Memory and remembrance can be important tools for communities to reflect upon their collective past so that a cycle of violence can be prevented. This memory project will document, archive and share personal stories of survivors and families of the victims of the armed conflict in Nepal from 1996 - 2006. Using audio, video, photo and art, the project seeks to preserve and dignify their memories by recording testimonies to compel remembrance, assert the dignity of survivors and prevent denial.
The decade-long conflict in Nepal cost over 17000 lives, and more than 1400 were disappeared. Chandra Kumari's two sons were taken away by security forces 15 years ago and she has not seen them since. As time passes, there is a fear that society will forget those who disappeared and their families' pain and suffering. If her account is lost and forgotten, there is a real chance that society at large cannot understand its past and cannot prevent similar events from happening again in the future.
This project will document the stories of the families of the disappeared to remember and remind the community of that loss. The disappearance of these individuals is not just a tragedy for the families, but our entire society. We seek to remind society of the "person" behind the numbers. Called "Memory, Truth and Justice" this is a multi-media project that will preserve the memories of those who were disappeared and share their stories to remember, increase awareness and educate society.
The recording and advocating stories of loss is imperative for a nation to transition to peace and democracy. Educational and advocacy materials will be produced for students, advocates and researchers. An outreach is also envisaged to draw attention and raise awareness for both long and short-term impact. We will do this by: a)Feature documentary b)Resource materials for educators, students and NGOs c)Mural project to create a physical site of rememberance d)Art workshop in Bardiya
This project has provided additional documentation in a DOCX file (projdoc.docx).
