politics: madhes

The Tarai is the low flatland area along Nepal's southern border with India. It is the traditional home of the Tharus and some minor ethnic groups. When the then Rana rulers in Kathmandu wanted to exploit this fruitful region economically for their own pockets in the second half of the 19th century, they invited Indian population from accross the border to settle in Nepal's Tarai. These Hindu and Muslim castes of Indian origin became known as Madhesi in Nepal. Till today, the Nepali state has failed to recognize these groups as equal Nepali citizens and to participate them in the state even in the formation process of a 'new Nepal' after 2006. This has led to growing unrest among the Madhesi population. Agitating groups demand a single autonomous Madhes region or even talk of separatism. The problem is further complicated by the fact that the indigenous Tharus, who at least constitute the majority in the western Tarai, do not want to be called Madhesi and call for an autonomous Tharuwan state within the future federal republic of Nepal as all the major ethnic groups do for their respective traditional settlement areas in a similar way. The following numerical facts (see population census of 2001) are disregarded by all agitating groups: About 20% of the Tarai population are indigenous ethnic groups (mainly Tharus), 40% are groups that have immigrated from the hills, and 40% are Madhesi who have immigrated from India. All of them have the right to live there peacefully as equal citizens. The Tarai/Madhes conflict has become the most serious issue in the current crisis solution process. But it cannot be solved by transforming the Tarai into an autonomous Madhes state that is dominated by the 40% Madhesi people against the will of the 60% other people living there. The Madhesis must get equal rights and inclusion in the state of Nepal, but this must be one of the results of the work of the Constituent Assembly.

MJF worried over deepening rift in its core constituency (ht 09/03/2009) [The caste elites of the Tarai ignore the interests and identities of the ethnic groups in the same way as the Tagadhari castes have done in the Pahad region for centuries!!]

New armed outfit formed (kp 25/02/2009) [Come on, Nepal and the Madhesi people need many more of such anarchist and criminal groups!!]

Sadbhawana Party parades youth wing, by Janak Nepal (kp 27/12/2008) [Wonderful! Nepal cannot have enough of such groups that like to place themselves out of law and order!]

No ethnic politics, excerpts from an interview with Ram Baran Yadav of the NC (nt 22/02/2008, originally in Bishal Nepal, 15 February)

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