HUMAN

Nepali society is undergoing through a trauma created by the violence of political insurgency and the state involved in curbing political insurgency. Both the State and the political insurgents have committed atrocities and human right abuses.    The origin of Nepal's Maoist Movement can be attributed to the failure of the parliamentary and the constitutional forces to effect changes in the socio-political environment to meet the needs and the expectation of the poverty stricken masses of Nepal. Abject poverty, feudal exploitation and the growing unemployment are the fertile seedbeds that grow healthy seedlings of rebellion. The corruption, injustice and the inaction of the State and the lack of the vision of the political leadership have further accelerated the growth and the expansion of such rebellion. These are the inherent characteristics of Nepal and the reasons why Maoist rebellion originated in the remote villages of some hill districts of Nepal and has spread over the rest of the country.   The political system has changed in Nepal and so are the rulers but there is no change in the style of governance and the people have not experienced any perceptible positive change in their lives. The negative changes such as increased corruption, criminalization of politics, politicization of the state institutions and government bureaucracy, declining agricultural productivity, increased unemployment and the intolerable price hikes of the essential commodities have made the lives of already poverty stricken people more miserable and difficult after the inception of multiparty democracy. Living under such circumstance, perhaps, it is not unusual if the socio-economically and culturally marginalized people of remote and difficult hill and mountain terrain of the country are lured and led to raise arms against the State, the State which has been perceived as an instrument of corruption, repression, exploitation and injustice.    In view of the prevailing national scenario, HUMAN has planned to carry out a number of activities in the future. The establishment of a Humanist Study Center (HSC) is the most crucial and the fundamental concern of HUMAN at present. Once, HUMAN has such study center with moderate facilities such as library, office and seminar rooms, then many of the awareness raising and campaign activities can be launched without any difficulty with little support from friends within and outside Nepal. I would like to appeal to all Humanists, Rationalists, Atheists Organizations, individuals and the friends to help us establish the proposed Humanist Study Center in Kathmandu, Nepal. The Study Center will not only propagate the Humanist, Rationalist and Atheist values, principles and the philosophy but also carry out the following activities in a routine schedule:
1. Humanist education and awareness raising campaign
2. Advocacy for transparency, good governance, decentralization and campaign against corruption
3. Action/research/study on superstition and paranormal practices prevalent in Nepali society
4. Communal and political conflict resolution through dialogue and mediation process
5. Women's empowerment through income generating schemes, literacy and humanist education
6. Empowering socially oppressed, marginalized and deprived communities particularly women and children
7. Study on the causes of Maoist insurgency and its implication
8. Mobilization of youth and women in humanist movement
9. Campaign, advocacy and lobbying for the protection of human rights and the victims of superstitions
10. Propagating the ideals of secular humanism and democracy
11. Policy analysis and studies on population, developmental and environmental issues
12. Training, symposium, workshops on various themes and issues
13. Human resource development
14. Network development
15. Other relevant areas/issues

Dear friends, we are seeking financial support from our Humanist, Rationalist, Atheists Organizations and the friends in Europe and North America for the establishment of the proposed Humanist Study Center in Kathmandu. This is the most important and fundamental task HUMAN has realized considering the institutional and the functional utility of such Center in carrying out the Humanist activities in a permanent, coherent and coordinated manner. Your little support may mean a great help and assistance to HUMAN. HUMAN would duly acknowledge the contribution made by all kinds of Humanist organizations (including Rationalist and Atheists) and the friends towards this end. I would like to express my profound gratitude for your moral and material support rendered to empower and strengthen HUMAN and its activities in Nepal. I, once again appeal to you all and look forward to hearing from you in this regard. Thank you very much for your kind attention.
                        Yours always in Humanism
                        Prof. Dr. Gopi Upreti
                     President, HUMAN
                      Email: gopiupreti@hotmail.com, gopi48@ntc.net.np

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HUManist Association of Nepal

An Appeal to Humanist Organizations and Friends