Run For Rights-A Marathon of Hope

Rampur campus: 

Nepal, a country whose backbone of economy is the remittance sent by the migrant workers. With their blood and sweat all they have spent on the foreign soil, we are able to live our lives with ease here. But unlike their contribution to the country, it seems that the country is still unable to guarantee their rights. Migrant worker rights have been limited into some black and white paragraphs and probably lying on the dusty racks of the law-makers. Whether it is the news of hundreds of migrant workers in Libya in the verge of life and death during the armed-conflict or the Nepali workers being deceived by the manpower company or the recent news of a migrant worker from Bhojpur who was not only looted whatever she earned but was also forced to server with her body to the officials at TIA, everything signifying the loopholes in the law and its implementation. Amidst all these number of violation going on in the country and abroad Amnesty International Rampur Youth Network organized a marathon race “Run for Rights” with a motto of raising awareness among the youths of Rampur who in turn would raise their voices and disseminate the information all around the country in their village and towns.

“Informing a youth today is awakening the whole country tomorrow”, with this theme the marathon race was inaugurated by coordinator of Rampur Youth Network Bhawana Ghimire. The chief guest Mr. Deek Prasad Ghimire, Deputy General Secretary of National Executive Committee, AI Nepal Section stressed on assuring the migrant workers rights from the government and for which youth mobilization and such campaigns are of high significance. Similarly other speakers included the assistant campus chief Mr. Ishwor Chandra Prakash Tiwari, Treasurer of National Executive Committee, AI Nepal Section Mr. Pratap poudel, Coordinator of AI Narayani Group 33 Mr. Arjun Adhikari and Member of Human rights and Peace Society Nepal Mr. R. K Budathoki who had a combined view against the violation of Migrant Workers rights and an appeal to the youth to feel the responsibility against the growing monopoly in the trade of workers.

A total of 52 students took part in the Marathon race out of which 37 were boys and rest were the girls. The race commenced with the scissoring of ribbon in-front of the post Graduate Academic Building by the chief guest of the program. With the message posted on their back the participants made a round around the American Highway in which the boys had to make a 5 complete rounds of the Highway while 2 complete rounds for girls. The 5kms marathon race of boys finally came up with a result and that included Bishal Khadka as the winner, Sagar GC as the 1^st runner up and Nripraj Joshi as 2^nd runner up. Similarly the 2kms marathon race yielded Sabita Joshi as the winner, Swati Shrestha as 1^st runner up and Madhuri Thapa as 2^nd runner up.

The congratulations giving and prize distribution program was supported by the cheers and applauses of the spectators. Finally the coordinator of the Rampur Youth Network formally concluded the program with a promise to actively participate in such campaigns in the coming days and join shoulders to shoulders with the youths to fight against all sort of inequalities prevailed in the nation and hoped that such programs would blow a trumpet of the  current situation of migrant workers on the deaf ears of the concerned authorities.

Rampur Youth Network; working together with AI Nepal against the violation of Human Rights.

"Following the law and principles of Amnesty International individuals of age group 14 to 25 can attain the membership of the Youth Network. This membership is directly given by the National Executive Committee."

Rampur Youth network

                Nepal, a country beautiful in itself with its unmatchable beauty of the Mountains, greenery of the Hills and plains of the Terai. Many poets and literary figures have mentioned Nepal as a paradise to live in with the harmony in people regardless of different religion, cultures, castes, sex and so on. But in the recent days there is a surge in the violation of Human Rights of the people.

  

                 Although the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in December 10, 1948 has clearly stated the fundamental rights of an individual  soon after the birth, the rights seem to be a far reach of the  General people. Raising their voices or filing a complaint is a dream when people are even unaware about their Fundamental Rights. Amidst all these on going situations Rampur Youth Network was initiated to fight against all the violation cases in the country backing and standing together with the Amnesty International Nepal. 

               Rampur Youth Network is a group of youths studying Agriculture and Veterinary Science at Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Rampur, Chitwan dedicated to work in the field of Human rights.

              Every year the Annual General Meeting nominates a Coordinator and a Vice-coordinator and together with its member the network runs several campaigns in the locality. The nominees are from the students itself. At present the network is widening its circle out of the premises of college and endorsing the local people as well.

Amnesty International Nepal-a need in the present scenario of Nepal.

As an organ of the Amnesty International and with the same objectives and principles, Amnesty International Nepal was established for the first time in the year 1969 by a lawyer Nutan Thapaliya while the first president of AI Nepal was late Hrishikesh Shah. Similarly in 1971 AI Nepal was recognized as AI Nepal Section by the international Executive Committee (IEC). At that period the organisation couldn't work effectively due to the unfavorable situation of the country and as a result the organisation was dissolved in the year 1982.

In the later years several groups were formed in Nepal directly issuing the membership from the International Secretariat (IS) and the groups devoted themselves in promoting the campaigns of Amnesty International. Later in 1993 the AI Nepal Section was reestablished and for this the Kathmandu Group-3, Ithari Group-6 and Biratnagar Group-11 played a pivotal role.

After the advent of democracy  in the year 1990 from the initiation of AI International Section and efforts of the youths like Krishna Pahadi, Chitra Niroula and others, AI coordination office was established. From the date of establishment till today AI Nepal is constantly battling for the rights of people.

Amnesty International Nepal

Amnesty International-the biggest organisation working in the field of human rights.

In the year 1961, the government of Portugal sentenced seven years imprisonment for two youths when they made a toast in the name of  'Democracy of Portugal'. This news got published in the newspapers of Britain and a British lawyer Peter Benenson  read the news which turned him really sad. 'It is the right of an individual to express his feelings/speech peacefully' and for this reason the government had declared punishment against them. He felt the government had done injustice to them and further nobody drew their concern in imparting them the justice instead they were forgotten by everyone. As a result Peter Benenson wrote an article,'The Forgotten Prisoners' in a newspaper,'The Observer' published from Britain on May 28, 1961 with an appeal to raise voice against the unjust to the Portuguese youth and thousands of similar cases who were the victim of punishment only for the speech they made.  From the day, the article published in the newspaper a campaign called ,'Appeal for Amnesty 1961' begin and to coordinate the campaigns  an office was established at London, Britain. Today, may 28 when the article was published in the newspaper and "appeal for amnesty 1961" campaign started is celebrated as birthday of Amnesty International and Peter Benenson as its founder.

In the beginning, Amnesty International campaigned to free those who were imprisoned just for the speech they made or expressing their views in a peaceful way. Today Amnesty International is the largest organisation working transparently and in a democratic way in the field of human rights and campaigns worldwide to safeguard the fundamental rights of an individual without any biasness. 

And for the works done throughout the world Amnesty International owns a Consultative Status from UNO and many other organisations. Similarly  the organisation was awarded with Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 and also decorated with the United Nations Award for outstanding achievements in the field of Human Rights in the year 1978.

At present there are more then 32 lakhs member and volunteers of AI in 150 countries throughout the world. More than 150 countries have thousands of  local groups and members and around 50 countries have Section eg., Nepal Section while 8 countries have Coordinating Structure.

Amnesty International