Initially disobliging, VDC Secretary Realizes the importance of CMP and Turns Proactive towards the Program
January 01, 2017
“A number of organizations approached me for the implementation of projects. I worked with them but I have not realized that community people have been benefitted in the real sense of the term. How can I be assured that the program you have planned to implement is of importance?” This is how Ghanashyam Gnyawali, the Secretary of Guthiprasauni VDC in Nawalparasi district reacted to a CeLRRd team visiting the Secretary relating to implementation of community mediation program in the VDC. He further reacted that organizations perform less and boast of their works more. With his anti-NGO mentality, he seemed reluctant to implementing community mediation program in his VDC however, after prolonged discussion he reluctantly agreed to implement CMP.
As agreed, CMP started in the VDC with the conduction of pre-orientation and the Basic Mediation Training to the community mediators. Immediately after the Training was conducted, a CMC was established in the VDC despite the Secretary’s denial to provide a separate room for the CMC. However, amidst community’s pressure, he provided a separate room for the CMC within the premises of VDC building.
With the CMC in place at the VDC, disputing parties approached the Centre daily and facilitation processes started in a professional manner. With the completion of social marketing events on CMC, the number of disputing parties further increased, now making the CMC a reliable local mechanism for interest- based peaceful mode of conflict resolution.
Secretary Gyanwali was a witness of unfolding development of the CMC. Gradually, CeLRRd team consistently engaged him in the programs, on many occasions; he led the program despite his explicit disinterest to the CMP. As his engagement increased, as there increased the flow of disputing parties to the Centre, as mediators gradually further enhanced their experience on professional mediation and as he was well informed of mediation related legal provisions and priorities besides the efforts of the government of Nepal towards mitigating local level conflicts in given the post-conflict situation Nepal is undergoing, he took a U-turn and started to realize the importance and benefits of the CMP.
“The facilitation skill of the mediators is fabulous. I have now realized that disputing parties can reach agreements by themselves whereby outsiders’ coercion does not work. Mending broken relations is the beauty of this program” he realizes now. In a program organized for the Coordinators of CMC, he was also one of the participants. Performance of Guthiprasuani VDC was remarkable; everyone appreciated which further encouraged him to support the program.
After returning to his VDC, Gyanwali provided separate furniture, ceiling fan, lights and latrine facilities for the CMC. He now says, ” I will do my best to allocate budget for this program in the next fiscal year, I have now realized the importance of this project”.
