Youth line up to form 100 to mark 100th day of Madhes protest

KATHMANDU, Nov 23: Youths marked the 100th day of Madhes protest by forming human structure of 100 in various districts of Tarai on Monday. This is the longest ever protest duration staged in the country’s history.

Event coordinator Khusboo Gupta of Madhesi Youth, the organization that coordinated the event, informed that such events were organized in Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Dhanusha, Makwanpur, and Sunsari districts.

“This event remains aloof from political party’s protest. It represents independent voices of youths,” she said.
In Parsa, youths formed the human structure of 100 at Ghantaghar chowk in Birgunj. Through such program, they attempt to show their concerns over the government’s indifference towards agitating Madhesis, informed Aashu Sarraf, one of youths involved in organizing the program. “This is an independent program that represents collective effort of youths,” he said.
Similar event was organized at BP Chowk of Gaur in Rautahat district, according to Prabha Singh. The program was also organized at the premises of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) in Dharan, Janaki Temple in Janakpur, and Kalaiya, Simara and Jeetpur of Bara.
Ramgyan Yadav, a medical student and practitioner at BPKIHS said that the participant doctors also lit candles to write-out the number ‘100’ and stood together for a moment of silence.
Meanwhile, leaders and cadres of United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) also observed the silence at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu and in various parts of Tarai region to pay homage to those who lost their lives during the 100 days of demonstrations.
Upendra Yadav, Hridyesh Tripathi, Laxman Lal Karn and Mahendra Ray Yadav of four Madhes based political parties-- Federal Socialist Forum Nepal, Tarai-Madhes Democratic Party, Sadbhawana Party and Tarai-Madhesh Sadbhawana Party, among others were present at the event.
During these 100 days, 39 civilians and 9 security personnel have been killed in eight districts of Tarai-- Kailali, Bardiya, Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Mahottari, Dhanusha and Saptari. Out of these five civilians-- two in Birgunj and three in Saptari -- were killed in police firing in the post-constitution promulgation demonstrations. These agitators from Madhesi and Tharu communities are demanding amendments in the new constitution promulgated on September 20, 2015.
According to the agitators, they want to see the constitution amended based on the 22-point and eight-point agreements signed between the state and UDMF in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Agitating Madhes based parties allege that the three major political parties - CPN-UML, Nepali Congress and UCPN (Maoist) excluded core agreements of the past two movements.
They claim that the current movement is not for new demands. They articulate these demands in four key points-electoral constituencies based on population, proportional representation of Madhesis in government bodies, identity-based provincial demarcation and equal citizenship rights provision for women marrying Nepali men. Besides, they also want amendment of controversial provisions in the constitution.
The 100-day-long movement has already dealt with two governments. Around a dozen attempts of formal and informal talks between the government and agitating Madhesi parties have made no headway.
Sources claim that the government and three key political parties agreed to fulfill their demands except revision of provincial boundaries in Tarai. However, creation of two provinces in Tarai region has become the bottom-line of agitators but the government has been dillydallying over this demand, the source claimed.
General Secretary Manish Suman of Sadhbhwana Party said that with the overwhelming participation by people, the ongoing Madhes protest has turned into people’s movement in Madhes. The Madhesi parties’ demands are no more of the parties. People have owned it.
Twitter users organize morning rally
A group of twitteratis on Monday staged a morning rally from Basantpur to Baneshwar to mount pressure on the government and agitating Madhesi parties to resolve the current crisis.
The rally coordinated by Lenin Banjade saw significant participation of twitter users. Following the rally, photos and comments from attendees were posted on social media including twitter under the hashtag #100DaysOfSuffering.
“I urge all the twitteratis to tone down their tweets and posts on social media. It is high time to feed moderate voices in order to create social harmony in the country,” said Banjade, expressing apology for extreme tweets in the past.