Democracy is not functioning well in Nepal's soil. In the current Nepalese edition of democracy, the Janajatis are devised to remain underdeveloped forever. It is another hard fact that as long as the marginalized communities are in such deprivation nothing pleasant is going to happen here. The country's all-round development is only possible when the system mainstreams marginalized peoples to the national development. Outlined below is a short description on how strategic plans be devised for the overall development of the indigenous nationalities of the country.

Initiatives from the State:
Constitutional Amendment:

The constitution should reflect all people's aspirations including the marginalized communities - the Janajatis also. (Every citizen is entitled to have the right to exercise fundamental rights equally as provisioned in the constitution. The constitution should not stand barrier to certain citizen's all-round development. The Janajatis are barred from exercising their fundamental rights by the constitution itself.)

Direct Representation:

There should be a proportionate representation of Janajatis to all three organs of the State.

(The constitution should be amended provisioning direct and proportionate representation to the organs of state: the legislative, judiciary and executive. Should it be uneasy, legislation should be passed to this effect guaranteeing reservation to the required communities. The 'indirect reservation', which terribly prevails until today in the country, should be displaced with a new system of 'direct reservation' approving it by two third majority of the house of the representatives.)

Janajatis Requiring Urgent Protection:

Few of the Janajatis viz. Kusundas, Bankariyas, Rajis, Hayus, etc. are nearing extinction. An urgent initiative has to be taken in order to protect them from vanishing from the face of the earth. Detaching from national family planning programme, they should be rehabilitated and appropriate government employment to be offered to them.

(As found until today, there are only 7 Kusundas and 7 Bankariyas ethnically pure by their origin. Kusundas themselves have a very high value of the prehistory. Their language appears to have some affinity with many of the indigenous languages spoken over different continents of the world. Therefore, instant implementation of protection programme for these vanishing indigenous peoples in the Himalayas is required granting them an appropriate piece of land for agriculture and government employment for subsistence.)

Establishment of Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities:

By establishing without any further delay of the Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities of Nepal in compliance with a law enacted on Magh 25, 2058 Bikram Era (February 7, 2002), the Janajatis described above in (c) should be protected instantly. And, rest other Janajatis should also be treated carefully placing top priorities.

(Heard as saying of the national priority programme for development of nationalities, the government had done some good jobs through National Committee for Development of Nationalities at least for last 4 years. In the event of enactment of new legislation, the committee has been dissolved three months ago. There is no entity working in this field since then. It is therefore paramountly important to fully form the foundation as mentioned above to continue the jobs of protecting the Janajatis nearing extinction. All the prominent Janajati thinkers hope the allotted budget will not lapse in this fiscal year.)

Government Recognition to ANIJ:

The Association of Nepalese Indigenous/Nationalities Journalists (ANIJ) has been in the forefront raising Janajati issues since its founding on August 9, 1999. This organization should also be recognized by the government and proffered voting membership to the governing council of the foundation described above.

(The government seems to have recognized entities related to the Fourth State: The Nepal Journalists Federation, Press Chautari, Reporters Club etc. and provided grant assistance to them also. The grant money as such is meaningful in itself. Likewise, ANIJ has also been out for creatively contributing to the national development advocating pertinent issues of a huge mass of population in the country - of the Janajatis. The government should therefore, assist ANIJ in its true spirit of service to the nation.)

Media Sector Investment and Expected Government Assistance:

Now indigenous businessmen have to think over investing on media sector also with an objective of promoting national interests at large. They should plan to publish a broad size national daily from the capital so as to form public opinion and run frequency modulation radios (FM Radios) from among all five-development regions and develop TV Network also. By placing genuine issues before the target groups (readers, listeners and viewers) this effort would enhance peace and harmony among diverse communities in the country and for which the government should offer its assistance wholeheartedly.

(It has always remained a bitter experience that the media, be it governmental or privately established ones, express their distaste and show reluctance towards the burning issues of the Janajatis in the country. This is unfair and discouraging matter to take note by all of us. Janajati issues have not been fully covered and presented by such media managers. Media sector can be treated as an industry and Janajatis entrepreneurs should invest on this field also. This will provide employment opportunities to the Janajati enthusiasts and develop their capacity in the long run. The government should also support such genuine efforts of the Janajatis.)

Influential Occupancy in Political Parties:
Leadership in Political Parties:

Political parties have an important role in multi-party political system. Indigenous nationalities have to have an influential existence within such parties.

(In most of the larger parties, no indigenous nationalities are leaders at the top hierarchy except for the Rastriya Janamukti Party headed by M. S. Thapa and Gore Bahadur Khapangi Magar. The principle of 'number and its counting' in democracy has not been fully realized in Nepal. This has gravely saddened all of the Janajatis in the country.)

Improvement in Issuance of Electoral Tickets:

Having developed a fashion of issuing electoral tickets from centres, the Janajatis are being ignored by all of the political parties, to lead their peoples at the grassroots levels also. Improvement in such practice granting 50% tickets to the Janajatis would be a welcome step. Majority should be respected and such practice would be a best regard to the spirit and values of true democracy. The Janajati representatives as well as other Janajatis should start initiation in this regard without any delay.

(In the Panchyat System the Janajatis used to be at the apex of leadership however, they had not been so proactive towards the Janajati issues for the system was different then. But, the situation is just opposite now. Decentralization and devolution have been over-publicized development jargons. In the meantime the Local Self-Governance Law does not spell out anything of the local leadership. The law should be amended stating that there shall only be a Janajati leadership amongst Janajati majority communities in the country.)

Provision for Indigenous Women:

Amendment should also be made by increasing 25% seats for women candidates instead of 5% in the constitution and of which 15 % should go to the Janajati women only.

(Following the universal declaration on gender issues, women's rights etc. in recent years, the Janajati women should be provided an opportunity to express themselves at fuller extent both at the governmental and non-governmental sectors also. The people 'under half the sky' require special treatment from the government. And, in Nepal this sort of population mostly comprises of the Janajati women so they require more space everywhere.)

Roles of Non-governmental Organizations:
Janajati Issues in Economic Development Programmes:

Non-governmental organizations have played an important role in the process of national development. Complying with the constitutional provisions, laws etc. non-governmental organizations should devise particular programmes for socio-economic development of the Janajatis of Nepal.

(The current constitution of the land guarantees that special package programmes shall be implemented for the cause of Janajatis in the country. Following the constitutional directive as such and while making points publicly, the Janajatis used to get baselessly blamed with sour terminology by Bahun/Chhetri leaders of different political parties. And, as a result of which these peoples got portrayed as the 'untouchables' from among non-governmental organizations also. However, the trend has been slowly changing in the event that government has enforced a law favouring the Janajatis quite recently. Therefore, non-governmental organizations should not hesitate to welcome innovative ideas from among the Janajati experts as well as workers from all nooks and corners of the country.)

Speeding up Janajati Mahasangh by its Restructuring:

The Nepal Federation of Nationalities (NEFEN) has received recognition from the government as it has been entrusted to nominate its representatives to the governing council of Foundation for Development of Nationalities headed by the Prime Minister. This is a token of Janajati movement in the country and has to be effectively utilized leaving an influence in the national spectrum.

(The Nepal Federation of Nationalities should develop a national network and disseminate information on national and international levels among its member organizations across the country. The Federation also should set a directorate comprising of experts who would work as think tank for the development of nationalities of the country.)

Government Assistance to Janajati Mahasangh:

To speed up national development, the government should also allocate a sizable budget for the Mahasangh each year to help develop the Janajatis in the country through civil society.

(The money shall go to the Janajati organizations that are affiliated with the Mahasangh. Particularly, this endeavour will protect languages, cultures and religions of the Janajatis in the country.)

Roles of Janajati Organizations:
Assertive Roles:

The effectiveness of Janajati civil societies has not been felt until today. To this effect they should assertively come forward and manage resources from different donor organizations in the country.

(The government is required to look forward the Janajatis quite positively and which international non-governmental organizations should also follow. Otherwise, Janajatis should not pay any heed to the INGOs, NGOs in their areas and also should not be supportive towards their 'city made' programmes.)

International Solidarity:

Janajati organizations should broaden their horizons and establish direct and effective relationships with international indigenous communities across the world. This effort would contribute to the world movement of indigenous population for human rights, social justice and development.

(The Nepal Federation of Nationalities has also been working in this connection. Janajati organizations that have achieved distinction in their respective fields should also be concerned over international issues of indigenous populations and endeavour to contribute to the international solidarity of the indigenous peoples across the world.)

(Paper presented to an interaction programme organized by the Association of Nepalese Indigenous Journalist (ANIJ) in Kathmandu, March 31, 2002.

The author is a Linguistic Anthropologist, who has carried out a number of researches concentrating mainly on historical and structural linguistic behavior of indigenous peoples of Nepal.)