1. MEETING MINUTES
(Due to sensitivity of the discoursed issues, this writing is strictly
prohibited for the external dissemination!
As a part of security and collectively sharing the know-how to work on conflict situation,
a Basic Operating Guidelines (BOG) meeting held on 27 June 2007 at Swiss
Development Cooperation (SDC) Secretariat conference hall, Ekantakuna, Jawalakhel,
Lalitpur. The BOG member representatives attended the regular meeting including JICA
Nepal Office. An hour meeting mainly focused on the current developmental aspect in
general and security situation and its unavoidable implications in particular. The main
highlights of the meeting have been bulleted.
 After Jana Andolan second in April 2006, an unexpected increase of BOGs
violations was reported, specially demands for donations from the CPN/Maoist to
organize various diffusion programs.
 CPN/M tended to request agencies to coordinate with them which often resulted
in project delays, interferences and requests for registration, taxes and temporary
access denials. Interference was acute in October to November, as most of these
demands were used by the CPN/M to exert pressure on the peace negotiation.
 However, the level of threat was low and there was often room for negotiations.
During this period, CPN/M also requested the government to suspend its activities
at the DDC and VDC levels. After the signing of the CPA, the CPN/M gradually
released its pressure until it was formally included in government in April 2007.
 In January and February 2007, MPRF organized a series of Bandhs and interfered
in development program implementation in Eastern and Central Terai. By March,
the nature of the violations deteriorated; JTMM and others groups increased their
threats, extortions and abductions to staff, together especially those of hill origins.
 Consequently, most agencies restricted staff movement particularly to areas south
of the main east-west highway. The drop of programme interferences since March
2007 is directly linked with the shrinking of operational space.
 By April 2007, despite continued improvement in operational space in most of the
hilly districts, there were new reports of demands for donations from Young
Communist League (YCL), as well as political interference from major political
parties in development programs.

2.  During the month of May, the total number of reports of violations was similar to
preceding months; however, there was deterioration in nature of the violations.
 In the Eastern and Central Terai operational space further deteriorated. Program
implementation is being hampered by the worsening security situation, including
the rise in abductions and extortions.
 For the first time, GoN and I/NGO staff of hill-origin were formally threatened
(press release of JTMM/Singh – issued a press statement warning all Government
Officers, I/NGOs staff and other officers from hill origin to leave Terai within 21
days in Parsa district. However, OCHA surveyed I/NGO programme managers
with Terai based staff, none of whom had heard of directly related consequences.
 There was an increase in violations by CPN/M and its affiliates, especially YCL,
which has been threatening staff, demanding donations in Mid-Western and Far-
Western Regions. In the hills, there have been new reports of political parties
interfering in decision making of local committees and asking for donations.
 During May 2007, an INGO was asked to report under threat to the ‘People’s
Court’ by the CPN/M in Dang district. Similarly, YCL made an indirect threat
whilst requesting to be informed of any evolution in the development programs in
Ramechhap district. On the other hand, JTMM abducted a NGO staff and s/he
was released a day later. Moreover, the development work is almost at a standstill
due to worsening security situation in the eastern Terai district of Nepal.
 There have been less reports from the Terai regarding the current security which
has creating some problems to the donor communities to formulate a more result
oriented strategies to cope the situation. Similarly, the way particular political
parties compete in terms of election campaign is also an important aspect to be
considered while formulating a common policy by the donor communities.
 Freedom of speech in eastern Terai has gone down and fear of relationship
between Pahadi and Madhesi is common among grassroots communities.
 YCL has created a political turmoil throughout the countryside, which is publicly
criticized by the donor communities. Maoist Supremo, Mr. Puskar Kamal Dahal
alias Prachanda, however, has assured for the correction of the YCL activities.
 There has been political competition between the YCL and JTMM in the Eastern
and landless people in the Western part of Nepal have created some problems.
 During a field visit to Estern Terai, a blue-plated vehicle was stopped and its
chauffer was interrogated, as s/he was a Pahadi origin. However, there has been
no any major paradigm shift in the policy level for the staff recruitment processes
and policies among the entire donor communities based in Nepal so far.

3.  One company of Armed Police Force (APF) has been mobilized in each of the
disturbed district but there is still lack of political consensus among all the major
political parties in the central level, which proved inefficient for law and order.
 There is a problem of flight from Terai particularly from Janakpur to Kathmandu
and vice versa, as all prefer to use the airlines for safe and secure movements.
 Another split of JTMM-G has been reported! A JTMM Leader viz. Bisfottan Sing
(literally meaning explosion in local dialect), in an interview with local Frequency
Modulus (FM) radio station at Janakpur, declared that s/he has been separated
from the JTMM-G and formed another faction which includes cadres from both
the JTMMs (G and J). It has structure of the forty central committee members and
it has agreed for republic. It indicates ego clashes among the local armed groups
particularly the JTMM.
 Layman common Terai people have the strong feelings that the king should have
existence even in the future.
 A program team of donor agency recently visited Sidhartha Nagar (Bhairahawa),
Tribhuvan Nagar (Dang) and Waling (Baglung) to monitor the Poverty Reduction
Programme. During all political party meeting including civil societies at the local
level in Sidhartha Nagar Municipality, there were no any comments at all from
anybody as the YCL Cadres were also present there with the weapons. Finally,
the problem was solved after Maoist representative agreed to take their weapons
out from the conference hall. In indicates CPN/M’s attitudes and behaviors!
 The scenario in Terai is getting new dimensions in these days since the Local
Development Officer (LDO) is strictly sticking to the central level government’s
policies, plans and strategies which is widely criticized by the local people even
the Pahadi origin for the top-down development approach formulated by the NPC.
 Moreover, Terai people have deep-rooted feelings of exclusion from mainstream
development and they lack feelings of belongingness in developmental activities.
 However, the NPC has drafted a three year periodic planning along the “Do and
Do not” in development which may solve some of the developmental problems.
 Municipalities have requested to develop a local level Poverty Reduction Strategy
and ten Municipalities have adopted it through the cooperation of a donor agency
and others are also on the process of formulating specific urban poverty reduction
strategy, which is suitable in accordance with the existing available resources.
 The eight party workers at local level have no knowledge of the developmental
processes so that their capacity building on development is essential.
 Finally, the BOG meeting agreed to meet again in the near future!