FIPMO Field Visit to Peace Sanctuary Project, Lumbini

Field Trip to Peace Sanctuary Lumbini Project

(PSLP)

15 March 2020

Background:

Subsequent to last Executive Committee meeting, whereby it was agreed that in view of sticking to its goals and objectives FIPMO should take the advantage of the invitation extended by Shyalpa Rimpoche (SR) to visit Lumbini together with PSLP and then only decide whether FIPMO should enter into a MOU of cooperation between PSLP and FIPMO a trip to Lumbini was undertaken on 15 March 2020.  The whole idea of the visit to the field was to have better understanding and feeling of the PSLP on the ground and also to visit and have dialogues with local communities.

Participants:

We are grateful to Shyalpa Rimpoche for inviting FIPMO to visit Peace Sanctuary Project Lumbini (PSLP).  However, not all the FIPMO members were able join the trip except for only following five:

·         Bhairaja Panday (BP) accompanied by Meena Panday (spouse) and daughter.

·         Bijaya Rajbhandari (BR)

·         Surendra Bahadur Panday (SP)

Narendra P. Shrestha (NS)

·         Pushpa Acharya (PA)

PSLP was represented by:

·         Shyalpa Rimpoche (SR)

·         J. Bista (JB)

·         Two other Associates

Lumbini Peace Foundation (LPF):

·         Bishnu Bhusal (BB), Secretary General

Others in Presence were:

·         Two Members, from Lumbini Development Trust (LDT)

·         A Site Engineer

·         Six Community Leaders (in a separate community meeting)

Meeting at PSLP Site

PSLP:

After a short visit of the construction site by opening the meeting SR welcomed and greeted FIPMO delegation and others who were attending the meeting.  He briefed what PSLP is about and elaborated that the Project was for peace making and peace building and there is no other agenda. Further, he mentioned that the source of funding for PSLP is only from those who would like to contribute voluntarily from worldwide no matter whether small or big amount for making PSLP a peace destination for discussing and resolving any kind of conflicts or issues related to World Peace disorder is the whole idea. Like in the past in other meetings, SR adding to his note re-emphasized the followings: (a) The design of the project was done by HK based architect firm and the Bill of Quantities have been done is details by leaving no space for technical fraudulent; (b) Construction of the was already started and some 197 piles have already been driven for the foundation; (c) The underground hall has a capacity to accommodate some 1,500 people at a time; and (d) In order to have check and balance from the very beginning of the project PSLP has brought Delloyed Group of Auditors on the board and also have made necessary arrangement for Auditors locally to have regular monitoring of the income and expenditures on the project.   

He mentioned that FIPMO like organization could make a big difference in the success of the project. Introducing participating FIPMO members, as UN Senior Officials, he reinforced his message stating that skills, knowledge and experience in varied fields would be meaningful in joining the hands and providing guidance and support to support PSLP endeavor, especially, in the areas of community education, health and development activities already being conceptualized and put in place under the project targeting to benefit deprived native Muslim communities surrounding the PSLP who are more than 70% of the total area population in Lumbini but their economic as well as social situation are really bad. 

Then, he updated on the progress of the project implementation and coordination bring maintained between parties: the local Government, LDT, Local Communities and already existing grass-root organizations.  He also highlighted the fact that receiving clearance on PSLP activities like registration of the land for a hospital construction with proposed Malaysian funding support was pending for the last few months for unknown reasons despite all requirements were fulfilled. He urged LDT to extend possible help in this regards by discussing with the local government from their end.

Participants:

Few questions were asked by the participants to SR who in turn answered to all the questions and quarries raised by them.  The interaction was good.         

FIPMO:

On behalf of FIPMO, SP briefed the meeting about FIPMO, its objectives and the voluntary nature of the work it does.  In order to avoid misunderstanding and high expectations among those who have come to know FIPMO for the first time, SP clearly mentioned that FIPMO is an organization of not only retirees from United Nations systems but also represented by other Multilateral organizations such as ADB, IMF, ICAO, WB and others. FIPMO members have a good deal of skills, knowledge and experience of many years of work from different parts of the world inclusive of  its relevant regional offices and headquarters which the members are ready to share and invest in helping the PSLP as and where applicable. FIPMO cannot make any financial contributions nor it would pledge to any of the agencies to raise the funds but would voluntarily extend its skills and knowledge if applicable to support the project.  However, it was yet too early to make a decision where FIPMO could be useful to PSLP and sign a MOU until the time FIPMO delegation further interacts with local communities, observe their situation by visiting the villages and assessing their needs. He thanked SR for the invitation and letting FIPMO see the situation on the ground and mentioned that FIPMO colleagues look forward to visit the communities and meet with local residents on the second part of the Lumbini visit after the lunch.

LDT and LPF

They spoke about positive cooperation between them and PSLP.  They thanked FIPMO for the visit and mentioned that it could be an opportunity for them to get expert support the organization.  They briefed a little about the LDT and its work as well. LPF also a wing of Nepal-Swiss Association briefed about its ongoing vocational training at Lamjung Skill Development Foundation (LSDF). BB mentioned that they do have number of studies profiling the Muslim population in Lumbini that could be helpful as reference in developing and devising relevant projects.

Meeting with Community Leaders:

PSPL:

A meeting held with community leaders coordinated by local representative of PSLP.  There were two women who run small shops in the market, one volunteer environment activist, one who claimed to be social worker in the community, and another who was trying to engage the disadvantage women in craft making skills and market their products.  After having SR spoken in the meeting and he also introduced participating FIPMO members as high ranking officials of United Nations.  He mentioned that PSLP and FIPMO is trying see where FIPMO could partner with the project to benefit the local communities. Then he asked the community leaders to talk.

Community Leaders:

The community leaders talked about what they were doing to help the local communities.  Mostly they were giving hints that they lack resources to do the work.  However, the last speaker mentioned that he is trying the engage the grass-root needy women in crafts making skill training and help them to market their products.

FIPMO:

After the community leaders spoke, SP was asked to say something on behalf of FIPMO.  Having been noticed that FIPMO members were introduced for the second time as high ranking UN officials and also the community participants emphasizing on the shortage of fund to do their job, SP clearly mentioned about FIPMO being an organization of former international professionals of multilateral organization that includes beside United Nations, other organizations like ADB, WB, IMF, ICAO etc. Further he elaborated the voluntary nature of the FIPMO does on a pro-bono basis and provides its support to the government, organizations as well as the communities based on available experience, knowledge, skills and expertise of individual members if they suit.  Therefore, it should be clearly understood that FIPMO does not provided any funds but truly guides and helps how the available scarce funds could be best utilized to implement the projected activities in the benefit of the communities as well as the organization.  Depending upon the situation FIPMO also help and guide in designing an appropriate project and putting things together while implementing successfully. It seemed that the message was gone through.

Further, SP mentioned that the formatting of the community meeting was absolutely none representational and not up to the expectations of FIPMO. Until and unless FIPMO visits the intended sites and interacts with the targeted communities and beneficiaries it would not consider community meeting as a Community Meeting.  It is therefore, some FIPMO members in coordination with the PSLP local representative would try to plan an appropriate community meeting in short future. Based upon the observation and discussions, FIPMO would be able to say where and how it could chip in to support the project and beneficiary communities.

Lumbini Buddhist University (LBU)

FIPMO members managed to have a breakfast meeting with Prof. Dr. Hiradya Ratna Bajracharya, Vice Chancellor and Mr. Ukesh Bhuju, Dean School of Development and Applied Sciences of LBU. They were invited for breakfast by BR who knew them from his school time.

LBU has put forward its vision as University for World Peace, Harmony and Prosperity.  It runs a numbers of courses under its faculties and collages of which Faculty of Humanitarian and Social Science and School of Development Studies and Applied Sciences could be of particular area of interest for FIPMO to cooperate.  The meeting was much intellectual, exiting and appealing to do something together. It would worth FIPMO to explore possible areas of cooperation with the LBU.    

As invited by Dr. Bajracharya, on their way to Kathmandu BR, SP and PA managed to visit the LBU and observe the establishment with additional briefing on the ground while walking around. 

Follow-up Action:

1.      Held and Executive Committee Meeting to brief those colleagues who could not participate in the trip to Lumbini and also to discuss how do we go ahead with our partnership with PSLP?

Action: BR to call EC meeting.

2.      It is clear that FIPMO could, possibly, involve with its support to PSLP project in the area of Conflict Resolution, Trainings, and Community Empowerment projects.  However, to make it more concrete it is necessary to have a real field visit and meet the grass-root targeted population.

Action: SP to coordinate with BP and PSLP representative Mr. Bista on the ground and plan a trip and then inform members if they are interested and could join on the trip.    

3.      A meeting with LBU would worth for FIPMO to discuss and explore further the possibilities for cooperation. In this respect one thing that FIPMO could already do would be to link LBU with PSLP as we see number of area they could cooperate too.

Action: BR and SP to coordinate with LBU and fix a meeting at the same time when FIPMO visits the Communities under PSLP initiatives.