Two prominent Tharu leaders – Laxman Tharu and Raj Kumar Lekhi – told a press conference that they are open to dialogue only with the "master", Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and not with "servant" Janardan Sharma, who is the Minister for Peace and Reconstruction. Sharma had led the government team during the last three rounds of talks, which ended in deadlock late Friday night. [break]
"There is no logic to participate in the talks just for tea. Both Laxman-ji and I are not too fond of tea."
Raj Kumar Lekhi
Raj Kumar Lekhi
"Until yesterday, the government didn´t seem to be responsible and it came without enough homework," said Laxman Tharu of the Tharuhat Samyukta Sangharsha Samiti (Tharuhat Joint Struggle Committee). "Yesterday´s talks should have been the final."
Lekhi said the Peace Minister Sharma called the Prime Minister about ten times to get the government view on a word, apparently referring to "Madhes". "There is no logic to participate in the talks just for tea," said Lekhi. "Both Laxman-ji and I are not too fond of tea."
Two Tharu protesters were killed in police firing around last mid-night in Dang district. With this, five people – four protesters and a policeman – have died in the 13 days of agitation.
Friday´s talks were deadlocked after the Tharu negotiators insisted on replacing the term "Madhes" with "Tarai", while the government negotiators said it could be replaced only with "Tarai-Madhes" or "Madhes-Tarai". Among other Tharu demands are ensuring proportional representation of in the public service jobs on the basis of ethnic population, declaring all those killed in the two-week long agitation as martyrs, treatment to the injured and end to government repression of Tharu protests, among others.
"We can´t trust many in this country. Let´s see if the executive head of the country (prime minister) will listen to us."
Laxman Tharu
Laxman Tharu
Lekhi also sought apology from seven main parties for turning the "Tarai" into "Madhes". "There is no logic of Madhesi parties´ warning of resorting to strikes (against Tharu demands)," said Lekhi. "There are Nepalis in Delhi. Can Delhi be renamed ´Nepal´." He claimed that forefathers of the present-day Madhesis had entered to Nepal from India about one-and-half to two centuries ago. "Himal, Pahad and Tarai will be in flames unless the government fulfills our demands," he warned.
Maoist commander-turned-Tharu activist Laxman Tharu said the Tharus have stopped trusting many in the country. "We can´t trust many in this country," he said. "Let´s see if the executive head of the country (prime minister) will listen to us. If he doesn´t give a response to our demands by tonight, we will start an indefinite strike from tomorrow."
tilak@myrepublica.com
