Prachanda to address Nepal indigenous community's demands

Kathmandu: The newly elected Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" on Tuesday expressed his commitment to amend the Constitution to address the demands of all indigenous communities.

Addressing a programme organised by the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities here to mark the 22nd International Day of the World's Indigenous People, Prachanda said the government will put maximum efforts to make the Constitution acceptable to all quarters of society, Xinhua news agency reported.

"Nepal is moving ahead in a critical time, but the government will make an honest attempt to address the sentiments of people in the Constitution through amendment," Prachanda said while commiserating with the indigenous nationalities, who have been demanding the amendments to the Constitution in order to address their rights and demands.

The Prime Minister promised that the International Day of the World's Indigenous People will be celebrated jointly by the government and the federation from the next year.

Stating that the Constitution promulgated in September last year is incomplete, the indigenous nationalities have been demanding the identity based federalism to be incorporated in the statute.

Locally known as aadivashi-janajati, the nationalities, which have distinct language and lifestyle, are legally recognised by the National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities Act, 2002.

However, they are in continuous struggle demanding the enforcement of agreements made in favour of the rights of indigenous peoples and seeking the guarantee of proportional representation in every state apparatus.