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Janayatra 2007
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New Nepal:
New South Asia
JANAYATRA–2007,
Nepa
1. BACKGROUND
 The
statistics reveals that 40 percent of the total poor
population of the world lives in South Asia. The other
common factors among these people are that most of
the South Asians share similar economic and political
problems. The poverty remains the same; the workers
who toil day and night does not have enough even to
eat their daily meal. Women, Dalits, Ethnic Groups
are suffering from discrimination. Women and Children
are being traded like animals but the state is not
in a position to resolve these problems. There are
abundant problems in the SAARC region and people are
slowly getting organized themselves to raise those
problems locally as well as in organized manner. Thus
people are in movement to struggle against prevailing
inequality, injustice and discrimination. People are
confident that they will overcome one day soon and
break the chain of injustice, inequality and discrimination..
SAARC has not been effective to
address the common problems of people and to strengthen
common trade and economy in the region. It could not
play the role such to solve the problems that are
being faced by the people of this region from long
time back. The SAARC neither addressed the problems
of the people and win their heart nor bring about
any concrete plans and commitment for the suffering
people of this region. The people of SAARC have continuously
struggled for democracy and have faced brutalities
of the rulers to assert their will. It became therefore
a crying need for a movement which could truly pressurize
the SAARC from people level to compel the state to
resolve the common problems of the people in this
region. There is a need of a common voice, common
movement of the people to make it effective. Due to
this reason the people from the SAARC region have
initiated the Peoples’ SAARC to aware the SAARC
and make it people oriented while in the other hand
interrelate the peoples’ movement of the SAARC
region and work towards establishment of a real democratic
government because only the democracy which addresses
and links upto the down level people can solve these
problems. The democratic politics here refers to equality
of opportunity; participation, recognition, delegation
of power, rights to struggle, distribution of natural
resources in an equitable manner without discrimination
on the basis of origins. The movement is thus to ensure
control over resources and to redefine the path of
development so that livelihoods and dignity of all
are restored, protected, preserved and furthered.
A good understanding, unity, coordination,
mutual solidarity, constructive debate, and interactions
among civil society of this region are vital in order
to make a free South Asia with just, equity and social
harmony. People's SAARC was one of the most important
forums organized by civil society of South Asian countries
in May 2007 in Kathmandu. The people's SAARC extended
solidarity to the Nepal's movement for peace and absolute
democracy. People's SAARC started to organize the
voices for democracy, peace, sharing of natural resources
and towards living dignified life for all. This movement
needs to be given continuity, thus the concept of
Imagine a New South Asia (INSA) has come up to realize
a new and prosperous South Asia. It is a new initiative
envisioned to promote regional cooperation both at
the government as well as civil society level for
peaceful, prosperous, just and democratic South Asia.
This event is one of the components of INSA movement
in Nepal.
The context
of Nepal
In the historical movement II the
people swarmed in the street mass demonstration voluntarily
in anticipation to realize a just, democratic and
peaceful society. People marched on the street in
the hope that after this movement their rights will
be guaranteed, the state will be just, inclusive and
federal. In the historical movement hundreds of people
became martyrs. The movement is continual towards
achieving the dreams of those martyrs and the feelings
of the people. The state is also proceeding forward
in realizing this, however, this transitional period
is being lengthy, the problems of people remain as
they were, and it is seen that still a long road needs
to be crossed in order to fulfill the aspirations,
rights and needs of the people.
For the active participation of
people in the movement a strong will power and continuous
social mobilisation in the grass root level is necessary.
The state needs to be warned by the people on regular
basis, therefore, on this pretext the Janayatra 2064
is being organised along with the demands of the people.
2. JANAYATRA
AND CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY IN NEPAL
Nepal was ruled by autocratic monarch
for over 239 years which facilitated the inequitable
distribution of power and natural resources. Evidently,
the participation of poor, Dalits, Women, Madheshi,
Janajati and other marginalized groups in politics
and leadership is very low and naturally the policies
have been formulated in favor of elite groups only
totally neglecting the majority of the population
who are marginalized and deprived of power and resource.
An active participation of the marginalized groups
in constituent assembly is vital in order to preserve
their rights.
People's movement of 2006 was aimed
against the autocratic monarchy, inequality in power
and natural resources distribution, and to reinstate
democracy, peace building from below level, social
justice and human rights in the state. As a result
of this movement it has now been constitutionally
accepted that Nepal will be a federal and socially
inclusive state. People are waiting to see the future
of Nepal in general and the marginalized Nepalese
in particular will be determined through constituent
assembly that is scheduled on November 22, 2007.
To ensure that the democracy, sustainable
peace, human rights are the fundamental needs and
base for imaging a new Nepal, therefore, to sensitize
the people and to create pressure to the state this
peoples Jana Yatra has been organized. People and
the state is in need of such a politics of democratization
which consists of participation, recognition, power
delegation, rights and control over resources. To
fulfill these dreams of people and to institutionalize
the democratic system we are in the process of constitution
assembly. This Janayatra is an effective means to
raise the issues of constituent assembly by Poor and
underprivileged, Dalits, Women, Madheshi, Janajati
and other marginalized groups for changing power relation
and justifiable political participation and resource
distribution. It is very important to ensure the active
participation of people in the constitution assembly
process and to guarantee that the feelings, needs
and rights of the people are included in the new constitution
to sketch the fundamental of new Nepal. Janayatra
will facilitate the debate of constituent assembly
amongst all marginalized groups and will raise their
issues that ultimately help to uproot monarchy, ill
practices and discrimination and establish a federal,
inclusive and democratic republic Nepal.
The Demands
of people express through JANAYATRA
- Nepal is in a process of institutionalizing
and development of democratization through constitution
assembly which is an opportunity to secure the rights
of poor, Dalits, indigenous groups, Madhesis and
neglected communities. Therefore, to conduct peaceful,
independent and impartial election and to demand
for guaranteeing the involvement of grass root level
people.
- The coming constitution must
be able to build a bright, democratic, federal,
people oriented and inclusive nation. This is also
the mandate, notion and spirit of the people’s
movement II. We demand for the guarantee to create
the basis for its fulfillment.
- Feudalism, ill practices and
ill culture still prevail in Nepal, which has refrained
woman, Dalit, indigenous group to obtain power,
dignity and recognition in the society. New Nepal
must guarantee the delegation of power and dignity
to people.
- People have no ownership and
rights to the natural resources like forest, water
and land. Peasants who work in the farm and landless
people do not own a single inch of land of their
ownership therefore, there must be initiation for
people oriented land reformation process and stop
the impartial distribution of land.
- The first priority of ownership
and decision of utilizing the forest must be to
the local people however; this is not the case here.
Delegation of forest to local community, capacity
building of the user group and people oriented usage
of forest.
- The water resources of Nepal
is one of the richest in the world however, its
usage has not been made in accordance to the national
welfare, peoples’ interest and betterment.
There are unequal bilateral treaties in the name
of water utility. In this context, duly analyzing
such type of impartial treaties policies must be
formulated in the favor of people making them the
ultimate masters.
- The above demands and JANAYATRA
is raising the voices of people from local level.
This event encourages appeals the people to participate,
organize to claim their rights and pressurize the
state.
3. SCHEDULE
OF JANAYATRA
Janayatra will begin from Ilam in
the Eastern region, Ramechhap in the Central region
and Baitadi in the Far Western region from September
9, 2007 (2064 Bhadra 23) and will converse at Butawal
on September 21, 2007 (2064 Ashwin 4), the International
Peace Day. Participants will cross tentatively 15
KM distance in one day by foot. In the route passing
through jungle and nonresidential areas, the Yatra
be on vehicle and the next stop distance may increase
as per feasibility. The priority will be given to
the discussions and meetings on policy demands and
assembly with the marginalized groups and underprivileged
community - in villages and in areas where they live.
4. TRAVELLING
ROUTE OF JANAYATRA
Ilam route follows Ilam, Jhapa,
Morang, Sunsari, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusa, Mahottari,
Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Makawanpur, Chitawan (Narayanghat),
Nawalparasi and arrive at Butawal. The Ramechhap route
follows Ramechhap, Dolakha, Sindhupalchok, Kavrepalanchok,
Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Dhading, Chitawan
(Mungling), Tanahun, Kaski, Syangja, Palpa and Butawal.
The last route is Baitadi, Dadenldhura, Kanchanpur,
Kailali, Bardiya, Banke, Dang, Kapilvastu and Butawal.
JANAYATRA will move to villages and community without
confining to roadhead areas. Logistics arrangements
to the participants of JANAYATRA will be based on
the local management arranged by different local Civil
Society Organizations (CSOs). The marching route of
JANAYATRA is as outlined below in Nepal's map
5. PARTICIPATS IN JANAYATRA
The JANAYATRA will focus on the
poor, DALITS, women, MADHESHI, JANAJATI and other
marginalized groups and community. The participants
will be the representatives of groups and community
that have been deprived of their rights. There will
be the participation of old and young, men and women,
DALITS, MADHESHI, JANAJATI and poor.
Different local and national level
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) will participate
and make their solidarity to the JANAYATRA. Since
this movement is not only confined in Nepal, the participants
will be the leaders of people's movements of neighboring
countries like India, Bhutan and Bangladesh.There
will be around 30 full time participants and around
10 volunteers in each route. Thousands of people will
join JANAYATRA as it passes through their villages,
cities and areas. A closing ceremony with an assembly
will be held at Butawal with the participation of
20 thousand people
6. MEDIA
ADVOCACY/INTERACTION
Regular interaction and follow up
with the media people, wall painting, distribution
of brochure, posters, pamphlets and radio jingle,
rally and mike announcing, flash news publication
in local and national newspaper and in local cable
line etc will be carried out.
7. FACILITATING ORGANIZATIONS
A number of civil society organizations
will participate in JANAYATRA. Many local organizations,
NGOs, CBOs and federations, networks and alliances
will co-ordinate the JANAYATRA locally.
SECRETARIAT
The four major networks, federations
and forums are facilitating the JANAYATRA secretariat
- NGO Federation of Nepal
- Federation of Community Forestry
Users, Nepal
- National Land Rights Concern
Group, Nepal
- National Land Rights Forum, Nepal
- National Dalit Network
JANAYATRA Secretariat:
JANAYATRA–2007,
Nepal
New Baneshwor, Kathmandu
Phone: 01 6910588
E-mail: janamarch@gmail.com
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