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Nepalese PM vows to address issues of every community through constitution amendment

Xinhua, August 9, 2016 Adjust font size:

The newly elected Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday expressed his commitment to amending the constitution to address the demands of all indigenous nationalities, Madhesis, women, Muslim, Dalit and marginalized community.

Addressing a program organized by Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities here in capital to mark the 22nd International Day of the World's Indigenous People, PM Dahal said that that the government will put maximum efforts to make the constitution acceptable by all quarters of society.

"Nepal is moving ahead in a critical time, but the government will make an honest attempt to address the sentiments of people in the constitution through amendment", Dahal said while consoling the indigenous nationalities, who have been demanding the amendment of constitution in order to address their rights and demands.

The Prime Minister was of view that his appointment as head of the government is a challenging opportunity for him. Recalling the agreements signed between his party CPN Maoist Center and disgruntled ethnic parties prior to his election in the post of PM, Dahal said that those agreements would be implemented with honesty.

He further promised that the International Day of the World's Indigenous People will be celebrated jointly by the government and the federation from the next year.

Till date, the day that falls on Aug. 9 every year, is being celebrated by Federation alone without any support from the government.

Stating that the constitution promulgated in September last year is incomplete, the indigenous nationalities have been demanding the identity based federalism to be incorporated in the constitution.

Locally known as aadivashi-janajati, the indigenous nationalities, which have distinct language and lifestyle, are legally recognized in Nepal by the National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities Act, 2002.

However, they are in continuous struggle demanding the enforcement of agreements made in favor of the rights of indigenous peoples and seeking the guarantee of proportional representation in every state apparatus.

According to the 2011 census, the indigenous nationalities of Nepal comprise 35.81 percent of the total population. It had listed the population as belonging to 125 caste and ethnic groups, including 63 indigenous peoples, 59 castes and 3 religious groups. Enditem