Off the wire
• Greek debt deal proposal assessed by lenders, Greek parliament as Sunday final deadline for Grexit looms  • 1stLD-Writethru: India, Pakistan agree to revive stalled dialogue  • Feature: An African teacher's "comic star" experience in China  • Urgent: Xi says granting India, Pakistan membership to inject new impetus into SCO  • Int'l Community applauds progress on constitution drafting in Nepal  • Zhou Yilin claims 4th swimming gold for China at Universiade  • News analysis: Direct effects from Greek crisis on Dutch economy "limited"  • Chinese shooters add two golds at Gwangju Universiade  • Swimming medal winners at Universiade  • China's auto output, sales see slower growth in H1  
You are here: 　 Home

Four disgruntled Madheshi parties announce fresh agitation programs in Nepal

Xinhua, July 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

At a time when Nepal's new constitution drafting process has gained momentum, four dissident Madheshi parties have announced fresh protest programs against ongoing constitution drafting, on Friday.

Objecting the 16-point deal reached among four major parties on June 8, the four disgruntled Madheshi parties--Federal Socialist Forum Nepal, Nepal Sadbhavana Party, Tarai Madhesh Democratic Party and Tarai Madhes Sadbhavana Party decided to go for fresh agitation beginning on July 11.

According to a statement issued by an alliance of the four Madhesi parties--the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), on Friday, they would hold a mass assembly in the Capital City Kathmandu on July 12.

Ending a saga for the past eight years over the key contentious issues of the new constitution such as federal system, forms of governance and electoral system, major parties of Nepal struck the 16-point deal on June 8, which had paved a way to ensure the new constitution.

The four major parties were agreed to federate the Himalayan Country into eight provinces on the basis of economic viability and identity through the new constitution.

As per the agreement reached among major parties, the government will form a high-level commission within a six- month mandate to make decision over demarcation of the federal units. The Madheshi parties have objected to formulate such a commission stating that this is against the provision of the Interim Constitution.

The protest programs jointly unveiled by the four parties include showing black flags in public places and hold mass assemblies in Kathmandu and major cities till July 25 across the country.

Last week, the UDMF, an alliance of Madheshi parties--had burnt the copies of the draft constitution in the Capital Kathmandu as part of its first round of protest against the 16-point deal.

The Madheshi parties have been stating that the first draft of constitution did not resolve the issue of federalism and provision on citizenship mentioned in the first draft was discriminatory for Madheshi people.

"The first draft of the new constitution is against the spirit of the Interim Constitution, past accords and recent ruling of the Supreme Court and aspirations of Madhesis, indigenous nationalities and marginalized communities," a leader of the alliance, Laxman Lal Karna told reporters in Kathmandu. He also argued that such a constitution is unacceptable to these communities including Madheshis.

Earlier, issuing an interim order against the 16-point deal, the Supreme Court of Nepal had said that a new constitution without names and borders of the provinces will be against the Articles 138 and 82 of the Interim Constitution. The Madheshi parties are urging the major parties to respect the court's ruling in line with the Interim Constitution.

Despite strong objection of the Madheshi parties and the interim order of the Nepal's Supreme Court, the major parties--the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, UCPN (Maoist) and Madheshi Janaadhikar Forum (Democratic)--have geared up for drafting the new constitution.

As per the action plan endorsed by the Constituent Assembly on Thursday to seek public feedback on the preliminary draft of the constitution, lawmakers from various parties are visiting 240 electoral constituencies and 75 districts. Endi