Press Release
                                                                                            Date 9th July 2002

 National committee of human rights education radio listener clubs( HRERLIC, Nepal)  is a youth focused human rights organization founded in 1998 with the aim of improving the living standard of underprivileged people of the society in Nepal. More than 5,000 youths are directly involved with this organization and nearly 300 motivated human rights activists are documented as committed human rights activists to monitor the grassroots human rights situation.

Now a days the our country is facing  different kinds of violation and especially it is touched to the Maoist movement. After the terrible attack by Maoists in the army  quarter of security forces in the mid western part of the country, the government has promulgated state of emergency and suspended  constitutionally formulated fundamental rights of the people. Social, economic and political activities of the nation is  degrading day by day and also the rate of killing people is also gradually increasing and the recent data shows that more than 3,500 people are killed altogether from Maoist and security forces.  Daily activities and the life of especially the life of rural people is  being miserable and they are deprived from already available basic facilities.

The members of listeners club, who are working as a human rights activist to monitor the situation of human rights in the local level are also facing very difficulty to launch different human rights campaigns due to the difficult situation of the country.  They have to be frightened both from revolutionaries and security forces.

National committee of radio listener club was planned to organize "Mechi Mahakali marching campaign" in the month of January 2002 and that would be an impressive human rights programme for all people  of the society. Due to the existing emergency , national committee postponed that programme.

 Dang district committee of radio listener club was planned to organize monthly basis human rights education campaign but that could not be implemented due to the emergency period and existing security situation of that district, where Maoist attack time and again to the security forces.

Lalitpur District committee president of HRE radio listener clubs'  Mr. Deepak Ghimire, went to the police post and district administration office time and again to get their permission, to organize a training programme for district level activist. finally they got permission but conducted training in a terrified condition.

 National committee treasurer Mr. Keshab Adhikari was suspended for some hours through the security forces, with a view to carrying some human rights articles in his bag. This incident happened when he was coming from his home town of Dhading district.

 At the moment more than 15 districts are out of postal service due to the violating activities of Maoist. So, some of the local HRE clubs are not getting human rights publications, that they were receiving through the national committee by the support of INSEC.

 Some members of radio listener clubs are arrested being accused of Maoist activist. Though they are not involved in the Maoist movement but the government thinks that they are involved. But the club members and our district representative are not assure about their involvement in the Maoist movement.

 Dhading district committee organized a peace procession two months ago on the occasion of their district convention but only few people were involved at that procession due to the frightened mentality of people. So far district administration was actively cooperate to make success their campaign.

The above mentioned references are some of the highlighted problems, that the radio listener clubs are facing in the period of emergency. Another important problem is the taking of legal permission from the district administration office , which is being an obstacle to be there and to take permission. Some of the listener clubs are situated five days far from district administration office, that is really burden them to take written permission and to launch their proposed activities. If they did not take the permission, they may be the victim of security forces as a Maoist rebels.

 Most of the listener clubs talks about the rights of the people. They use to teach to the people about human dignity, Constitutional provision and international HR instruments, that is supposed as  human rights of the people. But how they can talk about human dignity in this terrible situation? how they can raise their voices against human rights violation and  to stop killing people. No it is impossible. They themselves are not secure, How they can talk to secure the rights of the people?

Members of HRE radio listener clubs are working actively in the grassroots. But within the emergency period they are doing nothing. The main reason that the lack of their own security and lack of confident working motively in the grassroots. They are not trained activist rather they have gained knowledge on the basis of their working experience. They don't have well monitoring, reporting and coping skill. So how they can highlight the issues ?

First thing it is necessary that the members of radio listener clubs must be rained HR activist to face even the great challenges. They should gain different knowledge and skills, Which is necessary for HR activists. Government should pay attention for their life security because they are fighting for human rights and social justice. All concern authorities should think positively, to enhance their knowledge with a view to that they could face even the dangerous situation and always struggle for human rights and for the establishment of human rights culture.