DalitWatch During Summer Months of 2005

A random collection by Laurie Vasily

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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL- PUBLIC       

AI Index: ASA 31/076/2005       
               
22 September 2005

UA 247/05        Fear for safety / Fear of torture or ill-treatment / Legal concern               

NEPAL        11 men (named below)       

On 19 September, 11 detainees were rearrested immediately after being released before the Kanchanpur District Court in the town of Mahendranagar, in western Nepal. This was the third time security forces have rearrested the group, despite repeated court orders for their release. Their whereabouts are unconfirmed and they may be at risk of torture or ill-treatment.

The 11 men - Prem Bahadur Oli, Tek Bahadur Khatri, Man Bahadur Bista, Padam Sarki, Birman Sarki, Tapta Bahadur Giri, Bir Bahadur Karki, Padam Bahadur Budha, Gagan Singh Kunwar, Dhawal Singh Bohara and Ujal Singh Dhami - were first taken into custody on 17 August 2004, while attending a mass meeting held by the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (Maoist) in Kanchanpur district. The security forces broke up the meeting, arresting any participants who did not flee. The detainees, all from Jogbudha Village Development Committee in neighbouring Dadeldhura district, claim they were forced by the CPN (Maoist) to attend the meeting, and did not flee as they were not guilty of any crime.

The 11 men were initially held in incommunicado detention at the Surya Dal army barracks in Bhagatpur, Kanchanpur district, and transferred to Kanchanpur prison in November 2004. In May 2005, representatives of Amnesty International (AI) visited several of the detainees at Kanchanpur prison. AI found that Birman Sarki had severe mental disabilities, apparently as a result of torture and ill treatment during his earlier detention at the Surya Dal army barracks. He was hardly able to speak, and the scar of a serious head wound was visible. The other detainees told AI that Birman Sarki had been savagely beaten by soldiers at the barracks after expressing concerns about the safety of his wife and young children.

The Kanchanpur Appeal Court twice ordered the release of the detainees on the grounds that the government had not provided sufficient evidence to justify their preventive detention, even under the broad terms of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Control and Punishment) Ordinance (TADO).

Following the first Appeal Court ruling, on 12 May, the detainees were taken back to Kanchanpur prison, where the security forces ordered them to sign papers stating that they had been released. However, instead of freeing the men, the security forces transferred them to the Kanchanpur Regional Police Office and subsequently obtained authorization from the Chief District Officer to again hold them in preventive detention under the provisions of TADO.

On 15 June, the Appeal Court again ruled that their detention was illegal and that they should be released immediately. However, in an apparent show of force, some 70 security forces personnel in plain clothes waited outside the court and stood by as police took the men back to Kanchanpur prison. Fearing that the men would be re-arrested, their lawyers followed them to the prison, accompanied by journalists and other human rights defenders. Despite lawyers’ protests, the detainees were made to sign release papers and loaded into a vehicle parked outside. After security forces ordered the lawyers to leave the premises, the detainees were driven to the Kanchanpur Regional Police Office and later transferred back to the district jail.

Lawyers from the Nepal-based rights group Advocacy Forum then brought the case before the Supreme Court. On 16 September, the Supreme Court ruled that the group’s detention was illegal and ordered their release in the presence of the Kanchanpur District Court. On 19 September, police brought the detainees to the court house in three vehicles escorted by about 35 security forces personnel, waited while their release was recorded by the district court registrar, and then ordered the group to get back into the vehicles. The detainees were driven in the direction of the Kanchanpur Regional Police Office, where it is thought that they may be detained.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In the course of the nine-year-long internal armed conflict, Amnesty International has documented thousands of cases of arbitrary arrests, unacknowledged detentions, torture and “disappearances� at the hands of the security forces. The human rights crisis deteriorated further following the king’s seizure of power on 1 February 2005, with the security forces exercising virtually unchecked power. The practice of re-arresting those who have been freed on court order constitutes arbitrary detention, undermines the authority of the courts, and displays open contempt for the rule of law.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Nepali or English or your own language:
- expressing concern for the safety of Prem Bahadur Oli, Tek Bahadur Khatri, Man Bahadur Bista, Padam Sarki, Birman Sarki, Tapta Bahadur Giri, Bir Bahadur Karki, Padam Bahadur Budha, Gagan Singh Kunwar, Dhawal Singh Bohara and Ujal Singh Dhami, who were re-arrested by security forces in Mahendranagar, Kanchanpur district, and may be at risk of torture or ill-treatment;
- calling on the authorities to reveal their whereabouts immediately, and urging that they be treated humanely while in custody and not tortured or ill-treated;
- calling for them to be freed immediately and unconditionally, in compliance with the repeated orders for their release issued by the Appeal Court in Kanchanpur and by the Supreme Court;
- calling on the authorities to grant them immediate access to their relatives, lawyers, and any medical attention they may need;
- calling on the government to instruct relevant law enforcement agencies to halt immediately the practice of re-arresting those who have been released on the order of a judge.

APPEALS TO:
Minister Dan Bahadur Shahi
Ministry of Home Affairs
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax:                 + 977 1 4211 232
Salutation:         Dear Minister

Minister Niranjan Thapa
Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax:                 + 977 1 4220 684
Salutation:         Dear Minister

Shyam Bhakta Thapa
Inspector General of Police, Police Headquarters
GPO Box 407, Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax:                + 977 1 4415 593
Salutation:         Dear Inspector General

Puskar Karki
Deputy Superintendent of Police
Head, Human Rights Cell
Police Headquarters, GPO Box 407, Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax:                 + 977 1 4415 593
Salutation:  Dear Deputy Superintendent

COPIES TO: diplomatic representatives of Nepal accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 3 November 2005.

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Call to include Pode, Chyame in the list of Dalits
 
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, September 23:

The Society for the Liberation of Oppressed Dalit Castes, Nepal, has urged the National Dalit Commission (NDC) to include Pode (Deula) and Chyame (Chyamakhal), two oppressed castes in the Newar community, in the list of the Dalit community. A central member and general secretary of the SLODCN, Ram Krishna Deula (Pode) and Binod Pahadi, wrote to the Dalit commission to include the two Newar communities in the list. Deula said a section of the Newar community has called on them not to include them in the list of Dalits claiming there is no discrimination within the Newar community. The claims may hold true only for some rich Deulas,he said, calling on the government to help the poor Deulas and Chyames by providing reservation and other facilities.
He said if they are not included in the Dalitslist they wont receive any facilities provided by the government for the two deprived communities. The president of the NDC, Bhagwat Biswasi, said the commission would consider the demand in the next meeting and make a decision after conducting a thorough study on the matter. This is the first application we have received demanding the inclusion of Deula and Chyame communities from the Janajati group in the list of Dalits,he said. Biswasi added that the commission has received another application from an individual demanding not to include the groups in the Dalitslist. The case has become further complicated, the National Dalit Commission president further said. While the president of a federation of Newari organisations, Newa Deya Dabu, Malla K Sundar, said it was a mere intervention in the affairs of the Newar community. We have already settled the dispute after holding discussions within the community and also with the NDC,he said.
He added that members of the communities, including Pode, Chyame, Khadgi, Dhobi and Kusle, had gone to the NDC to remove their castes from the Dalit list. Stating that the community has been deprived socially, politically and economically for centuries, Deula said the state should provide reservation and other benefits.

Source: http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?dtSiteDate=20050924&filename=aCXatKscqzqea2Ua9qa7HNamal&folder=aCXatK&Name=City&sImageCaption=&sImageFile=&HidPath=aATaoanlaNaeaw2a/a2Ta0pa/Va9a/a2pg

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Dalits having hard time renting houses
 
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, September 23:

Dalits living in Kathmandu have long been facing the problem of renting a decent house. With the governments fiat to the house owners and tenants to submit their personal details to the police, the problem has only exacerbated, said the participants of a programme organised today by Jagaran Media Centre (JMC), a non-government organisation working for the uplift of dalits. The dalits expressed their sadness at having to lie about their true identity to get a house on rent as the tenants prefer not to rent their houses to dalits, they said. The dalits have come out following the government fiat as they can no longer hide their identity with the strict identity requirements that require the tenants to furnish their real identities to the police.
Khin Maya Rasaili, a dalit, who had been sharing a room with her classmate, was humiliated and thrown out of the room when her friend found out she was a dalit, Rasaili said at the programme. Another student staying at Bagbazaar said his house owner threw him out the day he submitted his citizenship certificate to him. Most of the participants shared similar stories of shame and humiliation following the government decision.

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?dtSiteDate=20050924&filename=aCXatKsbxzqea2Ua9qa8HNamal&folder=aCXatK&Name=City&sImageCaption=&sImageFile=&HidPath=aATaoanlaNaeaw2a/a2Ta0pa/Va9a/a2pg

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DALIT QUESTION IN HOLLYWOOD

The Dalit Freedom Network held a seminar on caste and Dalits at Los Angeles on 14 September, 2005. It was held in sprawling house of one of the famous producers of Hollywood. The seminar was unbelievably attended by more than hundred producers, directors, actors, script writers, talk show anchors. Nanci Ricks the Executive Director of the DNF presented a video show of facts about the history of caste the number of people got locked in Indian tribalism, untouchability, Sudra life and made a force plea for liberating the Dalits, tribals and OBcs through education.

Joseph Desouza the president of DNF made a forceful appeal to the Hollywood community to help out these historically suffering masses and particularly the children as they constitute the future of the world. His major point was that the Indian caste system created a culture of Shame and guiltlessness. He compared the problem of Dalits to that African Americans. It was the feeling of guilt among the Americans that helped the African Americans. Yet the Katrina and Tsunami have comparable experiences. He requested the Hollywood to help the cause of Dalit liberarion.

Kancha Ilaiah at the end narrated the struggles of 750 millions of Dalits, tribals and OBCs and asked: Does not Hollywood which produces a films documentaries, talk shows have no responsibility to show the world what Caste and Untouchability are? The Indian cinema industry called Bollywood never responded to the problem of untouchability and human degradation. Why should not Hollywood treat the problem of such massive human society as global problem. At the end there was very interesting question answer session  as to how to work towards eradication of caste and untouchability. This seminar is a prelude to the Washington DC seminar and Congressional Hearing on caste and untouchability on October 6.    

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Let’s talk about caste- When will ‘others’ qualify to be ‘one of us’?

By Manjushree Thapa

Even as we painstakingly wrest back the right to debate openly, caste remains a strangely under-articulated topic in political discourse today.

Many enlightened Nepalis abhor the caste system, though few have broken caste taboos in their personal lives. Still, activists have long organised ‘joint feasts’ to allow people from ‘high’ and ‘low’ castes to defy segregation. The Dalits’ rights movement is gaining pace despite elite resistance. Thousands of Nepalis across the country have even discarded their surnames to shrug off their caste identities. (Hence the proliferation of Nepalis with such surnames as ‘Sorrowful’ or ‘Inspiration’).

In the 1990 to 2002 period, the political parties had all been captured by Bahun men—who unfortunately blocked reforms on women’s, Dalits’ and Janajatis’ rights. Studies were showing Panchayat-era caste profiles to be comparatively more diverse. Even now, the political parties remain the bastions of Bahun men.

Then came the king’s October 2002 takeover. Dramatically, the Chettri caste that had monopolised power before 1990 returned. The heads of all the cabinets under King Gyanendra’s rule have been Chettris: Chand (a Thakuri sub-caste), Thapa, Deuba and Shah (also Thakuri).

A recent cover story in Nepal magazine further reveals how narrow the absolute monarchists’ caste base is. It lists the king’s closest friends and advisers. These include: Prabhu Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana, a childhood friend who accompanied the king to Indonesia and China. His nephew Prabhakar Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana heads the Soaltee Group and is also close to the king. Another trusted friend is Birendra Shah, better known by his nickname ‘Lava Raja.’ He was in Pokhara with then-Prince Gyanendra during the 2001 royal massacre. Sharad Chandra Shah is Lava Raja’s nephew. He heads the Information Technology Commission but his informal powers are extensive. Another adviser, DB Rana, used to work in the Soaltee Group. Mahendra Kumar Singh, married to King Tribhuban’s daughter from out of wedlock, sustained a bullet wound at the 2001 royal massacre. Ravi Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana and Queen Komal’s brother Suraj Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana are also advisers to the king. Similarly close is Shanta Kumar Malla, former army chief, oversaw a five-person military inquisition into the 2001 royal massacre. Among other advisers are Sachit Shamsher Jung Bahadur Rana, Bharat Keshar Simha and Kesharjung Rayamajhi. That’s 11 Chettri men, all but one a Thakuri.

It is sometimes tempting to reduce the struggle between absolute monarchists and democrats to a struggle between Chettris and Bahuns. This would be a facile conclusion, of course. Yet the non-political sectors that embody the present democratic movement—the media, the legal profession—are also overwhelmingly composed of Bahun men.

And herein lies a lingering weakness in today’s democratic movement. Be they political parties, community or business organisations, NGOs or INGOs, or even families, the vast majority of democratic institutions remain markedly segregated—not by intention, maybe but by omission. There are apparently no ‘others’ who qualify to be ‘one of us.’ Or it is not worth the effort to reach out beyond our comfortable circles.

There is of course a difference in the ethics of absolute monarchists and democrats: the democrats’ ideals oblige them to be inclusive. And they do sincerely intend to be so but first, they just need to restore democracy.

Yet, which comes first– democratic values or democratic polity? This is a question that many Nepalis—particularly non-Chettri-Bahuns—are now asking. Absolute monarchists would say that democratic values must come first and actual democracy can follow. Democrats would say the opposite.

But the ground realities of Nepal are better reflected in the view of Anil Bhattarai of Nepal South Asia Centre: “You cannot bring democracy first, then reduce poverty, then have awareness-building campaigns, then bring about social change. It all happens simultaneously. Look at what is happening. That is our reality.”

So, democrats: while overthrowing Nepal’s political anachronisms, let’s also overthrow our own lingering contradictions, shall we? Let’s start by talking about caste.

Feudal system main cause of discrimination against Dalits: Experts

Economists and Dalit leaders have said that unless the feudal structure of the society is changed, discrimination against Dalits would not come to an end.

Speaking at Peoples Summit against Poverty and Dalit Identity organized at the Reporters Club on Monday, vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Shankar Sharma said, Laws alone are not sufficient to end the discrimination and exploitation of Dalits. Our feudal fabric of the society must change.

He further said the Tenth Five-year Plan has allocated nearly 45 percent of the total expenditure in poverty alleviation programs which are crucial in enhancing the socio-economic status of Dalits. The civil society, the local sector and all other concerned sides should work in tandem to end discrimination against Dalits, he opined.

The works done and the voices raised in favour of the rights of Dalits during the 12 years of multiparty democracy were significant but not sufficient due to a range of factors like inequality in the social distribution, the ongoing conflict and internal conflict amongst the Dalit communities, observed senior economist and UML leader Dr Dilli Raj Khanal.

Another speaker, Sagar Shamsher Rana, a Nepali Congress (Democratic) leader, said that establishment of National Dalit Commission is one of the significant achievements of the post-1990 in the direction of Dalit movement.

According to Moti Lal Nepali, chairperson of the program, the Hindu religious system is the root cause of discrimination against Dalits.

Dalits must have fair say in the decision-making. Otherwise, the present state of Dalits will eventually invite a massive revolution,he further said.

The program was organized by Nepal Dalit Association. nepalnews.com sg Sept 12 05


Source: http://www.nepalnews.com/

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Disabled Dalits demand special privileges

Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, September 3:

Disabled Dalits today demanded special privilege for them on every
facility provided by the state to the disabled people. Presenting a
concept paper at an interaction on ‘Problems of Disabled Dalits and Ways
of Solution’ organised by the National Dalit Disabled Welfare Association
(NDDWA), the association president Sher Bahadur Parki said the government
should take special care of the Dalit disabled. “Government should provide
a facility of loan without any mortgage to the disabled Dalits who want to
do income-generating works,” Parki said. He also said the government
should work to change peoples feeling towards the disabled.
NDDWA general secretary Yaduni Das said disabled people are seeking
opportunities and not sympathy. “We have already made a policy to support
the disabled Dalits,” said Gajadhar Sunar general secretary of Dalit NGO
Federation (DNF), adding, the federation would support all the programmes
of the association. Journalist Binod Pahadi criticised both the Dalit
Development Committee and the DNF for not allocating a single penny for
disabled Dalits.
“Billions of rupees are being spent in the name of Dalits, but nothing has
been done for the disabled Dalits,” he said. Admitting that nothing has
been done for the welfare of the disabled Dalits yet, Hari Gandhari, the
member secretary of the National Dalit Commission, and a disabled himself,
expressed commitment to allocate a certain amount for them in the future.

Source:
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?dtSiteDate=20050904&filename=aCXatKsbuzqea2Ta8pa9HNamal&folder=aCXatK&Name=City&sImageCaption=&sImageFile=&HidPath=aATaoanlaNaeaw2a/a2Ta0pa/Va9a/ypg

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Himalayan Times: Financial aid for deserving Dalit students on cards

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Amnesty International (http://www.amnesty.org/)

19 August 2005
UA 213/05   Fear for safety/ legal concern

NEPAL Raj Kumar Pariyar (m), aged 25

On 12 August, Raj Kumar Pariyar was re-arrested by
plainclothed security personnel at the Kathmandu district
court, despite a Supreme Court order for his release. He is
being held at the Hanumandhoka district police station in
Kathmandu and there are concerns for his safety.

Raj Kumar Pariyar was detained without charge for 19
months before the Supreme Court ruled on 10 August that
his detention was illegal and that he should be released in the
presence of the district court. When he was brought before
the Kathmandu district court on 12 August, security forces
personnel in plain clothes were waiting outside. As well as
arresting Raj Kumar Pariyar, they also arrested his father and
three brothers. His father, Gyan Bahadur Pariyar, aged 60,
was detained together with Srawan Kumar Pariyar and Kiran
Pariyar at the Singh Durbar ward police station in
Kathmandu; the three were released the next day without
charge. Prakash Pariyar, aged 18, was detained along with his
brother Raj Kumar Pariyar at the Hanumandhoka district
police station, but was released on 13 August without charge.

On 15 August, Raj Kumar Pariyar was brought by police
before an appeal court, which ordered his detention for up to
30 days. Raj Kumar Pariyar is allowed to receive visitors in
detention. He reportedly has been blindfolded, interrogated
and threatened.

Raj Kumar Pariyar was first arrested by Royal Nepalese Army
(RNA) personnel on 11 January 2004 and "disappeared" for
nearly one year. During this time, he was reportedly tortured
while in custody of the Jagadal battalion at Chhauni army
barracks in Kathmandu. The authorities repeatedly denied
any knowledge of his arrest or detention, including in formal
responses to a habeas corpus petition which was filed before the
Supreme Court by the Nepal-based rights organization
Advocacy Forum on 30 September 2004. In written
responses to the court, the RNA, the Defense Ministry, the
Home Ministry, and the Chief District Office of Kathmandu
denied that they had arrested or detained him.

However, on 14 December 2004, local newspapers reported
that Raj Kumar Pariyar was among the detainees identified in
a report issued by the government committee investigating
"disappearances". He was reportedly being held at the
Sundarijal detention centre in Kathmandu. His father was
permitted to visit him at Sundarijal, but authorities did not
provide any information about the reasons for Raj Kumar
Pariyar's detention.

On 27 July 2005, Advocacy Forum filed a second habeas corpus
petition before the Supreme Court on behalf of Raj Kumar
Pariyar. This time, the Chief District Officer of Kathmandu
responded that he was being held under the provisions of the
Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Control and Punishment)
Ordinance (TADO), which allows for preventive detention
for up to one year. According to the account provided to the
court by the Chief District Officer, Raj Kumar Pariyar was
held under TADO as of 18 October 2004, on the
recommendation of the Jaga Dal army barracks. (In a written
reply issued on 27 October 2004 in response to the first
habeas corpus petition, the Royal Nepalese Army had denied
that Raj Kumar Pariyar was held in army custody.) The home
ministry reportedly authorized his detention for a further six
months on 15 April 2005. However, the Supreme Court
found that his detention was illegal on 10 August 2005.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In the course of the nine-year-long internal armed conflict,
Amnesty International has documented thousands of cases of
arbitrary arrests, unacknowledged detentions, torture and
"disappearances" at the hands of the security forces. The
human rights crisis deteriorated further following the king's
seizure of power on 1 February 2005, with the security forces
exercising virtually unchecked power. The practice of
rearresting those who have been freed on court order
constitutes arbitrary detention, undermines the authority of
the courts, and displays open contempt for the rule of law.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to
arrive as quickly as possible:
- expressing concern for the safety of Raj Kumar Pariyar,
who was re-arrested by security forces personnel on 12
August 2005;
- urging that he be treated humanely while in custody and not
tortured or ill-treated;
- calling for Raj Kumar Pariyar to be freed immediately and
unconditionally, in compliance with the order for his release
issued by the Supreme Court;
- calling on the government to instruct relevant law
enforcement agencies to halt immediately the practice of re-
arresting those who have been released on the order of a
judge;
- calling on the government to undertake an investigation into
the "disappearance", illegal detention, and rearrest of Raj
Kumar Pariyar, urging that those responsible for committing
or ordering these violations of his human rights should be
brought to justice in fair proceedings.


APPEALS TO:
Minister Dan Bahadur Shahi
Minister of Home Affairs
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax:        011 977 1 4 225 156
Salutation:       Dear Minister

Minister Niranjan Thapa
Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax: 011 977 14211232
Email: molaw@wlink.com.np
Salutation: Dear Minister

Shyam Bhakta Thapa
Inspector General of Police
Police Headquarters
GPO Box 407, Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax:011977 1 4 415 593 / 4 415 594
Salutation: Dear Inspector General

Puskar Karki
Deputy Superintendent of Police
Head, Human Rights Cell
Police Headquarters
GPO Box 407, Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal
Fax: 011977 1 4 415 593 / 4 415 594
Email: hrcell@nepalpolice.gov.np
Salutation: Dear Deputy Superintendent

COPIES TO:
Ambassador Kedar B. Shrestha
Royal Nepalese Embassy
2131 Leroy Pl. NW
Washington DC 20008
Fax: 1 202-667-5534


Please send appeals immediately. Check with the
Colorado office between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain
Time, weekdays only, if sending appeals after 30 September 2005.


Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that
promotes and defends human rights.

This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including
contact information and stop action date (if applicable). Thank
you for your help with this appeal.

Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
PO Box 1270
Nederland CO 80466-1270
Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 303 258 1170
Fax:     303 258 7881

----------------------------------
END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL

New report documents the impact of the civil war on Dalits
 
Dinesh Kumar Pariyar (dinu)     

Caste discrimination is a root cause and an insidious consequence of the civil war in Nepal, the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice charged in a new report released last week. The conflict will remain unresolved without a sustained commitment to ending caste-based abuses.
The 65-page report, titled, "The Missing Piece of the Puzzle: Caste Discrimination and the Conflict in Nepal," exposes the as-yet undocumented impact of the civil war, fought by the government and Maoist insurgents, on Nepal's most vulnerable citizens: Dalits, or so-called "untouchables." The report was released in Geneva last week during the two-week meeting of the U.N. Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights.

The Maoists have capitalized on caste and gender discrimination in Nepal by heavily recruiting Dalits and women for their "people's militia." Maoist indoctrination often includes a special emphasis on the oppression of the "lower castes," and the Maoists' alleged role in liberating them. The dismantling of the educational system in Maoist-run areas of the country has also led to large numbers of children joining the militia.

Once recruited, Dalits are relegated to the lower ranks of the movement and are, in effect, taking the bullets for the Maoist insurgency. Coupled with reports that the practice of "untouchability" and sexual abuse against Dalit women persists even within the ranks of the Maoist movement, evidence shows that Dalits have begun to feel extremely alienated and underserved by the movement that claims to liberate them.

The Maoist "People's War" has turned on the very people it purported to empower; Dalits have proven to be the favored victim of both state forces and Maoists," said Smita Narula, Executive Director of the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice. 
 
Notes
The U.N. Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and the U.N. Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) have paid increasing attention to caste discrimination in recent years. CERD Member Morten Kjaerum and Sub-Commission Special Rapporteurs Chin Sung Chung and Yozo Yokota helped launch the report in cooperation with the International Dalit Solidarity Network (www.idsn.org) and Anti-Slavery International (www.antislavery.org).

Source: http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=243358&rel_no=1

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Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, August 18:

The Dalit Welfare Organisation (DWO) today said the organisation is preparing a data bank of Dalits to simplify their recruitment in any organisation. The data bank is being prepared on the recommendation of a report on Dalit Recruitment Policies and Practices in the selected organisations, jointly prepared by Save the Children US and the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC). The report had recommended establishment of an inventory of potential Dalit candidates from among the supported graduates for their placement in different organisations, particularly for entry-level professional jobs. The inventory would provide agencies a wider pool of potential Dalit candidates, the report had said.

Speaking at the follow-up interaction on Increasing Dalit Recruitment in all sectors of Nepals economy, member of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Prof Dr Ram Prasad Chaudhary said the benefit of reservation did not reach to the needy. Non-Dalits grabbed the opportunities meant for Dalits and well-off women were benefited by the seats reserved for the needy women,he said, adding, the government has a tough challenge ahead to make the policy of positive discrimination a success.

Speaking from the floor, a representative of Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Arati Singh said there should be special criteria to recruit candidates from the Dalit and other marginalised communities because many times they cannot meet the criteria of the vacant post. Recalling the ongoing recruitment process at the LWF she said, The federation has encouraged Dalits to apply for different posts but not even one applicant from over 100 of them is from the Dalit community.Member of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries Noor Bikram Thapa said, I dont think there is any Dalit recruited at FNCCI. Thapa, however, said he would take the issue of Dalit recruitment to the discussion within the FNCCI and work to formulate policy.

Source: http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?dtSiteDate=20050819&filename=aNPata0seqzpea9a9a3ra.axamal&folder=aNPataiaoanaaal&Name=National&sImageCaption=&sImageFile=&HidPath=aATaoanlaNaeaw2a/a2Ta0pa/Va8a/xa9g

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Land bank to empower Dalits
 
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, August 4:

Deputy Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), Lekh Nath Bhusal, said today that the government has proposed land bank policy to minimise poverty. Speaking at a workshop titled Increasing Dalit Recruitmentorganised by the Dalit Welfare Organisation, he said the proposed land bank a project to distribute land to the poor would have a solid and concrete policy to empower economically disadvantaged communities, including the Dalits.

The present grim situation is a result of injustice, social discrimination and poverty,he said.
Executive director of the NRB Shushil Mathema suggested the National Dalit Commission, National Planning Commission and the Ministry of General Administration to work together to make a new recruitment policy so as to integrate more Dalits. Head of the Human Resource Development at the Agriculture Development Bank, Bijaya Swanr, suggested the Dalit community to approach the government for the formulation of Dalit recruitment policy. Manager of the Action Aid Nepal, Dhuti Baral, also said the existing policy was not enough to recruit Dalits. Assistant manager of the Nepal Bank Limited, Shyam Shrestha, said data on Dalits should be correct and comprehensive so that a policy maker can work properly.

From: http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?dtSiteDate=20050805&filename=aNPata0sfqzpea9Ua5ta.axamal&folder=aNPataiaoanaaal&Name=National&sImageCaption=&sImageFile=&HidPath=aATaoanlaNaeaw2a/a2Ta0pa/Va8a/yqg

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Source: The Kathmandu Post >> Front Page  http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=46580

 

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Source: http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/pageloader.php?file=2005/07/19/nation/nation4

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Available at: http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/pageloader.php?file=2005/07/05/topstories/main11

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