Do IPs themselves Practice Exclusionary Practices?

Do IPs themselves Practice Exclusionary Practices?

IPs movement has been very much against domination of one against the other. That is why it is very much directed against hegemony manifested in the forms of Bahunbad, patriarchy, Khas Nepali language, Hindu religion and culture. In practice indigenous peoples’ leaders, knowingly or unknowingly, follow these same corrupt practices. In indigenous peoples’ organizations, leadership, programs and activities, IPs women are nominally represented. Also, if the leader is of one particular indigenous peoples, subordinates and support staff would mostly be from the same community. For example, if a Magar leads most of the subordinates and support staff would mostly be from the Magar community. In the case of the Gurungs it would be the Gurungs; in the case of the Limbus, it would be the Limbus; in the case of the Rais, it would be the Rais; and so on. Such exclusionary practices have promoted parallel organizations such as National Indigenous Women’s Federation (NIWF) to work exclusively on indigenous women’s issues and the Association of highly marginalized IPs, and also of numerous organizations within each of the indigenous peoples.

Where are the Young IPs?

We see involvement of adult and senior IPs in the IPs movement but not of young IPs. During the Peoples’ Movement of April 2006 the IPs movement became more visible due to the involvement of young student IPs. Most of the young IPs are either not aware or conscious about IPs issues or they are not interested in it. As long as young IPs are not made aware about IPs issues and get involved IPs movement will not be strong and ultimately the ruling elites will not pay any attention to their cause.

Are IPOs Active?

There are two types of IPs functioning in Nepal. One is the traditional or indigenous and the other is modern or non-governmental organizations. Some traditional IPOs have been extinct, some are at the verge of extinction and some are still functioning, and some have been revived. Most of traditional organizations are out of the loop of indigenous peoples’ movement led by both the IPs wings of political parties and civil society movement led by the NEFIN. There is now growing realization for mobilization of traditional IPOs in securing rights to ancestral land, customary rights and so on. The most active IPOs are indeed the modern or non-governmental organizations some registered with the Government and some working independently or informally. Individual IPs organizations, for example, of the eight founder organizations of the NEFIN, IPOs such as the Nepal Tamang Ghedung, Kirat Yakthung Chumlung, Nepal Magar Sangh, Kirat Rai Yayokha, Tharu Kalaynkari Sangh, and Thakali Sewa Samiti were the representative organizations of their rexpetive IPs communities; and IPos such as the Nepa: Bhasa Manka Khala, and Tamu Bauddha Sewa Simiti were linguistic and religious organizations of their respective IPs communities. By now 56 of the 59 IPs recognized by the Nepal Government are affiliated with the NEFIN. In the early nineties these IPOs were led and dominated by IPs leaders who were greatly involved in the partyless Panchayat politics and were rejected by the peoples in the post 1990 political situation. By now most of the IPOs are led by IPs leaders who are mostly card carrying members of the NCP (UML) and to some extent of the NCP (Maoist), Nepali Congress, and Madhesi People’s Right Forum. Also, by now due to competition of available scarce resources for IPs from international donors and the Government and also due to rising awareness and conscious about democratic and IPs rights, IPOs or NGOs has been mushrooming in different IPs communities. Many are contributing greatly ion the Ips movement but some have become more suicidal in terms of generating conflicts among IPs.

Main Political Parties and Its IPs Fraternal Wings are Doing What?

It is a reality that the main political parties are in the driving seat of the country, that many IPs believe that these political parties will ensure IPs rights, and that IPs own political party is neither appropriate nor needed. By and large, the Nepali Congress mostly ignorant about IPs issues and often against IPs rights. The Nepal Communist Party (UML) pay lip service to IPs rights but in reality it is dead against it. The Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) has raised IPs issues politically and the they have cracked the hard nuts of right to self determination, ethnic, linguistic and regional autonomy, and IPs prerogative rights on land and other natural resources but these all revolve around the class rather than indigenism of IPs. The Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum is dead against indigenous autonomy including the autonomy of the Tharus and other indigenous peoples of the Terai. All the political parties have IPs fraternal organizations that help their respective mother parties but they themselves have no decision making status within the party. IPs Political Parties. IPs leaders of each of the political party raise IPs issues in the party but these are sidelined by the influential non-IPs political leaders. IPs leaders raise IPs issues either mildly or give up due to fear of punishment or greed of personal gains. Some IPs leaders of various political parties maintain fidelity with their respective political parties and some are willing to join in IPs political parties. Some IPs leaders have no trust on the main political parties that they would ever ensure IPs rights, they have formed their own IPs-led political parties. In the past IPs leaders tried to form an IPs political party but later the process stopped after opening of the Samata Party by Narayan Singh Pun. The Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Munch and the Nepa: Party won 2 and 1 seats from proportional election slot in the recent Constituent Assembly election.

Is Media Friendly to IPs’ Cause?

There are two types of media in Nepal: one is the “mainstream” and the other is the “alternative.” Mainstream print and electronic media is very much against IPs issues and cause, though they do give minimal space on IPs issues.  IPs have not been able to show their presence in the “mainstream” media. IPs indeed IPs own magazine with focus on IPs issues. IPs indeed needs to learn lesson from left magazines such as the Mulkyankan. Production of IPs issues in mass media in the forms of articles, books, online works, films, documentaries, text books, children’s books, songs, poems, stories, novels and so on are also equally important. Naslabadi dhar in Nepali literature, annual indigenous film festival and regular training programs organized by the Indigenous Film Archives, production of indigenous songs by the NEFIN and NIWF are note worthy. There is no IPs literature targeted to young IPs and IPs’ children, who are the future.

Where is the Civil Society of the IPs and for the IPs?

Civil society has no organization and leaders but in Nepal so is not the case. It is functioning like a formal organization and it has "brand" leaders. Its main leaders are also Bahun-Chhetris and a few Newars, A handful of IPs leaders are co-opted as civil society leaders but they have no decisive role to play within it. By now the "mainstream" civil society is also divided along party lines and personal ego. The ‘Civil Society’ has played instrumental role during the Peoples’ Movement of 1990 and 2006. Intellectuals are involved in the civil society movement. In the past, specially in the late nineties, IPs also formed informal IPs “civil society” to highlight their issues and cause. In the early years of twenty first century, some efforts were done to institutionalize it but later it almost disappeared from the national scene. Several efforts were made in the past to express views of IPs civil society on the burning issues of the country. Most of the time key members involved with the IPs civil society were interested more to reap harvest of political gains such as getting key positions in the political parties, embassies, the National planning Commission and so on. The civil society of IPs has been inactive for years.

What Diaspora IPs Community is Doing?

Due to growing educational and employment opportunities many IPs from Nepal have temporarily or permanently migrated to different countries around the world. There is a significant number of Nepalese population in the US, the UK, Malaysia, Australia, South Korea, and the middle eastern countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. IPOs and umbrella organizations have already been formed in these countries and many organizations are coming up. Diaspora IPs communities have helped IPs movement in Nepal in many ways. However, the conflict among themselves have dragged them behind in some or the other ways and prevented them from making optimal contribution in the IPs movement. Diaspora IPs community could play a significant role in making Ips issues visible in international arena such the UN in New York and Geneva and EU in Brussels.

Is There a Growing Misunderstanding among the IPs?

In the IPs movement proper linkages have not been established with all the stake holders. IPs stakeholders such as IPOs, academics, media, NGOs, activists, and civil society are developing misunderstand between and within themselves.  Also, the lack of connection between NEFIN and specific IPs’ such as the Tharu leaders is part of the problem, not a solution. However, IPs demands are not very different, there are small differences and these differences are natural. But what is worry some is that there are a lot of misunderstandings. For the larger IPs Movement, all IPs leaders and intellectuals need to work out these misunderstandings as this is the larger problem. And we can no longer ignore each other if we want the overall movement to succeed. (To be continued)

Posted on : 2010-04-28 05:59:48

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