Joint press statement

By civil society organisations opposing the exclusion of civil society voices in Nepal Donors' Consultation Meeting (NDCM) 2008

The Government of Nepal started the Nepal Donor Consultation Meeting (NDCM) on 21 February 2008 in Kathmandu. It is an important event to further the current peace process and development in the country, where civil society participation would add value. However, the government of Nepal denied the civil society participation in the meeting undermining the role of civil society actors for defending human rights and institutionalizing peace in the country. Such an act of Nepal government has seriously drawn our attention.

We strongly oppose the opaque and exclusionary decision of the Government, and, urge to ensure Civil Society participation for voicing their concerns, particularly at a time when the country is already in the process of conflict transformation, peace building and socio-economic transformation. In this context, we have organized a civil society forum on peace, development and foreign aid: civil society concerns, on 14-15 of Feb 2008 in Kathmandu with a view of sharing and gathering inputs from the civil society delegates across the country. And these inputs are expected to be delivered to the participants of the NDCM as civil society suggestions for utilizing foreign aid addressing the pressing needs of the conflict affected people. However, the government has denied the access of the civil society to the process of NDCM, which is unacceptable to us in its entirety. We strongly oppose the unjust move of the government which has ignored civil society apparent roles in ensuing peace process of the country. The civil societies are always at the forefront to assist the government in the process of reconstruction, rehabilitation, reintegration and reconciliation of the conflict affected people, communities and infrastructures. Moreover, we are the inseparable partners of the government in the peace, democracy and development process of the country. Therefore, we urge the government to seriously reconsider its decision, respect the rights to participation and not to repeat such acts in the future. In the meantime, we also urge the donors as well as other concerned actors to pay due attention for ensuring civil society participation and contribution in the overall peace and development process of the country.

Signatory delegates and their organizations