisions for the distribution of electricity or irrigation facility or drinking water to the local people in an affordable price depending on the nature of the project; and

(j) opposition and cancellation of anti-people and anti-national destructive lending conditionalities.

STRENGTHENING OF LOCAL CONCERNED GROUPS

1. Anyone who agrees on the objectives, programs and campaigns of the NCS can form an autonomous local committee at zonal, district, municipality and village levels. The minimum number for the committee is seven.

2. The local concerned groups have to develop their own plan of action and strategies in terms of campaigns on issues of local and national concerns.

3. Other independent concerned groups can also join the NCS as affiliate members and vice versa.

SUGGESTED STEP-BY-STEP METHODS OF CAMPAIGNS

1. Submit written application to the concerned government agencies, international organization, contractor companies, NGOs/INGOs which are active in the area and ask for complete information and documents about their projects, programs, investment plans, implementation processes and sources of local and international financing or equipment.

2. Ensure regular participation individually and as a group throughout the project-cycle.

3. Launch necessary campaigns and actions at local levels and ask for solidarity support from other movements and campaigns, including the NCS.

4. Contact the NCS or other groups or persons in your area regarding project-related problems and ask for necessary help and assistance in resolving problems only when local efforts fail.

WEEKLY SUNDAY FORUM

The weekly Sunday Forum (Aitabare Manch) is a regular open public platform. It takes place for three hours for interaction among the policy makers, the government ministers and officials, Members of Parliament, representatives of political parties, the "donor" communities, independent experts, intellectuals, the media, NGOs/INGOs, consumer groups, victims of corruption, human rights violations or development projects. The main objective of the Forum is to try to resolve problems through dialogue and by creating strong public opinion. In this process, the NCS, in the past five years, has brought several hundreds of local farmers and other victims of development projects or conservation activities in Kathmandu and has organized series of public forums with the concerned government/company officials. The media has been very supportive of these types of actions. Similar actions are also organized at local levels by brining the policy makers, company officials and the media representatives in different parts of the country. Many problems have been resolved through this process. It has already conducted about 115 forums relating to various campaign issues as identified above and it still continues every week, but no compilation has been possible due to the lack of financial source although there is a great demand for it both in Nepali and English.

The Forum is also a platform for the preparation and launching of national and international campaigns for NCS and any other groups who are interested.

October 21, 1999

Kathmandu