Kathmandu, January 24:

The fourth Kathmandu district conference of Newa Rastriya Mukti Morcha-Nepal (NRMM-N) demanded the Constituent Assembly to declare Kathmandu Valley as a separate Newa Autonomous State.

Addressing the conference, law minister Dev Gurung said the Kathmandu valley should be declared as a Newar state, as it has a majority of Newar population.

He said the indigenous people were compelled to remain socially, politically, economically and

culturally backward by the Khas people.

He said the indigenous nationalities were forced to live as internal refugees within their own country.

He said the Maoists forwarded the caste-based federal structure of the country to address the sentiments of the indigenous and ethnic people. He said it was because of the geography-based division of regions by former rulers that conflicts arose and the country was on the verge of partition.

He suggested the Morcha to struggle for the socio-political and economic rights of the Newars through the establishment of a Newa Autonomous State with right to self-determination.

Malla K Sundar, president of Newa Deya Daboo, said they have formed a Joint Action Committee for Newa Autonomous State to secure the rights of Newars during the state reconstructing process. He said most of prominent political parties were positive about their demand.

Constituent Assembly member and Morcha’s president Hitman Shakya said that Newari language should be used as the official language in the Valley. He also said that

his party would launch a political movement to secure rights of the Newars in the valley.