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"as the group peacefully marched towards the UN
Office in Kathmandu to present the Memorandum of Appeal, police
arrested 28 people and detained them for a whole day."
Sumitra Gurung
As per the schedule "to protest against caste
discrimination" on July 3 across the world, National
Preparatory Committee, Nepal (NPC) together with several Dalit
Organisations organised a protest rally outside the UN Office in
Kathmandu and to give Memorandum of Appeal to the UN Resident
Representative. Police stopped and dispersed the group from
rallying outside the UN building and the rally had to be
reconvened away from the location of UN building site. Signatory
campaign was launched against caste based discrimination.
Following some speeches by prominent people including Members
of Parliament that demanded voices to be heard on Dalit issues,
slogans, and display of placards, as the 200-strong group
peacefully marched towards the UN Office to present the
Memorandum of Appeal police arrested 28 people and detained them
whole day. Among the detained, two were from the Asia Pacific
Steering Committee (Padam Lal Bishwakarma and Durga Sob), two
were from National Preparatory Committee (Bal Krishna Mabuhang,
Malla K Sundar), one was the Convener of the National Dalit NGO
Preparatory Committee for WCAR (NDNPC) Mr. D.B. Sagar, and two
were Dalit Members of Parliament (Rishi Babu Pariyar and Bijul
Kumar Biswakarma of the ruling party).
Police blocked the protest rally from proceeding to UN
building. Some members of the NPC were also manhandled by a woman
Sub-Inspector of Police. The placards/banner displayed the
following statements:
BREAK THE SILENCE ON CASTE DISCRIMINATION!
CASTE BASED DISCRIMINATION UNTOUCHABLE - SHAME!
WHY CASTE IS UNTOUCHABLE IN WCAR?
DALIT RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS!
DALITS WANT FREEDOM!
Peace march or protest rally, all are prohibited in Nepal now.
All discriminated stood together in solidarity.
The NDNPC was supposed to submit its report that day in
conformity with the Asia Pacific NGO Network in which Bangladesh,
India, Sri Lanka, Japan, Pakistan and Nepal will collectively
address the issue of Caste discrimination. Now, Government is
reacting with a new regulation like a black law which purposely
stopped us from presenting our most genuine issue at UN.
Posted on 2001-07-18
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