“I came to Kathmandu for my further studies. When I started to practice law, I also joined NNDSWO. The organization was established in 1982. The primary goal of the organization is to create equal citizens and human beings in the country, a discrimination free society, nation and system,” he states. [break]
He adds, “There are so many incidents in the society that Dalit people are facing. First of all, Dailts are not treated as human beings or equal citizens. I thought about why when human beings are equal the society still discriminates them. People shouldn’t bit discriminate other people.”
He remembers incidents from his student days when he was allowed to drink from a tap only after all his friends had their turns first. Public celebration of festivals meant being on the fringe of the merriment and there was no welcome into someone else’s house. “It was terrible but fortunately during school time I was good in my studies and the children liked me.
Also, the teachers didn’t discriminate me directly,” he says.He points out that Khotang, which is on the eastern part of the country, had less discriminatory practices compared to the rest of the country.
With many discriminatory practices still existing in the society, the organization came to the conclusion that people need to be educated first. And since 1992, they have started education programs focusing on Dalits. Bishwakarma says that educating the people means they can be agents of change and they can change the society, their family and themselves.
“So we have implemented education programs, human rights education program and human rights monitoring programs focusing on caste based discrimination and untouchability. Economic empowerment activities are important because Dalits are mostly very poor, uneducated and marginalized,” he states.
He says that another important realization was that Dalit people need to be in the political process, the democratization process. With that they have started political participation and leadership development activities. “These are helping to develop leadership within the community and grooming the leadership within the community,” says Bishwakarma.
He states firmly that since everybody is equal in dignity and rights, people need to treat each other equally. Encouraging people to work together and commit to making the nation equality based and prosperous, he advices Dalits especially to work hard. “We should gather support from people who are sympathetic to our cause and issues, regardless of whether they are Nepali or a foreigner. It’s not merely a country level issue because it is a case of human rights and hence, a global issue,” he says.
Bishwakarma was featured on “Inspirations: The essence of life”, a personality-based television series presented by Media Gallery and Global Exposition and Management Services in association with Republica. The program is aired on Nepal Television every Wednesday at 10:10pm.
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