Kathmandu, 20 March.
On Monday, an interaction program on "State's readiness and future course of action for ending racial discrimination" was organized in Kathmandu on the occasion of "58th International Day for the Elimination of Racial & Caste-based Discrimination by Jagran Media Center’’.
Senior advocate Mr. Mohan lal Acharya presented a working paper on "the legal provisions against caste-based discrimination and untouchability: achievements, challenges and opportunities". While presenting the paper, Advocate Acharya emphasized that all roles of the state must be effective in ending the centuries-old caste-based discrimination and untouchability that prevailed in Nepal.
The chief guest of the event Mr. Devraj Bishwokarma (chairperson of the National Dalit Commission) said that laws have been set to ensure the rights of Dalits but implementation is not effective as expected and "Dalits are not receiving the rights due to the weakness of Dalit movement for what modality of movement should be reviewed.
Sanju Singh the treasurer of DNF, stated that the government should demonstrate its readiness to implement the laws to end untouchability and celebrate this day as a national festival.
Dr. Yam Kisan an inclusion expert and commentator of the event demanded that the province-level entities of the Dalit commission should be established as per the provision of the constitution with adequate resources. Further, he claimed that Dalits are unable to obtain justice as intended because the established Dalit desk in the police officers are unable to discharge the service due to low incapability of understanding the issue along with carelessness to the domination of the Dalit community.
Chairperson of Jagran Media Center and CA member Ms. Kamala Biswakarma said that it is unjustifiable to settle incidents of caste-based discrimination on agreements of parties rather than legal treatment. Bishwakarma also emphasized that both Dalits and non-Dalit should play effective roles in the elimination of all kinds of discrimination.
Manohar Biswokarma, central president of Jatiya Mukti samaj, said that a lot of movements have succeeded to ensure the rights of subordinated but it is challenging to institutionalize. The constitution has accepted the provision of proportional inclusion in each sphere of state but people have initiated to interpret their own way rather spirit of the constitution.
Deepak Soni, the Secretary of the Nepal Dalit Association, condemned for stating the Dalit Commission as other commissions beyond constitutional commission.
According to Deepak Thapa of the National Human Rights Commission, we need to improve our thinking and behavior in order to end caste-based discrimination and untouchability.
Late speakers stressed the importance of eliminating all forms of discrimination for ensuring the human right and dignity of the larger portion of the population.
The event was chaired by Kamala Bishwakarma, facilitated by Sushil Darnal, and welcomed by Bhim Bishwokarma (ED) of Jagaran media center.
