Archive News on LANCAU NEPAL March 16, 2006
Posted by lancaunepal in Comment on Untouchability, Public Interest Litigation Cases, activities in 2004, legal news.comments closed
A group of lawyers has launched a campaign against the practice of untouchability still rampant in Nepal. The group named as ‘Lawyers’ National Campaign Against Untouchability, Nepal’ is formed to help rooting out the practice from the society. ‘The campaign aims to help usher the implementation of existing constitutional/statutory provisions against untouchability, provisions made in [international] charters against racial discriminations, Durban Declarations (2001) and [associated] work plans against racial discrimination, and HM Government’s [of Nepal] declarations and programs against caste discrimination as announced from time to time’, says a press release by the Campaign.
Categorizing the issues of untouchability into two sectors as Dalit and Non-Dalits, the Campaign has proposed a 12-point program for their action-plan, focusing on the eradication of internal caste discrimination among Dalit castes.One of the obstacles of eradicating the age-old evil practice from the Nepalese society is a bitter fact that it is prevailing among the victimized communities themselves. Traditionally, this has been serving the purpose of feudal rulers, lords and priests nurturing the practice of untouchability as a part of their ‘divide and rule’ policy. Even in the modern days, the evil practice is so deep rooted among our own Dalit communities making it an arduous task for the communities to come out of its cocoon. The efforts made by the lawyers’ group can make affirmative contribution towards gaining momentum of our struggle against the evil practice handed down from centuries. [Posted on 29 April 2004, DPR]
| WHITE PAPER AGAINST CASTE-BASED DISCRIMINATION January 1, 2005: In a historic move, 13 political parties have released a white paper expressing collective commitment against the caste-based discrimination. The 13-point white paper vows to celebrate the year 2005 as the Year for the Elimination of Untouchability and the period between 2005-2015 as the Decade for the Elimination of Untouchability. The parties have also expressed commitment to take initiatives from all level to dispel negative notions prevalent in society. They have also declared that none of their workers or cadres would engage in such activities. They have also vowed to introduce laws and rules that discourage such practice and help uplift the vulnerable communities. The parties that released the white paper include the Nepali Congress, NC (D), Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP), NSP-Anandidevi, People’s Front, Green Nepal Party, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Nepal Samata Party, Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist Leninist), Nepal Dalit Shramik Morcha and CPN (Marxist). The paper was an outcome of LANCAU NEPAL with support of Action Aid International. |
Congratulations to Exe. Dir. R.B.Bagchand. March 16, 2006
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LANCAU Nepal congratulates our Executive Director for achieving the honor of ‘Ambedkar Prize’ for his tireless efforts in the fight against caste based discrimination. Mr. Bagchand is also the receiptent of ‘Nepals Best Legal Practitioner Award’.