SUBODH RAJ PYAKUREL:A person of Neaplese peoples' uprising

 

Personal Details:

Date of Birth:  1953

Marital Status: Married (with 2 children)

Passport No: 3757030 Valid until: 29.10.2017  

Address:

Home: Kathmandu Residency, Bagdole Lalitpur Nepal 

Tel: +977 1 5541549

Mobile: + 977 9851026841

Email: Subodh.freenep@gmail.com

 

Mr. Subodh Raj Pyakurel is an eminent human rights activist and Chairperson of Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), a leading human rights organization in Nepal. He is also a Chairperson of the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA), Bangkok-based regional human rights organization and an Executive Member of South Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR). Mr. Pyakurel is also a Chairperson of the National Monitoring Committee on Code of Conduct for Ceasefire (NMCC) and the Human Rights Home, Nepal. As the most respected and distinguished human rights defender in Nepal, he is lobbying against impunity and for the accountability in capacity of the member of the Accountability Watch Committee (AWC) - the informal collective initiative of civil society for accountability.

 

An icon of conscience-keeping and commitment, he started human rights movement in the early eighties; courageously fought against tyrannical Panchayat system, insurgents' atrocities and dictatorial royal regime under exceptionally difficult circumstances. Mr. Pyakurel was in the forefront of observing and monitoring the Jana Andolan (People's Movement)-II that overthrew the autocratic rule of the king in Nepal in April 2006 and he was also in the lead in different human rights issues during the decade-long armed conflict which resulted in massive breach of international human rights and humanitarian law. With his robust stance on rule of law, he was one of the key figures to generate international solidarity support in defense of human rights and democratic struggle in the country during these critical hours.

 

He valiantly confronted the Royal Nepal army and highlighted human rights violations during the Royal takeover. On 26 February 2005, he was prevented from traveling to Nepalgunj where he was supposed to conduct a training workshop on humanitarian laws for security persons located in the Mid-Western Development Region. He initiated a "Defense Human Rights Campaign" against the unconstitutional move of royal regime which created international pressure against the royal regime and the king was forced to move back. He has also played the crucial role to create a unanimous support in the 61st session of the United

Nations Human Rights Commission to pass Agenda Item 19 for the establishment of the Office of High Commissioner in Nepal to monitor the human rights situation.

 

Mr. Pyakurel has wide range of knowledge and experiences dealing with human rights issues. Most prominently, he envisioned INSEConline which monitors and disseminates human rights related information through its webpage on daily basis and Human Rights Year Book which records nationwide data and monitors human rights violations and swiftly intervened under his courageous leadership. Currently, Mr. Pyakurel is championing his endeavor to ensure accountability and challenge the problem of impunity on the gross violation of human rights and humanitarian law and crime against humanity. He has been advocating for the most challenging cause of transitional justice and has also been espousing for the rights of the Bhutanese refugees in Nepal and campaigning for improvement of the human rights situation in Bhutan.

INVOLVEMENT HISTORY

 

2009    Second time elected as the Chairperson of FORUM – ASIA for three years (2009 to 2012) from the 5^th General Assembly held at Bangkok, Nov 2009.

 

2009    Convener, National Election Monitoring Alliance NEMA

 

2006    Elected as the Chairperson of INSEC from the General Assembly

 

2004 Steering Committee Members of National Human Rights Action Plan, under the coordination of the Chief Secretary, HMG/N,

 

2003 Executive Member of South Asia Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR)

 

2000     Elected as the General Secretary of INSEC from the General Assembly

 

2000     Spokesperson of Bhutan Refugee Support Group (BRSG)

.

1988    Executive Board Member INSEC

 

1985 Member of Central Committee of Forum for Democratic and National Unity (FODENU)

 

1984 National Council Member by the first national assembly of Forum for Protection of Human Rights (FOPHUR)

 

 

AWARDS  

 

• At national level he is awarded by Ahimsha Samabaha Nepal for his contribution in conflict transformation through 'collective civic diplomacy' with "do-no-harm" strategy is manifested in Nepal's ongoing successful peace process. 

 

• As a result of volumes of his clout, efficiency, perseverance, above all, due to his dedication to the humanitarian cause, he has been awarded by national level NGOs such as Feminist Dalit Organisation (FEDO), Alliance against Trafficking in Women and Children in Nepal (AATWIN), Radio Listner's Club.

 

Contribution

• Established the National Coalition for the ICC (NCICC) in 2001, a network of more than 100 NGOs in Nepal to campaign for the accession of the Rome Statue of the ICC. As a result of the work of the Coalition, the then House of Representative passed unanimous resolution directing government for the immediate ratification of the Statute.   
• Established Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Coordination Committee (HRTMCC), a coalition of 63 human rights organizations to monitor international obligation of the state and send alternative reports to the UN treaty bodies, and ratification of the core human rights instruments. Since the establishment in 2003, INSEC is coordinating the committee.
• Established Human Rights Home (HRH) during the time of Royal regime in 2005 as a space and initiative aiming to bring together human rights organizations and defenders to form a broad, inclusive, and impartial alliance which also worked to develop mechanism for the security of human rights defenders and to bridge the gap of civil diplomacy on human rights between national and international human rights communities.
• For the establishment of OHCHR in Nepal, during the Royal Regime in 2006 Mr, Pyakurel played a vital role bringing together all major political party leaders on a   consensus to request the United Nations to pass Agenda Item 19 on its 61st session at the Human Rights Commission.

 

 

Founder Member of Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), Mr. Pyakurel has multiple experiences of leading human rights movement in Nepal. He was elected as the National Council Member of the first national assembly of Forum for Protection of Human Rights (FOPHUR) in 1984 and Central Committee Member of Forum for Democratic and National Unity (FODENU) in 1985. He was Executive Board Member of INSEC, incessantly from its establishment in 1988 to 2000, General Secretary from 31 May 2000 to 11 April 2003 and currently Chairperson from 12 April 2003.

 

Mr. Pyakurel is a resident of Biratnagar-15, Morang, Nepal. He is a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Tribhuvan University, Nepal and acquires a Post Graduate Course on Financial Programme Management from Programme Planning Centre, Bradford University, UK.

 

Mr. Pyakurel can be reached at +977 98510 26841 (Mobile), +977 1 4270551 (Telephone) and insec@insec.org.np or subodh@insec.org.np.