Let’s Get it Right!

Petition for Fair Representation for the Tharu People and all Indigenous Ethnic Groups of Nepal

 

Dear Ones, 

A new constitution is an opportunity to recognize and to protect all the people

who are part of the country of Nepal.

 

Nepal is a small country characterized by both bio-diversity and socio-cultural diversity. Nepal indeed is a multi-racial or multi-caste/ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural country.  Of the many groups that have been an historical presence, the Tharu people are one of the largest indigenous ethnic communities of Nepal. The Tharu have thousands of years of history, living in the Terai (lowland) in Nepal.  They have their own customs, traditions, language and culture.

Right now, Nepal is in the process of building a new constitution. This process should lead to the respecting and ensuring the of rights of all of Nepal’s ethnic groups. At stake here is not only quality of life, but the preservation of culture, tradition, language and identity.

 In 2007 Nepal ratified ILO Convention 169.

Article 2(b) of this law clearly speaks to “promoting the full realization of the social, economic and cultural rights of peoples with respect for their social and cultural identity, their customs and traditions and their institutions.”

Article 3(1) states:  “Indigenous and tribal peoples shall enjoy the full measure of human rights and fundamental freedoms without hindrance or discrimination. The provisions of the Convention shall be applied without discrimination to male and female members of these peoples”

After ratifying ILO Convention 169, Nepal introduced the National Foundation for the Uplifting of Aadibasi/Janjati Act, 2058 (in 2002). Sub-schedule 20 of the schedule relating to Clause (a) of Section (2) clearly says the “Tharu are the indigenous people of Nepal.”

In the period of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal an ordinance was passed that forcefully placed the Tharu in the category of Madhesi and, in doing so, threatened the Tharu’s identity, culture, values, customs and language.

The Tharu people have already had a few peaceful Tharuhat movements that stood against that ordinance. During these movements five Tharus sacrificed their lives, hundreds were injured and several protestors were given criminal charges of breaking peace and order.  

The current government of Nepal has repeated the same mistake and passed a bill on March 24, 2014 that places the Tharu within the category of Madhesi with reference to the Legislation of Election.

We are stating that the entire Tarai cannot be delineated as a name of Madhesi, but rather we Tharu must be named as the separate and indigenous group that we are, and recognized in the new constitution, in a manner in which we retain representation in the government. Only in this way can this important culture be preserved

The Tharu people are proud to be Nepali and Aadibasi/Janjati of the Terai  but we don’t accept that we Tharu are Madhesi.  We are the indigenous people of Nepal and we do have our own identity, value, custom, culture and language.

Please sign this petition and share it, for others to sign, and help preserve our identity.

 Now is the time.