KATHMANDU, May 24: The United Democratic Tharu Front (UDTF), an alliance of Tharu lawmakers and organizations, has said that it will continue its indefinite general strike in the Tarai districts.
Organizing a press conference in the capital Thursday, UDTF Coordinator Surendra Tharu said they have not called off their general strike although the government signed 9-point and 10-point agreements with Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (Nefin) and Tharu United Struggle Committee, respectively.
“None of the agreements has addressed our concerns. So, we will continue our indefinite general strike across Tarai districts enforced from May 3,” Tharu added.
He said that both the 9-point and 10-point agreements are silent on their major demand -- an undivided Tharuhat province with preferential political rights and the right to self-determination.
“What we want is that none of the Tharuhat/Tarai districts should be merged into provinces of the hill or mountain regions, but both the agreements are silent about this concern,” Tharu maintained.
He also said that the government has failed to address the issue of the bill on inclusion as the Tharu alliance has demanded to endorse private-member bill on inclusion registered by Madhesi lawmakers in consent with indigenous peoples.
Tharu said the government alone cannot address their demands so they would sit for talks with the government in the presence of CA chairman and top leaders of the three major political parties.
The alliance has also demanded that those killed in the Tharuhat movement should be declared martyrs and Tharu people should have representation in all state structures.
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