KATHMANDU: The Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF) and Tharuhat Joint Struggle Committee (TJSC) today reached a five-point agreement to launch a joint movement for a single “territorial autonomy” for the entire Tarai-Madhes.

MJF president Upendra Yadav and a member of the presidium of the TJSC Laxman Tharu, issued a joint press statement to ensure “single autonomous Pradesh in the new constitution”. MJF co-president JP Gupta said the name of the single plain region and its provincial capital would be decided upon after a mutual understanding.

“We will unite and stand together for the cause of “national liberation movement” which will empower the ethnic and indigenous people of both the hills and plains,” Yadav said at a joint press conference here. The MJF and the agitating faction of the TJSC came together after the Constituent Assembly Committee on State Restructuring and Distribution of State Power came up with 14 federal units, two of them in Tarai and Madhes with a buffer Pradesh in Chitwan, last week.

“Territorial autonomy is the primary issue,” Yadav said, adding: “Its name and capital is secondary.”

Yadav and Tharu urged the government to implement past agreements reached with the MJF and TJSC and other ethnic groups.

Both the leaders also accused the three big parties - UCPN-Maoist, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML - of carving out the 14 federal units with a view to dividing the country's southern plains into three units. “The proposed Pradeshes in the plains have been carved out in such a way that they would not be able to merge in the future even if they desire so,” Gupta said. Tharu said they would not stand divided and the joint movement would be a decisive one to ensure their rights.

According to the statement, besides the demand of a “single autonomy for the plains” both have demanded that proportional inclusive representation be insured on ethnic/community basis in the state affairs.

Both the sides have also agreed to launch a joint movement for a fully-proportional election system. They have demanded that the reference of Tharuhat Movement should also be incorporated in the preamble of the new constitution along with the Mahdes Movement.

Both the sides have also announced the dates of “peaceful rallies” in major urban centres of the plain region to press with their five-point charter of demands.