KATHMANDU: Indigenous People Mega Front (IPMF) today announced their second phase of agitation demanding a special mechanism to address their agenda in the new constitution.

Dr Krishna Bahadur Bhattachan, secretary, IPMF, said they were protesting to press

the government to

ensure their rights in the new constitution. “We are struggling to preserve our identity,” he said.

Addressing a press conference, he demanded that the government effectively implement the International Labour Convention 169. He, however, welcomed the division of the nation into 14 federal units by State Restructuring and Distribution of State Power Committee but urged the government to remove technical barriers regarding the boundary of the states.

IPMF has urged the Constituent Assembly members representing indigenous communities to gherao the rostrum in both the sessions of the House and the CA.

There are 218 CA members from indigenous communities in the CA. Bhattachan said they would soon form a front nationwide in order to institutionalise their efforts, stressing on rights to self-determination, autonomy and self governance.