New Member: Gayatri Shah, member of CA
Apr 2, 9:22 pm From: paramendra
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2009 18:22:21 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Thurs, Apr 2 2009 9:22 pm
This is really exciting. To get a CA Member to join this think tank.
Can we get more people like her? As in, more people from Nepal? And
not just politicians.
Discussion subject changed to "The Best Message I Ever Read At This Think Tank" by paramendra
Apr 4, 1:13 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 10:13:19 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 1:13 pm
Subject: The Best Message I Ever Read At This Think Tank
This is the best message I ever read at this think tank.
Paramendra Bhagat
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com
"Dear Subhash Jee, Navin Jee, Bijay Jee, Binod Jee, Parmendra Jee,
Balkrishna Jee and all team
Greetings from BICC/Singhadurbar. Many thanks to Subhash Jee for
inviting me onboard and gratitude to all for accepting me here. I am
pleased to find intellectuals from over the globe at one place, along
with recognized politicians from Nepal. I am sure this tank would
play a crucial role if managed effectively. I can see some great
discussions going on. Any considerable issues raised here for the
Madhesis would be gladly voiced in the hall of CA. Please keep up
with this great task.
Sincerely
Gayatri
Nepali Janata Dal"
Apr 4, 5:04 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 14:04:18 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 5:04 pm
Subject: Re: The Best Message I Ever Read At This Think Tank
My apologies to Gayatriji. I was not even aware of her party, the
Nepali Janata Dal.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/01/unification-of-madhesi-parties.html
It has twice as many MPs, and it has more votes than the Dalit
Janajati Party which I did mention in my blog post.
At almost 50,000 votes in the proportional election, the NJD has a
good standing, I must say. That is almost a third of the votes earned
by Rajendra Mahato's Sadbhavana. I am impressed.
And her professing to be active at this think tank we all have to be
thankful for. That is when the tire meets the road, when this think
tank has access to the ongoings in Nepal's constituent assembly.
Gayatriji's participation here makes me more likely to write at this
forum in Hindi.
She is a woman, and she represents one of what Laloo might call
backward castes. I think the whole package deal is quite impressive.
For now we get to focus on the Ek Terai, Ek Rajya agenda, and on
inclusion for the DaMaJaMa. But I don't see how can hope for national
leadership unless these six parties come together and become one: MJF,
TMLP, SP, NSP, NJD, and DJP. As in Nepali Janata Dal, and the Dalit
Janajati Party. At that point we will finally be competing with the
three Pahadi parties. Right now we have a scenario where the MJF and
the TMLP compete with each other rather than with the Pahadi parties.
Apr 5, 4:23 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 13:23:01 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Apr 5 2009 4:23 pm
Subject: Re: The Best Message I Ever Read At This Think Tank
That is a plus, not a minus, in my view.
(1) Unify all Madhesi parties.
(2) Seek unification with Dalit and Janajati groups, and groups like
the Nepali Janata Dal.
(3) Expand into all 75 districts.
(4) Shoot for national leadership.
Paramendra Bhagat
President, Hamro Nepal
http://hamnep.googlepages.com
On Apr 5, 1:43 am, Balkrishna
I doubt if the NJD will be interested to work only on madheshi cause
(and hence form coalition with other madhes based parties). The NJD has
different objective. It considers itself to be more national party than the
regional sounding party...
Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh
Mar 30, 5:16 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:16:02 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Mon, Mar 30 2009 5:16 pm
Subject: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
(1) Stop saying Ek Madhesh, Ek Pradesh. Start saying Ek Terai, Ek
Pradesh. 40% of the people in the Terai are not Madhesi. The future
Terai state has to feel like home also to them.
(2) Shoot for a four state federalism: Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali,
Terai.
(3) Talk of retaining the 75 districts.
(4) Unite all non-Maoist parties behind the slogan of geographic
federalism as opposed to the proposed ethnic federalism of the
Maoists. To the point of forming a new government sans the Maoists if
we have to to achieve geographic, four state federalism and Ek Terai,
Ek Pradesh.
(5) Engage the leading Tharu, Muslim and Terai Dalit groups in
respectful dialogue. Happily agree to their demand for separate
reservation for them in government jobs. Don't lump them in the
Madhesi category for reservation purposes. If you do, only Yadavs and
Jhas will benefit.
(6) Encourage the formation of a Tharu political party. Encourage them
to do well in the western Terai districts.
(7) Better yet, encourage the unification of all Madhesi, Dalit and
Tharu parties.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com
Mar 31, 12:22 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:22:27 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 12:22 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
Ram Manohar: "....... you have so far proposed 3-4 types of structue
models......"
"- What is definition of "Madhes" and "Terai", and where is the
difference?
- Who qualifies to be "Madhesi", "Tharu", "Dalit", "Muslim" ? Also,
who qualifies to be "Teraian" ?"
Actually I have proposed more than 3-4 maps and modalities for
federalism in Nepal. All of them can be accessed here:
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/11/proposed-constitution.html
That is reflective of the fact that:
(1) Federalism as a topic is bound to be the most contentious of all
for the new constitution.
(2) I feel the need to respect the democratic process, the democratic
exercise. I feel the need to respect the diversity of opinions on the
topic. I wish to speak, but I also wish to listen. And I want to make
people feel like I have listened.
Terai is the geographical Terai. Madhesh is more a cultural term.
Bahuns living in the Terai are Teraiwasi, but not Madhesi.
Tharu, Terai Dalit, Muslims are all Madhesi, but they have their
unique identities within that pan Madhesi identity.
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com
Mar 31, 12:32 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:32:47 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 12:32 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
To ask if the Tharu are Madhesi is like asking if the women are
Madhesi or women? They are both. Similarly the Tharu are both Janajati
and Madhesi. Women are both women and Madhesi. The Dalit are both
Dalit and Madhesi.
So reservation in government jobs has to move beyond the broad
category of Madhesi. There should be smaller categories so the
constituent groups of the pan Madhesi identity are happy.
On the other hand, if there are reservations for women, Dalit, and
Janajati, the women, Dalit, and Janajati of the Terai will be
marginalized there. There the Madhesi aspect of their identities has
to be emphasized.
Look at some of the demands of the Tharu movement, which has to be put
in the same category as the Madhesi movement.
(1) Do not lump us in the Madhesi category for job reservations.
(2) Call it Terai not Madhesh.
I agree with both those demands. Don't you?
I say happily agree to both those demands and seek their support for
Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh. And then seek the support of the UML and the NC
for a four state federalism, Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali, Terai, and
retaining the 75 districts.
We have to engage in coalition building if we are to make progress.
Mere sloganeering will not do the trick.
Mar 31, 12:44 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:44:32 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 12:44 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
(1) Male Female. Roughly half the country is male, the other half
female.
(2) Pahadi Madhesi. Roughly half the country is Pahadi, other half
Madhesi. Here hill Janajatis are Pahadi.
(3) Janajati, non Janajati. Again it is roughly half, half. Here, the
Tharu are Janajati.
(4) Dalit, not Dalit. The Dalit are about 20% of the country's
population. That includes the Terai and Hill Dalits. This is the most
marginalized of all groups in Nepal. Who can deny? Of course they must
have a separate quota for job reservations. Not only that, the quota
has to specifically say Terai Dalit and Hill Dalit, otherwise all the
Bishwakarmas will benefit, and the Dusads and Mushars will get
shortchanged.
We have to respect these overlaps in identity.
PS. I am still trying to figure out how the current constituent
assembly achieved its proportional representation goal. I think it is
fair to say the political parties need to make their lists for the
indirect elections public before the elections.
Mar 31, 12:49 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:49:58 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 12:49 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/11/proposed-constitution.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/03/baburam-bhattarai-proposed-constitution.html
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2009/02/national-coalition-against-racial.html
I wish to study these three, and then propose my newest draft Proposed
Constitution. What do you all think about these three drafts if you
have had a chance to study them?
Mar 31, 12:53 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:53:01 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Tues, Mar 31 2009 12:53 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
We Madhesis who complain of prejudice, discrimination and
marginalization necessarily have to be empathetic to others who
complain of the same, namely Tharu, Muslim, Dalit, women, or we are
hypocrites.
Apr 4, 2:51 am
From: paramendra
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 23:51:10 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 2:51 am
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
Nepalis in NYC are still Nepali. Bahuns are still Bahun in NYC. They
stay Bahun in the Terai.
Madhesis in Kathmandu are still Madhesi. Madhesi is a cultural term.
Nepalis in Assam are still Nepali, when Nepali is a cultural term.
One person can have more than one identity. It is not clear cut at all
as to who is who. The Tharu are both Madhesi and Janajati.
Apr 4, 2:56 am
From: paramendra
Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 23:56:51 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 2:56 am
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
Ram Manoharji.
The real issue is this.
Of course the Tharu are Madhesi, but that does not mean it is okay to
create a state that is all of the Terai and call it Madhesh. Better to
call it the Terai state.
Of course the Tharu are Madhesi but that does not mean it is okay to
have one reservation quota for all Madhesis, because if you do, all
the Yadavs and Jhas will move ahead in the name of Tharus as well. So
a separate reservation quota for Tharus is a must.
Of course the Tharu are Madhesi, but they also are Janajati. Like the
Madhesi women are also women. And on some issues they are closer to
the Pahadi women than to the Madhesi men.
Apr 4, 1:21 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 10:21:50 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 1:21 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
Tharu is Madhesi. Tharu is also Janajati. Not all Madhesis go back 10
or more generations in Nepal, almost all Tharus do.
A Madhesi living in Kathmandu is also a Kathmanduwasi. Or a
Kathmanduite, as they might say in English. I am a Madhesi, but I am
also a New Yorker. Yo.
There is the cultural term. I am a Madhesi no matter where I go. There
is the geographic term. If you live in Janakpur, you are a
Janakpurwasi. And then there is the socio-economic, marginalization
issue. The Tharus really lag behind, and they need special attention,
the way a Sah from Jaleshwar might not.
If a Bahun has lived in the Terai two generations and has no property
anywhere in the Pahad, that Bahun is a Teraiwasi. He/she has no other
home.
We do want the Terai to be the most diverse part of Nepal,
economically the most vibrant, the most industrialized, ahead in IT
and banking, and other service sectors. For all that we need cultural
diversity. Instead of the Pahadis going to India and Malaysia, let
them come to the Terai for jobs. That is not the situation now, but we
have to make that to be the situation.
Apr 4, 1:32 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 10:32:50 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 1:32 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
"..........the identity theft issue of this community. ............."
LOL. Until now the term "identity theft" meant something very
different to me.
:-)
I guess we are struggling to define the term Madhesi.
There are Bahuns who claim they are also Madhesi because they live in
the Terai. To them I say, you are Teraiwasi if you live in the Terai,
you are not Madhesi. You might live in Japan, but you don't become
Japanese.
There are Tharus who say they are not Madhesi. We have to be
respectful of them. I am very open to the possibility that that the
Tharus might decide they are Tharu, and that is all they are. As in,
they are Nepali citizens and their cultural identity is that they are
Tharu.
To that I would say, the Yadavs also have their own identity. But
their larger cultural identity is that they are Madhesi. Similarly the
repression so far of the Tharus has been carried out by the Khas
ruling class, and to those Khas ruling class people the Tharu have
been Madhesi.
But if you insist you are only Tharu and not Madhesi, that is fine
too. Let's still agree on the Ek Terai, Ek Rajya, and separation
reservation quota for Tharus in government jobs.
The Tharus wanting separate reservation quotas, though, is not them
saying they are not Madhesi. It is them saying unless we have separate
quotas, all our slot sill get eaten up by the Yadavs and Jhas. The
Muslims and the Dalits of the Terai have similar fears.
So I am opposed to having a single Madhesi quota for job reservations.
Make separate quotas for Tharus, Muslims, Dalits, women. But don't
have just one broad category for Dalits and women, because if you do,
all the Pahadi Dalits and women will eat up the cake.
Apr 4, 3:14 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 12:14:12 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 3:14 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
My starting point is, what do the Tharus want? Are they objecting to
being called Madhesi? How do you understand the recent Tharu movement
which was of the same quality as the Madhesi Kranti?
So if you so insist that the Tharu are Madhesi, are you opposed to the
idea that they should have a separate reservation quota for government
jobs? Do you want to spell out your position a little more clearly?
And if that is your position then the Tharu movement and I disagree
with you.
That is issue one, reservation quotas.
Two, the shape and form of federalism. There I am for Ek Terai, Ek
Rajya. For that the Tharu do not have to be classified as Madhesi and
we can still have Ek Terai, Ek Rajya.
Then there is the identity issue. There I want the Tharus and the
Bahuns and the rest to themselves decide. I don't wish to decide for
them. That identity part is an open debate subject to ongoing
discussions. My starting point would be to engage the Tharu leadership
in respectful dialogue, something we have not done so far. Maybe the
dialogue will conclude by saying that the Tharu indeed are Madhesi but
they still want a separate reservation quota, a position I hope for.
What about you?
Apr 4, 3:16 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 12:16:36 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 3:16 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
Ram Manohar: "In your own sentence your have two contradicting lines,
"You might live in Japan, but you don't become Japanese.
....................A Madhesi living in Kathmandu is also a
Kathmanduwasi.""
There is no contradiction. I am a Madhesi, I am a New Yorker, but I am
not Jewish. You don't become Japanese by living in Japan because
Japanese is a cultural identity term. But you become a Kathmanduite by
living in Kathmandu because Kathmanduite is a geographic term.
Apr 4, 3:18 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 12:18:17 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sat, Apr 4 2009 3:18 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
And while talking about cultural identities, it is very important that
we make room for inter-caste, cross-cultural, and inter-racial
relationships and marriages, not to say inter-continental.
Apr 5, 1:33 am
From: paramendra
Date: Sat, 4 Apr 2009 22:33:39 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Apr 5 2009 1:33 am
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
For all the hate mail I received during the Madhesi Kranti, for you to
suggest I share the worldview of the Pahadis!
"'Madhesi' word is itself foul word."
The word Madhesi is like the word Negro. The word madisey/marsya is
like the word nigger. In my opinion. Nigger is hate speech, Negro is
what MLK called the black people.
"Tharu itself is not clear where they are."
At a time when we are trying to reinvent the larger Nepali identity
itself, it is not surprising the Madhesi identity itself is in flux.
So, yes, of course, the Tharus are going through a major identity
fermentation. So are we.
"If proximity of language / culture or lifestyle / History is what
define one identities..."
I don't start with history, you do. I start with the individual and
the group and what they are saying today. I have no desire to go argue
with the Tharus, you might not know it, but you are Madhesi, let me
tell you. I think that would be patronizing.
A Tharu asked me during the Q&A session of the New School event during
the Madhesi Kranti what he was, was he a Madhesi? I said to him that
was for him to decide.
"..... then you will have to think twice before justifying Tharus are
so different from rest of the people in south ...."
That is like saying if you claim the Mahottari district exists, then
you are saying Nepal does not exist.
A Yadav is both a Yadav and a Madhesi. A Tharu is a Tharu and a
Madhesi and a Janajati. That is my opinion. Socio-economically they
lag far behind the mainstream Madhesis of the eastern Terai. That is
also true of Muslims, and especially true of the Terai Dalits.
A Tharu is a Tharu and a Madhesi and a Janajati. The Tharu holds our
key to being able to build a national Madhesi-Janajati coalition, like
Laloo's MY coalition.
"That's why I requested you to please comeup with dimensions, which
will qualify Tharu for preferential status.
- Tharu's needs has to be understood and fulfilled on preferential
basis, and hardly anyone is questioning/denying."
You contradict yourself here.
"......and please stop putting Tharu infront to escape questions on
paharias. when I am questioning you, your stand on Paharias in
southern side...."
People of hill origin are 40% the Terai's population, thanks to
decades of Mahendra Path. They are going to be 40% of the future Terai
state, should we be lucky enough to have a single Terai state. I want
all the Madhesi parties to become one, and I would want that unified
party to compete for those Pahadi votes in the Terai.
First you accuse me of sharing the worldview of the Pahadis in the
Pahad - my Pahadi detractors would love to hear that characterization
- and now you are suggesting I am siding with the Pahadis in the
Terai. That is such a baseless thing to suggest. I believe in
equality. So I speak for the DaMaJaMa. But even the Bahuns deserve
equality of law. I take that for granted that we will all feel that
way.
Apr 5, 2:34 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 11:34:13 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Apr 5 2009 2:34 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
"when it comes to collectivly understanding southern people, you start
looking from northen people side."
Since you have said this more than once, do you mind being a little
more specific? What is the Pahadi's understanding? What is mine? I
have angered numerous Pahadis when talking about Madhesi rights.
"I was surprised in school days to know "I am madhesi". One of the
reason of surprise is, my relatives on other side of border, still
might be unaware about the definition of "madhesi", and they never
were/are addressed "Madhesi"."
Looks like it is not just the Tharus, you also are confused about the
term Madhesi. You, of course, are Madhesi. Do you doubt that? If not,
what are you? Maithil? Maithil is a subset of Madhesi in Nepal.
"Kamaiya/Kamlari was promoted among Tharu. Tharu land was snatched."
We have to engage the Tharu to make this point. They have been
exploited by the Pahadi rulers, not by the Madhesis.
Maybe the Tharus were not exploited by the Madhesis, but they do lag
far behind the mainstream Madhesis socio-economically, and that is why
they deserve a separate reservation quota.
In a democratic country, people are free to move around. So of course
it is okay that more Pahadis might migrate to the Terai in the future.
I might disagree with the Mahendra Path, but I also now wish to face
the reality that the Terai is a very diverse place culturally. Every
ethnic group in Nepal is reflected in the Terai. I personally like
that a whole lot.
Apr 5, 4:13 pm
From: paramendra
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 13:13:44 -0700 (PDT)
Local: Sun, Apr 5 2009 4:13 pm
Subject: Re: Ek Terai, Ek Pradesh: How to get there?
One Tharuhat-One Province a must, to preserve unique Tharu identity
Narendra Kumar Chaudhary
Central Committee Member, Rastriya Prajatantra Party
Mr. Chaudhary until recently was the chairman of the Tharu Welfare
Committee.
Telegraphnepal.com - Apr 1, 2009
http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=5133
The Tharus are the real inhabitants of Tarai. It is learnt that this
community has been in this Gangetic plane since two thousand
years. .... Ashoka-the great ... Today, it has been almost proved that
he was a Tharu and belonged to our community-the community of the
Tharus. ...... Recently, at time of the fresh Madhesi agitation
carried out by the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, the Tharus have had not
participated in their agitation. ...... The government is thinking to
put proper word in the constitution to assure the Tharus that they
were neither the Madhesis nor belonged to Madhesh. ...... If it is one
Tharuhat-One province as the agitation demand has shown, it is right
from Jhapa to Kailali Kanchanpur. The entire Tharus in this belt from
east to west are one and a single identity. The Tharus, including me,
will have no objection if One Tharuhat-One Province State comes into
existence.
Govt-Tharu representatives sign six point pact; Tharu agitation ...
Nepalnews.com
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2009/mar/mar15/news01.php
replace the term ‘Madhesh’ by ‘Terai-Madhesh’ in the interim
constitution ....... The ordinance on reservation will also be amended
to guarantee a proportional representation of all ethnic communities
in public bodies. ...... A general strike called by the Muslim
community has also been called off. ...... Chairman of Tharuhat
Struggle Committee Laxman Tharu, General Secretary of Tharu
Kalyankarini Sabha Raj Kumar Lekhi, Babu Ram Chaudhary from Nepal
Loktantrik Tharu Sangh, Indrajeet Chaudhary from Tharu Rastriya Mukti
Morcha and chairman Janajati Mahasangh Pasang Sherpa
Govt-Muslims talks positive
E Kantipur - Mar 15, 2009
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?nid=184812
Enraged by the government’s decision to enlist Muslims under the
Madhesi category, the religious minority had joined the Tharu
agitation forwarding demands for amendment to the ordinance on
reservation, a fresh population census of their community,
proportional representation based on actual population and a separate
identity through amendment of the Interim Constitution.
Madhesh as such doesn’t exist in Nepal
Raj Kumar Lekhi, General Secretary
Tharu Welfare Society, Nepal
Telegraphnepal.com - Mar 24, 2009
http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=5084
Be it known to all that neither we are the followers of Madhesh nor we
are Madhesis. We are at best entirely different from others and are
Tharus. ...... Indeed there are Madhesis in Nepal. Even in Kathmandu
you can notice the presence of Madhesis. Like wise they are also in
Pokhara and in Tarai as well. .... We just wanted to establish the
unique and the distinct identities of the Tharus, Muslim and other
indigenous people. ...... We are not against any particular caste or
for that mater a community. Our fight is just to guarantee the rights
of the Tharu community which has been denied by the State so far.
Reservations about reservation - Nepali Times
Mar 13, 2009
http://www.nepalitimes.com.np/issue/2009/03/13/ConstitutionSupplement/15753
The government has introduced guaranteed seats for women, Janajatis,
Madhesi, Dalits, the disabled and least developed regions for civil
servants working in security, education, public service and other
sectors. ...... In Nepal, there are 100 ethnic, 92 linguistic groups
and nine religions. ...... there are sub-groups within groups (women,
Janajatis, Madhesi, Dalits, the disabled and underprivileged
regions). ..... within the Madhesi community there are Muslims, Dalits
and Janajatis...... There are six Pahadi Dalits, 14 Madhesi Dalits and
five Newar Dalits. There are 59 groups in the government
classification of indigenous nationalities. ....... Chief minister of
Uttar Pradesh Mayawati is a Dalit and has been elected four times, but
the condition of Dalits in her state has not improved. ........ Of
Nepal's population, 37.8 per cent are Janajatis, but 33.39 per cent of
CA members are Janajati. On the other hand, Madhesis make up 31.2 per
cent of the population but have 34.9 per cent representation in the
CA. Dalits make up 13 per cent of the population but have only 8.17
per cent representation. Similarly, 51 per cent of Nepalis are women,
but they have only 33.22 per cent representation in the CA.
Nepal takes rocky road to reservation
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/politics/nepal-takes-rocky-road-to-reservation_100148585.html
“We are seeking 25 percent representation in all state organs,” said
Thakur Chandra Gahat Raj, general secretary of the Dalit Janjati Party
(DJP) that is the only Dalit party in Nepal’s 601-member constituent
assembly. ...... According to Gahat Raj, Dalits form 25 percent of
Nepal’s nearly 29 million population though the number has been
“considerably downplayed by the national census”. ........
“Prachandapath (the adaptation of Maoist philosophy by Prachanda to
suit Nepal) is nothing but Brahmanpath, meant only for the elite
caste,” the Dalit leader said. “The quota figure is a blow to Dalits’
movement for proportional representation in all state organs,
including the army, bureaucracy and judiciary.”
Govt justifies its statement on Madhesi list « Nepal, Nepalnews ...
http://www.nepalmountainnews.com/news/print.php/2009/03/04/govt-justifies-its-statement-on-madhesi-list.phtml
Tharus and 20 other ethnic groups, with support from National
Federation of the Indigenous Nationalities, started protests after
government reportedly included them under Madhesi list while securing
reservation quota for various ethnic groups. ........ The agitating
Tharus have called for indefinite shut down of all 22 Terai districts
since Monday.
The new Madhesi woman - Nepali Times
http://www.nepalitimes.com.np/issue/2008/05/23/PlainSpeaking/14809
the 13 women who have made it to the constituent assembly from the
MJF ....... When quotas were allotted for women in PR, Nepali male
politicians hated the idea of sharing the slice of power. A senior
Madhesi politician confided, "We have got a 33 percent reservation for
Madhesis but will have to give half to women. They don't know
anything. What a waste." ....... The group was diverse in terms of
caste - Karina Begum, Durgadevi Mahato, Rambha Devi, Savita Yadav, and
the most vocal of them all, Kalavati Paswan, a middle-aged Madhesi
Dalit woman. Many of them had been beaten up during the Madhes
movement. They spoke about the discrimination against the Madhes, the
oppression of women, the cry for education, the challenges of being a
woman activist ....... social revolution that fights caste
discrimination, builds inter-community relations, focuses on rural
upliftment, and, of course, allows women across castes to break more
barriers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qnjktr76vXo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Syg38ko6ui4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzq3W4nLGjs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhYoi78TwAY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCUYXo-Rmes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxZjdlvWq2Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rlCmaTx2GA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P94BWt9RBk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2d20yfuA7-I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpHacRSNL6o
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Some of my observations.
(1) The Tharus are not opposed to creating a single state out of all
22 Terai districts. Their stand is that such a state can not be named
Madhesh. They want to call it Tharuhat. Perhaps we can seek middle
ground and call it Terai.
(2) Many Tharus don't wish to have anything to do with the Madhesi
identity. The same is true of some Muslims, and many Dalits. I can see
where they are coming from. Just like as a Madhesi so far I have never
felt included in the larger Nepali identity for lack of respect and
equality for Madhesis in that identity, I can see why Dalits don't
feel okay inside the pan Madhesi identity. Just like in the Pahad, the
anti-Dalit prejudice among the Madhesis is rampant.
(3) 15% Dalit (including Terai Dalits), 33% Madhesi, 37% Janajati
(including Tharus), 15% Khas. Is this what the composition looks like?
I am curious to know.
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