US and Nepal Humanists Form Partnership

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Little more than a year ago, Marani Devi struggled as her neighbours beat her and stuffed her mouth full of faeces.

 

It is the usual punishment for someone accused of witchcraft in the Hindu kingdom of Nepal. Sometimes these actions are based on a real belief in witchcraft, but often they are used as an excuse to silence women who speak their minds or report harassment or rape.

 

The Humanist Association of Nepal, or HUMAN, conducted an investigation of one of the most grotesque events of this kind, recorded on 14 August, 2001, in the Mahottari district of Nepal. There, more than 2,000 rural Nepalese women were tortured in the name of a ‘witch-identifying ritual’. Such witch hunts are among a number of superstitious practices, prevalent in contemporary Nepali society, that HUMAN is fighting. HUMAN published their findings and gained a commitment from government officials to combat the witch hunts. As well as making sure the government follows through, HUMAN is working directly to help the victims and reduce future incidents.

 

The Capital District Humanist Society (CDHS), in Albany, New York, is a world away from the troubles of Nepal – figuratively as well as geographically. Located about 150 miles from New York, CDHS brings together mostly middle-class non-religious people for community and intellectual discussion. It has a little over 150 members, publishes a monthly newsletter, and holds two or three discussion meetings a month.

 

But New York’s Capital District and Nepal are now linked by one of the first International Humanist Partnerships. CDHS and HUMAN agreed to form a Partnership as part of a new project of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU). The partnership programme aims to promote understanding and solidarity between Humanist groups in different parts of the world. CDHS will send multiple copies of its newsletter to HUMAN and will publish news of HUMAN’s activities. It is hoped that fundraising for HUMAN and perhaps even trips between Albany and Nepal will follow.

 

Groups may form partnerships because of cultural links, personal contacts, or because they are inspired by the work of a particular group. The Humanists of Hudson Valley, an offshoot of CDHS located about 50 miles from Albany, formed a Humanist Partnership with the Prometheus Society of Slovakia, because the local group leader, Ed Poll, is of Slovakian origin. In the case of HUMAN and CDHS, the link came through Larry Jones, former executive director of CDHS, who visited HUMAN earlier this year.

 

 

Jones, who is also Vice President of IHEU, said, “It is wonderful that CDHS is partnering with HUMAN. The Nepalese humanists I met were starved for contact with the outside world. This partnership should prove a great boost to their morale.”

 

The Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS), of which Larry Jones is president, is also supporting HUMAN. IHS has given HUMAN grants totalling $16,000 over the past two years. In addition, IHS paid for a girl and boy from HUMAN’s youth wing to attend the 2003 International Humanist Youth Conference in Berlin, Germany (see p. 16).

 

Anyone interested in learning more about International Humanist Partnerships, or discussing possible partner groups, should contact Babu Gogineni, Executive Director of IHEU.

 

Matt Cherry

Executive Director, Institute for Humanist Studies