Kathmandu, January 18:

Indigenous leaders today expressed dissatisfaction over the representation of indigenous nationalities in Legislative Parliament.

Speaking at a programme, Tek Bahadur Sunuwar, vice president of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities, said the issues of indigenous nationalities raised by the NEFIN had been sidelined by taking some handpicked individuals into the legislature.

“The interim constitution is silent about the issues of regional and ethnic autonomy,” he said.

He said the interim constitution was also silent on the federalism issue. He said an agitation to protest the interim statute would be announced tomorrow.

Dr Om Gurung said the interim legislature was formed without taking into account the rights of the indigenous people. Academician Bairagi Kaila said Jana Andolan II had given hope to the indigenous people but the parties had belied those hopes.