KATHMANDU, April 14: Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN), the umbrella organization of indigenous peoples across the country, has said that it will push the issue of Constituent Assembly (CA) revival during its upcoming national convention.
NEFIN has called its 8th national convention for May 11 in Chitwan. “We will forcefully raise the issue of CA revival as elections for a new CA are not likely to be held even in the next three or four years because of the four major political entities--UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF),” NEFIN President Raj Kumar Lekhi told Republica. [break]
He argued that CA revival will be a shortcut to promulgating a new constitution. “The CA should be revived for one to two months to promulgate a new constitution as most of the issues of the new statute have already been settled during the erstwhile CA,” Lekhi added.
Asked if they would boycott the CA polls at a time when the Interim Election Council has been formed for holding such polls, Lekhi claimed, “It is impossible to conduct polls within a couple of years because the major political parties do not want that to happen.”
He maintained that the major political parties would ask for the resignation of Interim Election Council Chairman Khil Raj Regmi after five or six months. “And, the president will yet again call on all political parties to form a national consensus government,” Lekhi added.
He stated that they will also raise the issues of proportional representation, formation of an ethnic-based federal republic, secularism and inclusiveness more strongly from their national convention.
According to indigenous leaders, a three-day national convention will elect new leaders for a three-year tenure for the NEFIN federal council secretariat, a 14-member executive body.
“Chandra Bikram Rai, who is also a central committee member of the Federal Socialist Party, Nagendra Kumal and Naresh Tamrakar are major contenders for the post of president,” said a leader on condition of anonymity. Rai represents the majority group in NEFIN while Kumal represents a minority group.
Leaders of the minority groups including Kumals, Rajbanshis and Dhimals have termed Rai a candidate of the G-8 (Magar, Tharu, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Gurung, Sherpa and Newar).
Sources claimed that NEFIN General Secretary Ang Kaji Sherpa is lobbying for Rai while Lekhi is in favor of Kumal.
However, Sherpa said that they just wanted to elect a new president unanimously. “There are no such groups in NEFIN as it is an organization of all indigenous peoples,” stated Sherpa, adding, “This is a conspiracy to cause divisions in NEFIN, which has stood intact so far.”
According to indigenous leaders, the three-day national convention will also formulate NEFIN programs and policies for the next three years. Likewise, the national convention will review how and why the erstwhile Constituent Assembly (CA) was dissolved and will take a common stance regarding the issue.
Altogether 500 indigenous leaders will attend the general convention. Vice-president Parmananda Jha is scheduled to inaugurate it.
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