Major political Dalit organizations organised a joint meeting; released a 9-Point Common Minimum Understanding
Major political Dalit organizations organised a joint meeting; released a 9-Point Common Minimum Understanding
The Nepaldalitinfo Special Report
Kathmandu, February 19- Six Dalit organisations affiliated with major political parties of Nepal organized a joint meeting yesterday as a way forward to move towards fulfilling the basic demands and aspirations of Dalit community in the current extraordinary circumstances of Nepalese society. At the conclusion of the meeting, the major political Dalit organizations have come up with a 9-Point Common Minimum Understanding, which will form the basis of their forward struggle.
The 9-points of understanding are:
1. In the context of the declaration of Nepal as an untouchability-free nation made on Jestha 21, 2063 BS by the parliament following the peoples’ movement (Jana Andolan 2062/63), untouchability-discrimination must be made a social crime of serious nature by the constitution [the main statute] itself, and hard laws must be enacted against untouchability-discrimination and enforced immediately.
2. Implementing the agreement and understanding made among eight political parties, an interim government including Maoists must be formed, and the date of Constituent Assembly (CA) election must be declared immediately.
3. The election of CA must be held based on the system of inclusive proportional representation. A minimum of 20 percent CA representatives must be allocated to Dalit representatives on the ground of proportional representation as well as a means of additional rights for compensation to Dalits. Similarly, a provision of 20% representation from Dalits at all levels from top to bottom of the state machinery, governmental and private agencies must be made on the ground of proportional representation as well as a means of additional rights for compensation to Dalits.
4. Nepal as a state must be restructured establishing a federal democratic system of state governance based on caste, language and regional autonomy.
5. Rayamajhi Commission Report must be made public, and culprits of suppressing the Jana Andolan must be booked, and stern action must be taken against them.
6. An effective step must be taken to bring the declaration of a secular state and its system into practice.
7. Dalit Rights Commission must be made a constitutional body.
8. Identifying all problems of Dalit community, the state must make a [concrete] plan to resolve the problems in all associated sectors.
9. The genuine demands of Madheshi, indigenous nationalities, women must be fulfilled.
The [joint] meeting decided to present memoranda on the above mentioned demands to the government, eight parties and legislature-parliament, and to make further decisions on the programs of joint struggle based on common understanding as may be necessary.
The meeting also condemned the King’s objectionable Falgun 7 message as unauthorized and inappropriate.
The joint communique released after the meeting was signed by the following representatives of the major political Dalit organisations:
Tilak Pariyar, Convenor, Nepal Dalit Mukti Morcha (Ekikrit)
Lal Bahadur Bishwakarma, President, Nepal Udpidit Jatiya Mukti Samaj
Khadga Bahadur Basyal-Sarki, Acting President, Nepal Dalit Sangh
Shambhu Hazara Paswan, General Secretary, Nepal Dalit Sangh (Democratic)
Ahuti, General Secretary, Nepal Rastriya Dalit Mukti Sangathan
Sewal Ram, President, Nepal Dalit Utthan Manch.
The Joint Communique Document (in Nepali):
The nepadalitinfo network adds:
This meeting organized by 6 major political Dalit organizations to come up with 9-point understanding is timely and crucial to bring all dalit forces into one fold based on the minimum consensus at the least. The meeting and further consultations, thereof, would pave the way for a much broader alliance in the Dalit movement so as to make a significant impact on the politics of Nepal for empowerment and overall developement of Dalit community. This initiative is very much in line with what the nepaldalitinfo network has been voicing for, ever since its inception in 2003 and more intensely, following the peoples’ victory in the Jana Andolan 2063.
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