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Dalit students going to school in Nepal |
Samjhana Pariyar started at school a few months ago, but she
doesn't enjoy her playground and friends. The six-year-old always wishes
her friends would come and play with her, but up to now it has never
happened.
Samjhana had the bad experience of being scolded by her friends for
not having a nice lunch and a good school dress. But she does not
complain to her mother, as she knows the difficulties her family faces
in not even being able to repair their house, which was damaged last
year.
"It's really difficult for us to stay inside the house during the rain," she said.
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A dalit man busy at his traditional occupation, making clothing. |
"Water always comes here in our bed and in our kitchen. All our
clothes and bedding will be wet, my school dress too. On the rainy days
my mom couldn't manage to make food so we go to sleep with a hungry
stomach on a wet and cold bed."
Samjhana is a representative character of a child from the Dalit
community who has suffered from a caste-based discrimination system and
poverty. The Dalit community, which makes up almost 21 per cent of the
Nepal's population, goes through this kind of experience in their
everyday life.
Most of the Dalit people do not have their own land. One third of the
Dalit population is landless. Most do not have employment - they are
living on the proceeds of traditional occupations such as clothing and
shoe makers. Most can not generate a minimum income from these
occupations, and this kind of work is being replaced by modern
technology. They can't attend school because of poverty, and almost 80
percent of Dalit people are uneducated.
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Dalit women involved in micro-credit savings |
There is little representation of Dalit community in politics. There
are nominal Dalit members in central committee in the major political
parties. Many in the community believe this lack of representation is a
crime, but the issue hasn't come forward. There are different provisions
that prohibit caste discrimination, but they are not truly implemented.
Dalits suffer a result of 'untouchability', although this does not,
by law, exist. At least that is what one might conclude - from reading
the country code of 1963, or the constitution of 1990, or the
declaration of the recalled parliament in May 2006, or the interim
constitution. All these have said that, "No person shall,on the basis of
caste, be discriminated against as untouchable"-or the similar words,
one or the other way."
But the real life experience of the Dalits is the contrary. Dalits
believe that untouchability is only too much alive and that despite
their significant number they continue to suffer from discrimination and
human rights abuses just by reason of their caste. They are not even
allowed to touch the water and use the public utilities.
One of the biggest problems facing the Dalit community is a lack of
awareness among their own community about the laws. Laws have been
poorly implemented and the government regularly fails to prosecute
individuals who are engaged in caste-discrimination and other unequal
treatment.
But at this time, Nepal is in the process of creating a new
constitution by the Constituent Assembly to ensure the rights of every
minority including Dalits, women and indigenous people. There is hope
and a greater opportunity for the Dalit community to raise their voices.
Around 50 representatives from the Dalit community are working on new
constitution so that the caste discrimination will be a history for new
generation.
Tilak Pariyar, one of the Constituent Assembly members from the Dalit
community, says that equal and proportional representation of Dalit
community in every sector is the only solution to encourage dalits to
come forward.
"Dalits should receive special privileges as compensation for the discrimination they have faced," Pariyar said.
"If that happens then Dalits don't need a separate province. Dalits
shouldn't seek their liberation alone, but should seek justice along
with other ethnicities."
But there are always some questions: is it realistic for Dalits to
rely on new constitution? Will it be as much a broken reed as the other
documents?
It is important for Dalits not to expect too much from the new
constitution, but to consider the new constitution a beginning. It is a
framework for a new future, and both legislation and changes on social
attitudes will be required for effective improvement in their situation.
One of the active members of the Dalit movement, Suvash Darnal,
believes it is time for Dalits to make a real mark on the deliberations
of Dalit issues and their rights.
"But for that Dll dalits from community level to activists and
politicians should be unified and should come up with a collective
voice," he said.Bidhya Chapagain and Laxman Darnal visited Radio
Australia as part of the Australian Leadership Award Fellowship Program,
with the assistance of the Asia Pacific Journalism Centre and the
Jagaran Media Centre in Nepal.
pic and article credit to : radioaustralia
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