In a joint memorandum submitted to the top leaders of the major parties, including Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, during a meeting called by Speaker Subas Nembang, five Madhes-based political parties that constitute the UDMF argued that decisions taken by major three parties alone would not represent ´national consensus´.[break]
"The consensus reached among the Maoists, NC and the UML bypassing UDMF can not make national consensus. Be mindful of this," reads the memorandum.
The parties that submitted the memorandum to the government include Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic, Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Republican, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party, Sadbhawana Party and Tarai Madhes Democratic Party-Nepal.
The Madhes-based parties have cautioned the government not to take any decision with long-term ramifications as the current government enjoys only a ´caretaker status´ following the five-point deal reached before the extension of the term of Constituent Assembly (CA) on May 28. They reminded Prime Minister Khanal that he has already signed an agreement to step down and paving way for a national consensus government.
In the 15-point memorandum, the Madhesi parties have asked the government to ensure proportional representation of all the parties in the constitutional bodies. Likewise, they have asked the government to give due priority to bureaucrats of Madhesi origin in the promotion and appointments to the posts of government secretaries, Chief District Officers and ambassadors.
The parties have also asked the government to immediately table a bill that would make government services inclusive of all groups of people in the parliament. They have asked the government to amend some drawbacks in the previous bill to ensure proportional representation of all groups of people in the government service.
The alliance of Madhes-based parties also alleged that Special Security Plan in Madhes had only promoted extra-judicial killings and that hundreds of Madhesi youths have been put behind bars under false cases. They have asked the government to withdraw all such cases filed in course of Madhes movement and put a stop to extra-judicial killings in the name of Special Security Plan.
The Madhesi parties claimed that 128 Madhesis lost their lives to extra-judicial killings and a total 790 have been put behind bars. They have also sought amnesty for the members of armed outfits operating in Tarai in order to hold meaningful dialogues with them.
Among other things, the Madhesi parties have also strongly objected the move of the government to recall ambassadors at the whims of an individual minister and urged the government to revoke decision to impose customs on the purchase of goods worth just Rs 100 on the other side of the border.
Related story
UML warns govt against making any key decisions, appointments
-1200x560-1774606010.webp)
-1200x560-1783685616.webp)
