Kathmandu, June 15- Former President of the United States and President of The Carter Centre Mr. Jimmy Carter granted audience to the delegates of Dalits of Nepal. Members of the delegates had audience with the currently visiting Nobel Peace Laureate were Mr. Bombahadur Vishwakarma, General Secretary, Mr. Tej Sunar, Secretary, Mr. Tirtha Vishwakarma, Executive Director and Mr. Hira Vishwakarma, Technical Advisor to DNF.

DNF officials and Dalit delegates meet President Carter

The Dalit delegates were invited by The Carter Centre Nepal office. The meeting lasted for nearly 40 minutes and Mr. President listened to the issues, concerns and problems of Dalits very carefully. He was keen on the citizenship issue of Dalit and enquired that how many Dalits are still left to acquire citizenship. He asked if there is any problem for voter’s registration. He informed that he had a meeting with Mr. Ramchandra Paudyal and he has deliberately raised the issue of Dalits with him. The minister for Peace and Reconstruction Mr. Paudyal assured President Carter that he is taking up the issue of Dalits seriously.

President Carter asked about the population distribution of Dalits and thier share in the total population. He was informed that Dalit constitute the third largest population after Janjajit and Chhetri as they constitute 37, 16 and 13%
respectively. He was informed that Dalits are not in majority in any parts of Nepal, had they been majority like Janjati, they would have been able to secure political power. At this reply he gave a smile.

He enquired about the relationship between the Dalit sister organizations of the political parties and Dalit civil society like DNF. He asked if both of them compete with each other? We told him that the areas of work of these two organizations are entirely different and there is no question of competing with each other.

He asked is there specific tasks just allocated to Dalits and no other caste group would like to take up, he was referring to cleaning jobs that Indian Dalits do. We informed that with regard to cleaning job it is not an a big issue in Nepal, as many poor people coming from other parts of Nepal are taking up the job in Kathmandu.

He asked what level of income that Dalits have, and we informed that average income of Nepalese is Rs. 20,000 and Dalits have only 13,000 per year and have to survive on just 15 dollar a month, he was bit disturbed to hear such a low level of income.

He enquired if political parties are doing enough to Dalits and we told him that yes they have created separate wings within their parties as Dalit sister organizations but not doing much upto our expectations.

He assured us that he will not forget us and Dalits of Nepal and raise our issue where ever it is possible or needed.

Mr. Mitra Pariyar appointed as interpreter was with us throughout the meeting. Right after meeting us President Carter and his delegates was going to meet Ms. Sapana Malla and Durga Sob as the representatives of women movement.

It was indeed a great opportunity for all of us to have such an honoured and graceful meeting with the nobel peace laurette and great personality of the world.

For your information we have attached herewith the memorandum and fact sheet submitted to the President.

Dispatch by:
Hira Vishwakarma

Memorandam submitted for Former US President Jimmy Carter
(15th June 2007)

His Excellency
President Jimmy Carter
The Carter Centre
Hotel Soaltee Crown Plaza
Kathmandu, Nepal

Subject: Memorandum to His Excellency President Carter from Dalits of Nepal

Your Excellency,

It is our great pleasure to have you here in our beautiful country and we feel privileged and honored to have an audience with you. Your presence, enquiry, support to the cause of Dalits of Nepal will help immensely to secure social justice and build an inclusive society.

We firmly believe that democracy is a means to social justice. We know that Mr. President yourself and your country want to see democracy flourishing all over the world including Nepal. Since, Dalits of Nepal have been and excluded deprived of social justice for centuries on the ground of religion, social customs and laws, now it is a high time for correcting the crimes that were committed by the state itself. Without addressing the issues of deprivation and marginalization of all excluded groups in Nepal including Dalits democracy can not sustain.

In order to secure social justice and to sustain democracy in Nepal we have set the following political agenda to be addressed by the state while holding election of the constituent assembly, making of the new constitution and its effective enforcement.

1. Proportionate representation of Dalits in to the Constituent Assembly.
2. Constitutional guarantee to have special rights in a form of reparation and apology by the state for the injustices caused.
3. Proportionate representation in all organs of the state at all level.
4. At least 20% reservation in higher education and employment.
5. The National Dalit Commission to be made constitutional and to be equipped with resources to be able to wipe out all forms of caste based discriminations.
6. Ensure proportional representation of Dalits in all forms of state restructuring including federal states.
7. Declare Dalit Development Decade (2007-2017) with a master plan for the overall development of Dalit community.
8. Provide adequate land to ensure rights to housing of landless Dalits.

We as a civil society organization are disseminating civic education to our people so that their participation in the election as voters will be meaningful to elect Dalit and or pro-Dalit candidates. By adopting peaceful means we are leading Dalit movement to influence government and party policies.

After the election and during the constitution making process we will campaign for necessary support required to secure constitutional guarantee to our rights.

During this historic moment our earnest request to President Carter and the Carter Center is to raise Dalit issues both at the national and international level as an issue of social justice.

Through this memorandum we also request you and your country to feature Dalits specifically in all assistance provided to Nepal, as of now Dalits are least featured in most of the US assistance.

We humbly request you to be instrumental form a senate committee at the level of US government to oversee the issue of social justice of Dalits of South Asia (Nepal, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh).

We are very much hopeful that your cordial visit will contribute to a lasting peace and strengthening democracy in Nepal.

Thank you very much for granting us your graceful audience.

Yours sincerely,

Bom Bahadur Vishwakarma
General Secretary

FACTS ABOUT DALITS OF NEPAL

Who are Dalits?

The third largest community of Nepal deprived of social justice for centuries who were termed untouchables by the state itself until 1963 are Dalits of Nepal. The problems related to Dalits are prevalent in all South Asian countries including Nepal, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The following caste groups have been identified as Dalits.

Hill Dalits:
1. Gandarva (Gaine)
2. Pariyar (Damai, Darji, Suchikar, Nagarchi, Dholi, Hoodke)
3. Badi
4. Bishwakarma (Kami, Lohar, Sunar, Wod, Chunara, Parki, Tamata)
5. Sarki (Mijar, Charmakar, Bhool)

Madhesi Dalits:
6. Kalar
7. Kakaihiya
8. Kori
9. Khatik
10. Khatbe (Mandal, Khanka)
11. Chamar (Ram, Mochee, Harijan, Rabidas)
12. Chidimar (Marik)
13. Tatma (Tanti, Das)
14. Dushadh (Paswan, Hajara)
15. Dhobi (Hindu Rajak)
16. Pattharkatta
17. Pasi
18. Bantar
19. Mushar
20. Mestar (Halkhor)
21. Sarvanga (Sarbaraiya)
22. Dom (Marik)

General Situation

State Response

The government of Nepal has created two structures Dalit Development Committee and National Dalit Commission to oversee the development and rights issues. Both agencies received nearly 40 million out of 140 billion rupees. The government has also been emphasising on the education and providing scholarships. All these measurers are insufficient to address the immense problems that Dalits are facing.

Donors Response

Lately the attention of major donors such as UN Agencies, World Bank, DFID, DANNIDA, NORAD have been drawn to the issues and problems of Dalits. The US government is supporting through Save the Children US. The support of the donors constitutes a very small portion of a pie of their total aid to Nepal.

Political Parties Response

Out of eight major and ruling political parties 6 have separate Dalit sister organizations. They have not been strong enough to represent and advocate the issue within the party and the government.

Civil Society Response

Dalits are working to, by and for themselves and it has not been the major agenda for most of the civil society organizations including Human Rights other than the organizations formed by Dalit themselves. Largely we are left to fight for our cause ourselves.
Dalit NGO Federation (DNF) is the largest network of Dalit organizations having presence in 59 districts out of 75 with a membership of 288 organizations. It advocates both at the national and international level through networking and alliance building with Dalit and pro-Dalit organizations. It also sets agenda of Dalits and takes upto the appropriate level to influence government and non-government sectors.

North American Society of Oppressed Community (NASO Community) have been formed by Dalits living in North America and Dalit NGO Federation has strong alliance with it.