FOLLOW US
C.S. Yong: 8th Anniversary of Nepal's Peace Process
Written by Dr. Chung Sik Yong, Regional Chair, UPF-Asia
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Address at the Commemoration of the 8th Anniversary Nepal's Peace Process
and Founding of UPF-Nepal
Kathmandu, Nepal - November 13, 2013
I would like warmly welcome you here on behalf of Dr. Sun Myung Moon and Mrs. Hak Ja Han Moon, the founders of the Universal Peace Federation. This is a very historic gathering of UPF leaders, senior Ambassadors for Peace and peace-loving citizens. You add dignity and prestige to our event by being here today. Thank you so much for coming.
Eight years ago Father and Mother Moon came to Nepal, their first and only visit to this beautiful nation. They were welcomed as state guests with such sincerity and deep affection that it left a deep and lasting impression.
But their trip was not an ordinary visit. They did not come to Nepal as tourists but to establish UPF in Nepal. Actually, they were traveling to 120 cities in 120 days to inaugurate UPF chapters in nations around the world. Can you even imagine what it must have been like? Traveling to a new city each day for four months! Only with an iron will and a determination to die if needed could Father Moon complete that world tour at age 85.
Years later, Father Moon asked Mother Moon, “What was the fruit of our world tour?” True Mother answered easily, “Nepal.” Father Moon agreed.
On the same day they came to Nepal to inaugurate UPF, Nepal’s peace process began. The 12-point Memorandum of Understanding was signed in New Delhi between the Maoists and the Seven Party Alliance. The beginning of ending the decade-long war that left as many as 15,000 Nepalese people dead was on the same day as UPF’s inauguration in Nepal: Nov. 22, 2005. We are here in memory of that event eight years ago.
We can say that they directly participated in helping to bring peace to Nepal, and their involvement has continued in the work of UPF. Through UPF-Nepal, a series of 15 South Asia Peace Initiative (SAPI) programs have been organized. At each step of the way, SAPI seminars addressed roadblocks to the peace process. Several things happened at these conferences. First, UPF-Nepal leaders shared about Father Moon’s thoughts and insights about basic Principles of Peace. This education was vitally important.
At the same time these programs allowed for face-to-face dialogue between all the concerned players: the Maoists, the royalists and the democratic parties. Finally, this NGO initiative from the civil society sector provided the much-needed support and encouragement for everyone involved to continue moving forward. Without a vision, there is no hope, and without hope the peace process would have died.
Soon Nepal will have a second Constituent Assembly. I came here just today from the Philippines, and tomorrow I will return. I would have stayed in the Philippines because of the enormous amount of death and destruction brought by the recent typhoon. It is estimated that as many as 10,000 people have been killed.
Even though I should be in the Philippines, I felt I needed to come to Nepal to share with you this keynote message. Please allow me to share Father Moon’s vision and principles for world peace and how they apply to Nepal and the world.
First of all, Nepalese leaders should not think of peace just for themselves. That type of peace would not last because Nepal as a nation does not exist in isolation. Nepal’s geopolitical setting means that lasting peace in Nepal must include peaceful relationships with both your neighbors.
Nepal’s northern neighbor is China; your southern neighbor is India. Nepal is between the largest communist and the largest democratic nations in the world. This means that Nepal can have peace only when it finds a way to have peace with both neighbors. Nepal must find a way to bring harmony between these two ideologies.
If you do that, then Nepal’s peace can be a model for world peace: not only will you have a permanent peace for yourselves but more importantly you can provide the roadmap for world peace.
Then how can communism and democracy work together? This is not easy. Father Moon initiated what he feels is a possible solution to this problem: a headwing ideology, not right wing or left wing but a harmonizing force building on the strengths of both wings. Another name for it is parentism.
First, the people promoting communism and democracy should stop thinking of each other as enemies. They are brothers. But they can realize this only when parents appear. Each form of government has certain advantages and disadvantages. But most importantly, both communism and democracy must put more emphasis on the family.
In a loving, two-parent family, children learn to overcome selfishness and be public-minded. In the family, the seeds of patriotism are planted in the hearts of children, because patriotism is filial piety expanded on a larger scale. In the family we learn self-government and responsibility, which are essential for lasting peace and true freedom.
In Father Moon’s autobiography he highlights the importance of the family:
The perfection of human beings and peace in the world come about through the family… No matter how much politicians may put their heads together, they will not bring about peace. Formidable military power will not bring peace. The starting point for bringing about peace is the family… The degradation of sexual morality among adults destroys families and leads to the ruin of children. Immorality and licentiousness in the personal lives of adults ultimately destroys the lives of their children. The reason today’s society does not have a level of happiness to match its level of material prosperity is that families are being destroyed. To save families, adults must first live proper lives. Then, it is possible to raise children in sexual purity.
It is not by chance that today the economic troubles in many Western nations are accompanied by the breakdown of the family.
Let me conclude by emphasizing that Nepal must not think of peace just for itself. Nepal’s peace can contribute to world peace in a very substantial way.
Political leaders from all parties can gain insights from Father Moon’s teachings. Father Moon is in the spiritual world. But his heart and spirit are in Nepal. He invested his parental heart to promote peace in Nepal so that it can be a model for world peace.
May God bless you, your families and Nepal. I pray that your elections will be free, fair and peaceful. Namaste!