Nepal's indigenous communities have launched a joint one-month-long campaign in Kathmandu against the recently-promulgated constitution. Named as Adivasi Janajati Awareness Campaign in Newa Autonomous State, the initiative aims to raise awareness about how the new constitution discriminates against indigenous communities, Madhesis, Tharus, Muslims and other minority groups.
Members of various indigenous communities have kick-started the campaign by taking out a rally from Ratna Park, Kathmandu this week. Participants of the rally carried placards with slogans like 'ease fuel crisis', 'curb black-marketing', 'ensure human rights of Nepali people' and 'spread right information and stop propaganda'.
Addressing the rally, human rights activist and Chair of Nepal Indigenous Rights Movement Padma Ratna Tuladhar accused the government of manipulating the people and the international community with lies about the new constitution. "The government is saying this is the best constitution in the world," he said. "This is nothing but a big lie. It is propaganda."
Tuladhar added, "The new constitution hugely favors Khas-Nepali language speaking people, but discriminates against other religions, languages and cultures. This is continuity of the same old state policies."
Tuladhar added, "The new constitution hugely favors Khas-Nepali language speaking people, but discriminates against other religions, languages and cultures. This is continuity of the same old state policies."
The program was attended by Dr Mahesh Man Shrestha, Dr Krishna Bhattachan, Naresh Tamrakar, Jitpal Kiranti, Naresh Bir Shakya, Nanda Kandangwa, Dr Bijaya Sainju and Shankar Limbu and many other noted Janajati figures.
Arjun Maharjan, coordinator of the campaign, says: "Our initiative is also an act of solidarity with the Madhes movement."
As part of the campaign, a series of awareness and protest programs will be carried out in one month from now onward. Below are the list of programs that will be held under the campaign.
Arjun Maharjan, coordinator of the campaign, says: "Our initiative is also an act of solidarity with the Madhes movement."
On 11 December
Interaction with journalists belonging to indigenous communities at the office of Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Journalists (FONIJ) about the new constitution
On 14 December
Interaction with political activists and leaders of various political parties
On 16 December
Demonstrations against the new constitution in front of the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar, Kathmandu
On 18 December
Protesting the state's continuing suppression of indigenous Tharus and Madhesis in the country's southern plains, sit-in programs will be held in front of the offices of the United Nations and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
On 20 December
A human chain will be formed in front of Nepal Press Council protesting biasness reporting of indigenous rights movement by the mainstream Nepali media
On 24 December
Program to explain the truth about the new constitution and its discriminatory clauses against indigenous people to international agencies
On 26 December
Awareness programs start in various parts of the Kathmandu valley.
11 January
The campaign ends.
Some glimpse of campaign
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