[AIMSA "Unity in Diversity"] Fwd: Tarai stir victims yet to be compensated

Tarai stir victims yet to be compensated

RENU KSHETRY

KATHMANDU, Nov 13 - Even 11 months after the Nepali Congress-led government signed the agreement with the Madheshi parties to compensate victims of the 2007 Tarai unrest, the issue remains only partly resolved, thanks to the government's failure to define the criteria for compensation and lack of clarity in the division of work between the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction.

There is more than one theory to explain the government's apathy. According to one school of thought, the Tarai-based parties have not pushed for results because many of the victims are Pahadi (or hill people) but based in the Tarai. The other theory is that successive governments have been led by political parties with a strong Pahadi bias -- NC in the past and now the CPN (Maoist).

Central member of the Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) Upendra Jha says the government is biased against the Madheshis but there is more to it than that. Following a Cabinet decision last year, the government provided Rs 1 million each to the families of 38 of the 55 who lost their lives during the movement. 

The government has set certain criteria for providing relief and compensation under various titles to victims of the 10-year-long conflict, with the Peace Ministry and Home Ministry being the authorities concerned for providing compensation. While earlier the Home Ministry used to look into demands for compensations for conflict victims, the Peace Ministry is now the authority concerned.

One of two compensation funds --concerning damage sustained during bandas since June 2007-- is handled by the Home Ministry and the other, concerned with damage

sustained during the April

elections, by the Peace Ministry.

But none of the funds takes care of Tarai victims of the 2007 movement. Every day the Home Ministry receives around 8-10 inquiries for compensation and relief. Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Janardan Sharma says that regardless of the criteria, the government will compensate the victims. "As soon as the budget is released, the [Peace] Ministry will distribute the funds as per the agreement reached with the Madheshi parties on Falgun [on Feb. 23, 2008]."

The 22-point accord between the government and MJF and the eight-point agreement between the government and the Joint Democratic Madheshi Front reached on Aug. 30, 2007 and Feb. 23, 2008, respectively, speak of commitment to compensating those who lost their lives during the Tarai movement.

Home Ministry record shows that some 325 houses and shops in six VDCs were destroyed, with 155 vehicles torched. In a major incident, 28 people were killed when the MJF and Maoist cadres clashed in March 2007.

"Most of the political agreements are reached only to address immediate problems," says analyst Krishna Khanal, "The government should implement them without having to wait endlessly."

If the government keeps signing agreements but fails to implement them, it could led to a crisis of confidence, says Khanal.

"Rather than squarely blaming the government for its inefficiency in delivering on promises, the Madheshi parties and leaders in the government should take the initiative to resolve the crisis.

"If the parties continue to ignore the issue of compensation, it could lead to a crisis beyond government control," says Khanal.

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Regards
Md Nouman Siddiqui
"HAR DIL AZIZ SAF DIL NOUMAN"

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