Kathmandu, Madhesis must find viable solution
The massive protest launched by the people against the recent Constitution amendment Bill moved by the Nepalese Government to supposedly accommodate the demands of the Madhesis and other ethnic groups, is unfortunate. The Government registered the crucial Bill despite firm opposition coming from the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist leninist) in Parliament. It is the main opposition party, which is accusing the Government of trying to create a ‘hill-plain divide' in the country by extending benefits to the Madhesis and other ethnic groups, under the new amendment. Even students are marching against the move of the Government, highlighting that the Government should not carve out a separate province from the resource-rich Province Five to adjust the long standing demands of the Madhesis mainly. Meanwhile, people and political parties belonging to the Madhesi community, too are claiming that those amendments do not meet their demands. Thus, both the Opposition and the Madhesis-led groups are equally agitated over the Bill. However, bold steps taken by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’s’ coalition Government will have to be followed by adequate measures to implement the vital provisions of the Bill. Indeed, it would be better for the Government to engage the leadership of the grand Federal Alliance, which represents the Madhesis and other ethnic groups, for further consultation. Sensing the genuine concerns of the ethnic groups, the Government needs to find an amicable solution, as it may lead to a stand-off, like the one last year, when the Madhesis took out months-long protests.
The new Bill has addressed three other key issues, apart from creating a new Province, which are: citizenship, representation in the Upper House, and recognition of languages spoken in various parts of Nepal. Sources say that re-demarcation of provincial boundaries and citizenship issues were earlier raised by the Madhesis. The new Bill proposes to readjust the areas in two Provinces — Province Four and Five, by transferring all the hill districts to Province Four by giving Tharu-Madhesi a majority in Province Five. When it comes to the citizenship issue, the Bill turns out to create a new controversy. It says: “If they (Madhesis and other ethnic groups) renounce the citizenship of the country they earlier belonged to, they would be entitled to naturalised citizenship and (would) not (be) eligible for top political and administrative posts.” It is highly discriminatory for the Madhesis and other ethnic groups. The Bill goes a step further by denying the status of ‘citizenship by birth' to ‘foreigners married to the Nepalese'. The agitating groups demand that those married to citizens of Nepali should be given every right, equal to that of a ‘citizen by birth'. This provision in the new Bill directly prevents these communities from holding important political positions like the head of the state, the Army, senior ranks in security agencies, and in crucial constitutional bodies. Therefore, the Government must come up with a new inclusive formula where the Madhesis have a reasonable say, and where the grievances of the other sections of the population are met. Meanwhile, New Delhi must keep out of the standoff and hope the parties concerned sort it out.