THT Online

Kathmandu, December 6 - The society cannot make progress unless people are [recognized] on the basis of their ethnicities [and their problems addressed], Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel said at a programme here on Wednesday. Addressing an interaction on Democracy, Dignity and Peace Regarding Dalit Emancipation in Nepal, organised by the World Dignity Forum here to mark the fifth World Dignity Day, the minister said the government is committed to meeting demands of the Dalits. Dalit activists blamed the political leaders for remaining indifferent to their demands.

Dalit activist Binod Pahadi accused political parties and the government of remaining indifferent whenever rights of Dalit people are violated. “After toppling Gyanendra, time has come for us to fight against the kings in guise of seven-party leaders,” he said. He also accused the United Nations Office in Nepal of contributing to conflict by awarding projects to the accomplices of King Gyanendra. Dr Nanda Bahadur Singh claimed that political leaders are nothing, but political contractors working for self-interest. “They cannot look after the society and the nation; they can only work for personal gains,” he said, calling on the Dalits not to be carried away by “mesmerising speeches of leaders”. “Peace cannot prevail where there is injustice and suppression,” he added.

Meanwhile, a central committee member of the CPN UML-Bhim Rawal devoted all his time defending the role of political parties.

Representative of Richard Bennett and representative of the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights Dr Chitralekha Massey said the peace process will be in question if the issue of human dignity is not addressed properly. Hannes Siebert, director of the Peace Appeal Foundation Nepal, said the people’s war was not only the movement of the Maoists but the way out of mounting dissatisfaction of the downtrodden people. “There cannot be peace without justice and democracy without dignity.”

Earlier, to celebrate the World Dignity Day, the South Asia regional office of the World Dignity Forum, an organization coordinated by Mr. Motilal Nepali, called a mass rally from Ratna Park.

Source: The Himalayan Times, Kathmandu.