"Tamu Dhee Association UK wholeheartedly supports the recent political changes in Nepal that was achieved through a popular peoples' movement. We salute the people of Nepal who so courageously stood up against the autocratic rulers and successfully fought for a democratic and peaceful Nepal. We also welcome the recent declaration of Nepal as a secular nation instead of being the only Hindu kingdom in the world. The interim government being formed will now hold a Constitutional Assembly (CA) election. The CA will then draft a new constitution of a new Nepal. TamuDhee Association UK, for and on behalf of all Jana-Jatis (Indigenous Peoples) living abroad, and in solidarity with the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NFIN), hereby put forward the following demands for inclusion in the forthcoming constitution of Nepal:
1. Establish an inclusive/participatory democracy; full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) at all level of decision making processes.
2. Make equitable representation of IPs in the CA.
3. Provision of linguistic rights and, make arrangement for education in mother tongue up to a certain level of schooling. Also to ensure that the tradition, culture and religion practised by the IPs be respected by all.
4. Make provision of granting dual nationalities to all Non-resident Nepalese.
5. Ensure equitable, transparent and effective system of preferential treatment in employment opportunities for IPs to increase their employability: provision of reservations in education, civil services and other sectors for employment.
6. Reinstatement rights of IPs over their ancestral land and natural resources.
7. Provide citizenship certificates who have not yet been granted one.
8. Provision of a law that helps scrap the existing discrimination against IPs on the basis of their religion, culture and caste thereby creating a multi-racial and multi-cultural society in the new Nepal.
We sincerely hope that a sustainable peace will be achieved through a national consensus soon."
