Kathmandu, April 21

Leaders associated with the Federal Alliance today told the representatives of diplomatic missions based in the capital that their new programmes of protest would be peaceful, non-violent and democratic.

Alliance leaders, who met the diplomatic corps today at an interaction organised by the alliance in Kathmandu, have announced that they would launch another movement in a few days.

Chair of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Upendra Yadav read out a written speech at the interaction and Chair of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party Mahantha Thakur responded to queries of the representatives of diplomatic missions, according to Chair of Nepal Sadbhawana Party Anil Kumar Jha, who was present in the meeting.

Sadbhawana Party Chair Rajendra Mahato said the alliance told the diplomatic corps that it was protesting against the constitution, as it didn’t honour the eight-point agreement signed between the government and the United Democratic Madhesi Front and 22-point agreement signed between the government and Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Nepal in the past.

Mahato said the alliance told the representatives of diplomatic mission that it was protesting against the new constitution because the statute did not ensure Madhes and Tharuhat provinces in the Tarai.

New constitution, Mahato added, curtailed people’s rights that had already been ensured in the Interim Constitution of Nepal.

According to Mahato, the alliance leaders also told the diplomats that new constitution was discriminatory against women as far as transferring nationality to their children was concerned.

They said the new constitution did not honour the principle of representation by population in the Lower House and the Upper House.

Mahato said the alliance also drew attention of the international community to serious human rights violation committed by the state during Madhes agitation.

According to Jha, the representatives of the diplomatic missions wanted to know from the alliance leaders whether or not their movement would be peaceful. They also asked the alliance leaders for how long and where all they would hold their protest programmes.

Brazil’s Ambassador to Nepal Maria Teresa Mesquita Peassoa said she wanted to know from the alliance leaders what was their perspective on the implementation of federalism in the country.

She asked that question, as Brazil is a member of forum of federation. She, however, said she did not get clear answers from the alliance leaders. Ambassador Peassoa said the diplomatic corps was told that their agitation would be peaceful, non-violent and democratic.

Ambassadors of France, China and Brazil were among the representatives of diplomatic community who attended the meeting.

Representatives of other diplomatic missions, including the representatives of the United Nations and the European Union, were also present in the meeting.

Twelve leaders associated with Federal Alliance, including Mahato, Jha, Upendra Yadav, Mahantha Thakur, Sharat Singh Bhandari, Mahendra Ray Yadav, Kumar Lingden and Bhanuram Tharu attended the interaction with the representatives of diplomatic mission.

According to a source, the alliance also told the diplomatic corps that the first amendment to the constitution did not address the issue of Madhesis, women or other marginalised group. “It was done merely to please the international community.

These amendments were made without consulting the Madhesi group or political parties,” the alliance stated in its note for the diplomatic community.

The alliance leaders added that the PM intimidated NHRC and its member Mohna Ansari for stating the rights body’s position at a meeting in Geneva recently.