Friday, December 30, 2011

[ZESTCaste] Dalits‚ govt strike deal; House resumes

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Dalits%E2%80%9A+govt+strike+deal%3B+House+resumes&NewsID=314469

Dalits‚ govt strike deal; House resumes

State to provide Rs 10 lakh to Manbire Sunar's kin

Added At: 2011-12-29 11:50 PM

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Parliament resumed today after Peace and Reconstruction
Minister Satya Pahadi and Joint Political Dalit Struggle Committee,
comprising eight Dalit organisations as well as Dalit Lawmakers'
Forum, reached a five-point agreement and Prime Minister Baburam
Bhattarai addressed the House, expressing government's commitment to
end social discrimination against the Dalit communities.

The agreement was signed at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction
in the presence of Prime Minister Bhattarai.

Addressing today's House session, PM Bhattarai said Manbire Sunar's
murder by the so-called upper caste people in Kalikot's Jubitha VDC
has ashamed the humankind in the 21st century.

He said the murder took place at a time when Parliament had already
passed law on Ethnic Discrimination and Untouchability (Crime and
Punishment), 2068. He also appealed to all political parties,
lawmakers, civil society and the media to play their respective roles
in curbing such crimes taking place on the basis of casteism.

As per the five-point agreement, the government would take strong
legal action against those involved in Sunar's murder. Manbire Sunar
was beaten to death after he reportedly went to a kitchen of a
so-called upper caste family to light his cigarette on December 10.

The government will provide Rs 1 million as compensation to Sunar's
kin, and his children will be provided with scholarships for their
higher education, according to the agreement.

As far as declaring the deceased a martyr in concerned, as demanded by
the Dalit organisations, the deal stated that initiative would be
taken after a report, which is being prepared by a government-formed
taskforce, is handed to the government.

The government and the Dalit organisations have also agreed that a
central direction committee would be formed under the coordination of
a secretary at the Council of Ministers, a central advisory committee
would be formed comprising people engaged in the Dalit movement, and
similar district and local-level bodies will be formed to implement
the law.

Following the agreement, the Dalit organisations have called off all
their planned agitations.


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