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Madhesis and the ConstitutionMadhesis - the people of the Madhes, or the lowlands that border India - constitute one of the groups that have experienced discrimination and exclusion in the past. The question "Who are the Madhesis?" is likely to give rise to controversy. Are people of Hill origin living in Madhes Madhesis? And what about the indigenous groups - including the Tharu and the Rajbanshis among others? Thus we find that Mahanta Thakur, was asked that very question by Puran P Bista and Kamal Raj Sigdel of The Kathmandu Post (quoted in the Madheshi wordpress website):
Q: When you define Madhes and Madhesis, do you include all the people of different origins and castes presently living in the tarai? Thakur: We have always talked about the tarai and the hills in a holistic manner. We are talking about the 49 percent of the national population living in the tarai. We have raised overall issues. We have not talked about a certain caste, origin or religion. On the other hand, the Nepali Times included an extract from an interview with Fulmati Chaudhari, a central committee member of Tharu Kalyankari Sangh in Sanghu, 18 February, who, when asked "Why are the Tharus against the Madhes uprising?" replied
We do not intend to take any position - that is a matter for the various communities concerned. Our only purpose is to point towards issues and materials relevant to Madhesi claim in connection with the Constitution. You will also find material on these in the second and third reports of CASU conferences - on Restructuring the State and Federalism and Human Rights Diversity and Social Justice (both to be published soon - check the home page for thumb-nails). Madhesi issues Among the issues raised by Madhesis that are relevant for the new Constitution and the constitution making process are:
Especially during 2007 there was a movement among the Madhesi, by peaceful groups and buy some more militant, mostly claiming their rights, and autonomy, within Nepal, though some groups were demanding full independence from Nepal.
There were also protests in February 2008.
In mid-2007 the Government and the Madhesi People's Rights Forum made an agreement covering the demands of the Madhesis. It begins:
In March 2008 there was a further agreement between the Government and the United Madhesi Democratic Front - which is an alliance of three Madhesi groups, formed to fight the election to the Constituent Assembly. This agreement removed obstacles to Madhesi participation in the elections.
The Interim Constitution and Madhesis The 1990 Constitution did not mention Madhesis specifically (as indeed it did not mention other groups). The Interim Constitution does mention Madhesi specifically. You can see the relevant articles in another document.
Elections and Madhesis To fulfill the provisions in the Interim Constitution about proportional representation for Madhesis (as well as for other people) and the Agreement between the Government and the Madhesi People's Rights Forum the CA Election Act contains elaborate provisions designed to ensure proportionality in the CA. Links There are several websites dealing with Madhesi issues:
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