KATHMANDU, MAY 22 -
The government and agitating ethnic groups on Tuesday signed a nine-point agreement that includes federating the country on the basis of ethnic identity.
Following the agreement, the ethnic groups withdrew all their protest programmes, including the shutdown they had called. Tuesday night’s talks at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction between representative of the Indigenous Nationalities Joint Struggle Committee (NJSC) and the government struck agreement on nine points:
1) Going for ethnicity-based federalism while being guided by reports of the State Restructuring Commission (SRC) and the Constituent Assembly (CA) Committee on State Restructuring
2) Adopting the proportional and inclusive electoral system that will ensure a minimum of 60 percent proportional and 40 percent direct election
3) Representation of all communities in all state mechanisms based on inclusive and proportional principles
4) Forming self-governed autonomous states, autonomous regions, autonomous areas, preserved and special areas with right to self- determination and priority rights; right to self determination will be incorporated by considering national integrity
5) Freeing cadres detained during protests and footing the medical bills of those injured
6) Compensating damages done to the Tharu museum
7) Abiding by all previous
agreements
8) Government’s attention drawn to ethnic groups’ protest against the decision to give indigenous status to Bahun-Chhetris and
9) Withdrawing all protest programmes.
General Secretary of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (Nefin) Aankaji Sherpa termed the agreement historic. He said the support of the general people made it possible for them to pressure the government.
“We have forged consensus with the government and parties. Now we formally declare the withdrawal of the strike,” Sherpa said. “The agreement will without doubt ensure the rights of ethnic communities in the upcoming constitution. We would like to thank all those who supported our strike.” The agreement was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and leaders of major political parties. The top leaders said they will discuss the agreement in the Constituent Assembly.
The NJSC, comprising various ethnic groups and Nefin, had called a shutdown since Sunday and had threatened to continue the banda if their demands were not met. While the 30-member ethnic groups’ talks team was led by Nefin Chairman Rajkumar Lekhi, the four-member government team included Mahendra Yadav, Surya Man Gurung and Radha Gyawali and was led by Peace Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi. An informed source said indigenous leaders had already agreed with Madhesi parties to withdraw their strike if the parties agreed to vote on contentious issues of constitution. An interlocutor said that in a meeting some da
The government and agitating ethnic groups on Tuesday signed a nine-point agreement that includes federating the country on the basis of ethnic identity.
Following the agreement, the ethnic groups withdrew all their protest programmes, including the shutdown they had called. Tuesday night’s talks at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction between representative of the Indigenous Nationalities Joint Struggle Committee (NJSC) and the government struck agreement on nine points:
1) Going for ethnicity-based federalism while being guided by reports of the State Restructuring Commission (SRC) and the Constituent Assembly (CA) Committee on State Restructuring
2) Adopting the proportional and inclusive electoral system that will ensure a minimum of 60 percent proportional and 40 percent direct election
3) Representation of all communities in all state mechanisms based on inclusive and proportional principles
4) Forming self-governed autonomous states, autonomous regions, autonomous areas, preserved and special areas with right to self- determination and priority rights; right to self determination will be incorporated by considering national integrity
5) Freeing cadres detained during protests and footing the medical bills of those injured
6) Compensating damages done to the Tharu museum
7) Abiding by all previous
agreements
8) Government’s attention drawn to ethnic groups’ protest against the decision to give indigenous status to Bahun-Chhetris and
9) Withdrawing all protest programmes.
General Secretary of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (Nefin) Aankaji Sherpa termed the agreement historic. He said the support of the general people made it possible for them to pressure the government.
“We have forged consensus with the government and parties. Now we formally declare the withdrawal of the strike,” Sherpa said. “The agreement will without doubt ensure the rights of ethnic communities in the upcoming constitution. We would like to thank all those who supported our strike.” The agreement was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and leaders of major political parties. The top leaders said they will discuss the agreement in the Constituent Assembly.
The NJSC, comprising various ethnic groups and Nefin, had called a shutdown since Sunday and had threatened to continue the banda if their demands were not met. While the 30-member ethnic groups’ talks team was led by Nefin Chairman Rajkumar Lekhi, the four-member government team included Mahendra Yadav, Surya Man Gurung and Radha Gyawali and was led by Peace Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi. An informed source said indigenous leaders had already agreed with Madhesi parties to withdraw their strike if the parties agreed to vote on contentious issues of constitution. An interlocutor said that in a meeting some da
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