People's Caravan (JANAYATRA) for Establishing People's Rights over Natural Resources in Nepal

The natural resources' distribution policies in Nepal are anti-poor. Some example can easily be drawn from the case of land and forest. Most of the Nepalese peasants, who derived their livelihood wholly and solely by selling their labor are deprived of their rights to land. Dalits, Janajati and landless people who work on landlords' land have neither land nor food and shelter. They also do not have the rights on forest and water. Top five percent of the populations have captured the 37 percent of agricultural land. 24 percent poor are tilling others' land. The productive Tarai forest is under the direct management of government although Tarai people are in favor of community forestry. Government is taking revenue from community forest. Local people have been prohibited from taking basic forest products from conservation areas for sustaining their livelihoods. But the process of extending the conservation area is continued. The rights of citizens on irrigation, electricity and drinking water are being undermined and hurriedly given to private hands. In this way, natural resources are being out from poor and marginalized Nepalese. We hold strong reservation on such anti-poor policies.

Nepal has passed its 238 years under the direct and indirect rule of autocratic monarch. Distributions of power and natural resources have been inequitable. Political participation and leadership of poor, dalits, women, Madheshi, janajati and other marginalized groups is very low. People's movement-2062/063 against the autocratic monarchy had aimed to change the all injustice relations. It further aims to determine the future of Nepal in general and the marginalized groups in particular through constituent assembly, which is said to be held on November 22, 2007. Therefore, meaningful participation of marginalized groups is crucial.

Movement of JANAYATRAis of poor, dalits, women, Madheshi, janajati and other marginalized groups affected from the present feudalism. The participants of JANAYATRA will be the representatives of groups and community that have been deprived of their rights. JANAYATRA is one of the important ways of putting their demands on constituent assembly for changing power relation and justifiable political participation and resource distribution. JANAYATRA will increase the debate on constituent assembly and will create the supportive force that ultimately will help to end monarchy and establish a democratic republic Nepal.

In this connection different Civil Society Organizations are going to organized a people's caravan in order to empower marginalized and underprivileged community for their meaningful participation in coming constituent assembly and establishing their rights over natural resources.