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FEDERALISM 

DIALOGUES 

Series 5 

PROPOSED 

TAMUWAN 

PROVINCE 

11-13 August, 2010 

Proposed Proposed Tamuwan Kirat Province Province Report Report 

a 

Nepal

Published by : 

Centre for Constitutional Dialogue (CCD) - 2011 

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Disclaimer: These proposed provincial Federalism Dialogue reports have been prepared 

by UNDP/SPCBN/CCD to support a fact-based discussion of the fourteen province proposal 

presented by the Constituent Assembly (CA) Committee on State Restructuring and Division of 

State Powers (CSRDSP) in February 2010. 

Non-Endorsement: The preparation of these Federalism Dialogue reports in no way is intended 

or should be construed to be an endorsement by UNDP or the CCD of this particular proposed 

federal model or any recommendation in Nepal’s on-going debate on its future federal structure. 

b Federalism Dialogues Series 5

FEDERALISM 

DIALOGUES 

Series 5 

PROPOSED 

TAMUWAN 

PROVINCE 

11 -13 August, 2010 

Proposed Tamuwan Province Report 

i

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Map of proposed 14 provinces ....................................................................................................................... iii 

Introductory Note ................................................................................................................................................. 1 

1. General Introduction...................................................................................................................................... 9 

2. Overview of Proposed Tamuwan Province Federalism Dialogue................................................10 

3. Major Issues......................................................................................................................................................12 

4. Introduction to Dialogue............................................................................................................................13 

A. Background 

B. Venue and Date 

C. Participants 

5. Dialogue Proceedings..................................................................................................................................14 

A. Day I 

B. Day II 

C. Day III 

6. Evaluation Summary.....................................................................................................................................27 

7. Recommendations........................................................................................................................................28 

Annexes 

Program Agenda...................................................................................................................................................30 

List of participants................................................................................................................................................32 

Presentation by local resource person..........................................................................................................34 

Group Work Outcomes.......................................................................................................................................40 

Map............................................................................................................................................................................45 

ii Federalism Dialogues Series 5

Baitadi 

Dadeldhura 

Kanchanpur 

Humla 

! 

SIMIKOT 

Darchula 

Khaptad 

Bajhang 

Mugu 

Bajura 

Jadan 

! 

DIPAYAL SILGADHI 

Jumla 

Doti 

Kalikot 

Dolpa 

Achham 

Karnali 

Dailekh 

Jajarkot 

Kailali 

! 

BIRENDRANAGAR 

Rukum 

Surkhet Myagdi 

Bardiya 

Salyan 

Rolpa 

Baglung 

Banke 

Lumbini-Awadh-Tharuwan 

Magrat 

Pyuthan 

Gulmi 

! GHORAHI 

Dang 

Arghakhanchi 

Palpa 

Kapilbastu 

Rupandehi 

As proposed by the Committee 

on State Restructuring and 

the Division of State Power 

Mustang 

Manang 

Tamuwan 

Kaski 

Lamjung 

Gorkha 

Parbat 

Syangja 

TANSEN 

! POKHARA 

Tanahu 

Dhading 

Narayani 

! 

! 

Nawalparasi 

BHARATPUR 

Chitawan 

Rasuwa 

Tamsaling 

Sindhupalchok 

Nuwakot 

Dolakha 

! 

KATHMANDU Kathmandu CHAUTARA 

Solukhumbu 

! 

Newa 

Bhaktapur 

Sankhuwasabha 

Taplejung 

Kavrepalanchok 

Lalitpur 

Ramechhap ! SALLERI 

Makwanpur 

Sunkoshi 

Parsa 

Sindhuli 

! KAMALAMAI 

Bara 

Rautahat 

Sarlahi 

Udayapur 

Sherpa 

Okhaldhunga 

Mithila-Bhojpura-Koch-Madhesh 

Mahottari Dhanusa 

Siraha 

! TRIYUGA 

! JANAKPUR 

Saptari 

Kirat Limbuwan 

Khotang 

Bhojpur 

Terhathum Panchthar 

Dhankuta 

Ilam ! ILAM 

Sunsari 

Morang 

Jhapa 

Proposed Tamuwan Province Report 

iii

iv Federalism Dialogues Series 5

Introductory Note to Nepal’s Federalism 

Dialogues 

March-December 2010 

Under the initiative of the Center for Constitutional Dialogue (CCD) and 

the Civil Society Outreach (CSO) programme of UNDP/Nepal, federalism 

dialogues were held in all of Nepal’s proposed fourteen provinces. The 

main objective of the programme was to organize informed and reasonbased 

dialogue between experts and provincial level stakeholders 

(political party leaders, civil society members, ethnic activists etc.) 

about the concept and global experiences of federalism in general and 

the federal structure for Nepal proposed by the Constituent Assembly 

(CA)’s Committee on State Restructuring and Distribution of State Power 

(CSRDSP), in particular. 

A strength of the programme was that 

participants carried out a critical review 

of CSRDSP’s overall proposal for a federal 

division of Nepal, and also provided specific 

feedback on their own particular provinces. 

At the outset, the experts informed the 

participants about different aspects of 

federalism. The dialogue was organized so 

that the experts presented their lectures in 

four sessions during the first day and a half, 

and the participants shared their thoughts 

during the remaining day and a half. 

Participants’ opinions and considerations 

are largely covered in the subsequent 14 

volumes. This introductory section covers 

the lecture notes, prepared and presented 

by the experts (Prof. Krishna Khanal and Prof. 

Krishna Hachhethu) during the dialogues. 

I. Nepal: Journey towards a 

Federal Path 

I. 1. Understanding federalism 

• A single entity in the global map 

of countries but incorporating the 

existence of two political units, 

each with their separate territory, 

administration and political 

structure. 

• Rule by both the center and the 

provinces. Rule by the province is 

confined to its territory, but rule 

by the center covers the entire 

country. 

Proposed Tamuwan Province Report 1

• A constitutional division of power 

between the center and the 

provinces. 

• Self rule within the provinces and 

shared rule at the center. 

• No unilateral change in the 

rules either by the center or by 

the provinces. Changing the 

rules requires a constitutional 

amendment in which both the 

center and the provinces will have 

a role. 

I. 2. Federal countries are constituted 

by the ‘coming together’ of previously 

independent political units (i.e. USA, 

Switzerland etc) to achieve a common goal, 

or by the ‘holding together’ of earlier subpolitical/administrative 

units (i.e. India, 

Belgium, Spain, Austria etc) to manage social 

diversity. There are altogether 28 federal 

countries in the world. 

I. 3. Logic and rationale for transforming 

Nepal into a federal country 

• Three major reasons why Nepal is 

moving towards a federal path: 

• To address the rising aspirations 

of identity of Nepal’s ethnically, 

linguistically, culturally and 

regionally diverse social groups, 

and to manage the country’s 

diversity. 

• To create a strong foundation 

for democracy by constituting a 

political structure at the provincial 

level. 

• To create political economy units 

for expansion and distribution of 

services to the people. 

I. 4. Transition towards federalism in 

three stages 

Stage 1: Constitutional division 

of power between center and 

provinces; 

Stage 2: Designing new laws 

and amending existing laws to 

implement a federal structure; 

Stage3: Creation of the political 

and administrative structure of the 

provinces. 

I. 5. Possible consequences of heading 

towards a federal path 

• Expansion of the bases of state 

authority to the provincial level to 

address the collective aspirations 

of caste/ethnic groups. 

• Increase in the sense of ownership 

of the state and nation of Nepal. 

• Speed up in economic 

development. 

• Increase in the role of regional 

parties and decrease in the role of 

national parties. 

• Center may remain strong as its 

jurisdiction extends throughout 

the entire country. 

• Possible ethnicization in politics 

and adverse impact on social 

harmony. 

• Possible reduction in the interprovincial 

mobility of citizens. 

• Provincial politics may have 

serious problems of nepotism, 

favoritism and corruption if not 

properly handled. 

• Creating a culture conducive to 

federalism is the most challenging 

task. 

2 Federalism Dialogues Series 5

II. Review of the CA Proposal on 

Federalism in Nepal 

II. 1. 

Federal units constituted 

primarily on the basis of identity 

but most proposed provinces are 

multicultural 

• Identity and capability are the 

two main criteria for constituting 

federal units. Identity in Nepal at 

the time of designing the federal 

units is largely constructed on an 

ethnic and regional basis. 

• Creation of 14 provinces is 

primarily on the basis of identity. 

Names of provinces are primarily 

based on ethnic identity. 

• • Provincial boundaries were 

drawn through deconstruction of 

the present territorial boundaries of 

29 districts (where necessary) and 

the territory reformulated to suit 

the creation of cultural territories. 

However, most provinces appear 

to be multicultural, as shown in 

table below. 

Caste/ Ethnic Status of the 14 Proposed Provinces 

Caste and Ethnicity % 

S. N. Name of Population Area Hill Indigenous Madheshi Other Majority Caste/ Target group 

province 

Sq Km caste People 

ethnicity or 

dominant 

group 

1 Limbuwan 933,000 9,000 34 64 - 1 Hill Caste Limbu (27) 

2 Kirat 896,000 8,000 38 59 - 1 Hill Caste Rai (34) 

3 Sherpa 89,000 5,000 21 78 - 1 Sherpa Sherpa (36) 

4 Mithila- 6,940,000 14,000 15 24 49 12 Madheshi Madheshi (49) 

Bhojpura- 

Koch 

Madhesh 

5 Sunkoshi 699,000 5,000 47 51 2 - Hill Caste Chhetri (26) 

6 Tamsaling 1,419,000 10,000 35 65 - - Hill Caste Tamang (44) 

7 Newa 1,702,000 1,000 40 56 1 2 Hill Caste Newar (36) 

8 Narayani 1,766,000 8,000 54 43 2 1 Hill Caste Brahmin (27) 

9 Tamuwan 571,000 12,000 47 50 2 - Hill Caste Gurung (32) 

10 Magarat 2,012,000 15,000 56 41 2 - Hill Caste Magar (34) 

11 Lumbini- 3,765,000 15,000 33 36 23 8 Hill Caste Tharu (26) 

Awadh- 

Tharuwan 

12 Karnali 987,000 18,000 80 15 - 4 Hill Caste Chhetri (42) 

13 Jadan 48,000 15,000 60 35 - 4 Hill Caste Bhote 

Lama(35) 

14 Khaptad 1,151,000 14,000 95 1 - 3 Hill Caste Chhetri (54) 


II. 2. 

II. 3. 

There was unanimity towards 

adopting a parliamentary system 

at the provincial level 

• Provincial government: Chief 

Minister would be elected by 

provincial legislature. (Committee 

for the Determination of the Form 

of Government). 

• Provincial Legislature: A 

35-member unicameral legislature 

to be elected by a mixed electoral 

system with equal weight to both 

FPTP and PR. Those elected by 

PR should be inclusive of social 

groups (Committee for the Form 

of Legislature). 

• Provincial Judiciary: Appointment 

of Chief Justice and Judges of 

provincial courts by a special 

committee (decided by High Level 

Task Force). 

• Provincial Administration: One 

administrative system but 

recognition of two structures 

(central and provincial) at 

three levels, giving priority in 

recruitment to the people of 

the concerned province/area 

(Committee for the Determination 

of the Form of Government). 

• Two-tiered political/administrative 

structure at the provincial level: 

provincial and local government 

and special structures. 

Division of Power between center, 

province and local government/ 

autonomous regions 

• 30 items under the jurisdiction 

of the center (including defense, 

security and foreign affairs, foreign 

aid and international trade, currency 

and national revenue, central level 

administration, fiscal management, 

and other services etc.). 

II. 4. 

• 28 items under the jurisdiction of 

the province (including provincial 

level administration, fiscal 

management, taxation and other 

services). 

• 27 items under concurrent list 

between the center and the 

province. 


the local government. 


the autonomous area. 

• The CSRDSP’s 

proposal seems to be guided by the 

principle of centralized federalism as 

its proposals provide for: 

1. Residuary power vesting in the 

center. 

2. One constitution, not many 

constitutions. 

3. Power of the center to dissolve 

provincial government and 

legislature. 

4. Subordinate role of Upper House 

(a house of provinces). 

5. Constitutional Court – the final 

body of dispute resolution – under 

central jurisdiction. 

6. A provision of mandatory 

approval by 2/3 majority of central 

legislature for revision of name 

and boundary of province and 

autonomous areas. 

7. Centralized revenue collection 

and distribution system. 

Provisions for self rule are vague 

and ambiguous 

1. Right to self determination is 

granted to indigenous groups, 

indigenous nationalities and 

Madheshis, and is limited to the 


II. 5. 

extent of no right to secede. 

2. Prime political rights at both 

provincial level (non-mandatory) 

and autonomous area level 

(mandatory). 

3. Referendum in case provincial 

legislature’s decision (by twothirds 

majority) to revise the name 

and territory of province is not 

approved (by two-thirds majority) 

by the central legislature. The 

same provision is provided for 

creation of a new province or the 

merger of two and more provinces 

into a single province. 

4. Special structures – Autonomous 

Regions, Special Areas and 

Protected Areas – under 

jurisdiction of provincial laws. 

Provision for decentralized local 

government 

Committee for the Form of Legislature 

decided: 70% of the seats would be 

elected on the basis of MMC electoral 

system with provision of inclusive and 

proportional representation of different 

social groups. For the remaining 30% 

of the seats, a list PR system ensuring 

election of those communities that are 

left out by direct election. 

Committee for the Form of 

Government decided: Executive 

Committee of the local government is 

constituted by: 5-7 members in Village 

Committee; 5-9 members in Municipal 

Committee; and 5-11 members in 

Metropolitan Committee. Direct 

election of Chair and Vice-Chair of the 

local government but nomination of 

members of the executive committee 

of local government on the basis 

of parties’ seats and strength in 

legislative body of local government. 

II. 6. 

Provision is made for special 

structure for tiny minorities 

A. Autonomous areas for tiny 

minorities living in a geographical 

area (22 ethnic autonomous areas 

identified). 

B. Protected areas for most 

marginalized and vulnerable 

groups. 

C. Special areas for most backward areas. 

Political/administrative structure and 

functions of these special areas are yet to 

be designed. Jurisdiction of autonomous 

area is 20 items, including (1) exploration 

and management of mineral resources, 

(2) language, culture, script and religion, 

(3) harnessing and utilization of natural 

resources, and (4) customary courts – 

which are not listed under jurisdiction of 

local government. 

An elected body of an autonomous area 

has rights related to executive, legislative 

and judiciary to the extent that they 

should not contradict the provincial law. 

II. 7. Some points that need to be 

considered are: 

1. Absence of provision of minority 

rights at provincial level. 

2. Inclusive and proportional 

representation and quotas for 

women and Dalits (3% and 5% 

more than the size of the Dalit 

population at the federal and 

provincial levels respectively), and 

their special rights. 

3. A system of sub-provisions for 

large provinces, like Mithila- 

Bhojpura-Koch Madhesh and 

Lumbini-Abadh-Tharuwan. 

4. Framing of local units, including 

Autonomous or Special or 

Protected Areas as one political/ 

electoral/developmental and 


administrative area to avoid dual 

rule in one particular area. 

5. Need for a clear provision 

concerning what extra rights 

an Autonomous or Special or 

Protected Area enjoys over other 

local government units. 

III. New Dimension of Nepali 

Nationalism: Rights of 

Minorities 

III. 1. 

In a country like Nepal, with 

caste/ethnic, linguistic and regional 

diversity, federalism serves nation 

building in the following ways: 

III. 2. 

• Recognition of identity 

• Provincial autonomy 

• Political management of diversity 

• Rights of minorities 

• Learning to live together 

The CA Constitutional Committee defines 

the Nepali nation as a multiethnic, 

multilingual, multicultural society 

in which people are bound together 

with common aspirations and respect 

for the national interest, independence 

and integrity. Nepal is an independent 

sovereign state characterized 

as a republic, secular, inclusive, 

multi-ethnic and oriented towards 

socialism. 

Aspirations of the indigenous 

nationalities and other social groups 

from a federal structure: 

• Identity and autonomy based on 

caste/ethnicity, language, culture 

and region. 

• Constitutional provision for social 

justice and positive discrimination 

to end all kinds of discrimination 

III. 3. 

against ethnic groups, women, 

Dalits, Madheshis and other 

marginalized groups. 

• Reservation for excluded groups 

in proportion to the size of their 

own populations. 

• Inclusive and proportional 

representation of all caste/ethnic 

groups. 

• Right to self determination as a 

fundamental right. 

• Political prime rights. 

• Prime rights for indigenous 

nationalities over land, water and 

forests. 

• Constitutional provision ensuring 

rights as provided by ILO 169, UN 

Declaration and international law. 

• Mother tongue as medium of 

education and also for right to 

information. 

minority groups 

Provisions on the rights of 

The CA refers to minorities as those groups 

that have been discriminated against and 

marginalized by the state. It also includes 

those deprived and marginalized groups 

that are numerically lower in terms of 

caste/ethnicity, language and religion. 

• Positive discrimination: though 

providing equal rights to citizens 

in the application of law and 

distribution of opportunities, the 

state can legally make specific 

provisions for those who are 

backward socially, culturally and 

economically. The groups that 

are identified as being entitled 

to receive benefits from positive 

discrimination are broad and 

vague as they include all groups 

except adult urban citizens. 


• Political prime rights for the 

targeted group for the post of 

chief executive at the provincial 

level and in autonomous regions. 

• Indigenous nationalities are 

entitled to special opportunities 

for the protection and promotion 

of their language and culture, 

and for their development and 

empowerment. 

• Indigenous groups, indigenous 

nationalities and Madheshis have 

the right to self determination. 

So far as rights granted by ILO 

169 are concerned, this applies 

to those peoples who have been 

living in the country since before 

the construction of the present 

territory of Nepal and who have 

been left out of the mainstream of 

development. 

• Discrimination against Dalits 

is a social crime and subject 

to punishment. In addition to 

a provision for reservations, 

affirmative action and inclusive 

proportional representation 

in proportion to size of their 

population, the representation of 

Dalits in the state apparatus will be 

higher by 3% at the central level 

and 5% at provincial level. 

• Concerning women, provisions 

are made for gender equality, 

reservations, affirmative action, 

sexual and maternity rights, 

and inclusive representation at 

all levels of the state apparatus 

in proportion to the size of the 

population. 

• All mother tongues are 

national languages, but for 

the present Nepali alone is the 

official language of the central 

government. In the future, other 

languages may also be recognized 

as official languages of the central 

government provided the Linguistic 

Commission recommends and 

the central legislature approves. 

At provincial and local levels, the 

local languages could also be used 

as official languages. 

• Proposals are of made for 11 

constitutional organizations, some 

of which relate to the excluded 

groups, i.e. a Women’s Commission, 

Dalit Commission, Indigenous 

Nationalities Commission, 

Madheshi Commission, Muslim 

Commission etc. 

IV. Fiscal Federalism 

IV. 1 

Understanding Fiscal Federalism 

• Fiscal federalism includes (1) 

income and expenditure of all the 

three levels of government: central, 

provincial and local; (2) sources of 

their income: self, shared and grants; 

(3) equalization through extraction 

of more revenue from developed 

provinces and distribution of more 

grants to underdeveloped provinces. 

IV. 2. Sources of income 

1. Central government: customs, 

antasulka, VAT, institutional tax 

and fees for different services; 

2. Provincial government: income 

tax, property tax, professional 

tax, malpot, registration fees, 

vehicle tax, entertainment tax, 

advertisement tax, tourist fee, 

agriculture income tax, and other 

service taxes; 

3. Local government/Autonomous 

Area: rent tax, property tax, 

vehicle tax, malpot tiro, tourism, 

advertisement tax, registration 

fees (land/home), and other fees. 

Other income of the three levels of 

the government is shared income, i.e. 


oyalties from natural resources (i.e. 

hydropower, mines, forests etc.) and 

tourism. The proportion of sharing will 

be decided later by law. The present 

state of sharing by local government 

is 50% in hydropower, 30% in tourism, 

5-90% in registration fee (land and 

property), 50% in mines and 10% in 

forests. 

In addition, each of the three 

levels of government receives 

aid and grants, i.e. foreign aid for 

the central government, grants 

from the center to the provinces 

(provincial governments are entitled 

to receive foreign aid directly but 

this requires pre-approval of the 

central government), and grants 

from both center and provinces to 

local governments and autonomous 

areas. The present state of grants to 

local government is 5-8% in annual 

budgetary allocations, and/or 3% of 

total national income. 

IV. 3. Proposal for centralized revenue 

collection and distribution system 

The central government earns more 

than provincial governments. The figure 

for national revenue and its sector-wise 

distribution is: VAT: 30%, institutional 

tax: 18%, commodity tax from foreign 

trade: 17%, and Antasulka: 9%. As all 

these sources of income fall under the 

jurisdiction of the central government, 

more than three-fourths of the total 

national revenue goes to the central 

government treasury. In addition, foreign 

aid, which contributes around 25% of 

total budget and more than 50% of the 

development budget, also falls under the 

earnings of the central government. 

So a centralized revenue collection 

system is likely to be a characteristic 

of Nepali federalism. This is also 

true in Australia, where the central 

government earns 69 % of national 

revenue. Canada provides a different 

model – a decentralized revenue 

collection system – in which about 

55% of the national revenue is earned 

by provincial and local governments. 

Germany and Belgium give another 

different model – a system of 

centralized revenue collection but 

decentralized distribution. 

Centralization of distribution is likely 

to be a feature of Nepali federalism 

because at present the contribution 

of local government to total national 

income is only 5%. 

IV. 4. Principles of equalization 

• The proposed 14 provinces 

are asymmetric in their levels of 

development. 85% of national 

revenue is collected from 7 out of the 

total 75 districts, and the remaining 

15% is collected from the other 68 

districts. 45 districts (60% of the total 

of 75 districts) are unable to generate 

sufficient revenue to finance their 

total expenditures. 

To ensure economic equalization of 

the provinces over time, the model 

of federalism in Nepal should be 

cooperative and interdependent at 

both levels, with (1) a vertical relation 

between the center and provinces, 

and (2) horizontal relations among 

the provinces. Taking into account the 

imbalanced economic development 

among the proposed provinces, 

there should be provisions to extract 

more from developed provinces 

and distribute more to the least 

developed provinces, and to provide 

unequal distribution of grants in favor 

of the least developed provinces. 

The question of economic equalization 

is taken up by different mechanisms – 

by an independent expert commission 

in India, by an intergovernmental 

council in Pakistan, by the federal 

legislature in the USA and by the federal 

government in Canada. 


1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION 

Nepal is in a transitional phase, moving from a preexisting unitary form of 

governance to a federal structure. The Committee on State Restructuring 

and Distribution of State Power (CSRDSP) of the Constituent Assembly 

(CA) has published a report recommending a federal structure 

comprised of 14 provinces. However, the general public as well as the 

people involved in the political movement, the ethnic movement and 

others are still not clear about federalism, its opportunities, challenges, 

functioning and implementation. Recognizing the need for discussion 

on federalism throughout the country, the Center for Constitutional 

Dialogue (CCD), in collaboration with UNDP’s Civil Society Outreach/ 

Support to Participatory Constitution Building in Nepal (CSO/SPCBN) 

initiative, initiated a series of fourteen federalism workshops, one in 

each proposed province, between March and December 2010. 

The primary objectives of the workshops were 

to share fact-based information, initiate local 

discussions and seek recommendations with 

district representatives, local political party 

cadre, civil society leaders, marginalized 

people and local government concerning 

the following aspects of federalism: 

• forms and structures by which 

federalism may be designed; 

• proposed powers of provinces, 

autonomous regions and local 

governments; 

• individual and collective minority 

rights, fiscal federalism, indigenous 

rights; 

• relationships among central, 

provincial, autonomous regions and 

local governments; 

• the CSRDSP’ preliminary draft and 

report; and 

• practical problems and challenges in 

implementing the federal structure. 


2. OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSED TAMUWAN 

PROVINCE FEDERALISM DIALOGUE 

The fifth Federalism Dialogue was held in Pokhara, capital of proposed 

Tamuwan province, from 14 May to 16 May 2010. The participants 

were from all parts of the proposed Tamuwan territory, including the 

Himalayan districts (Manang and Mustang) and hill districts (Kaski, 

Lamjung, Dhading, and Gorkha). Both the Hindu castes (Hill Brahmin, 

Chhetri and Dalit) and the major ethnic groups (Gurung, Magar and 

Newar) were represented. The participants came from different walks of 

life, and included local party leaders, ethnic, Dalit and women activists, 

and members of civil society. 

The Tamuwan dialogue was significant in 

many aspects. 

Informed Debate: Participants had not 

read or studied the report of the CA CSRDSP. 

Their primary sources of knowledge were, 

as noted by the participants of previous 

Federalism Dialogues, limited to the claims 

of ethnic organizations, party propaganda 

and/or media reporting. The participants felt 

the three day Dialogue was significant for: 

(a) enabling them to acquire a much greater 

degree of information about the proposed 

federal structure, and Tamuwan province in 

particular, (b) assembling influential people 

from different castes and ethnicities and 

political parties living in different parts of the 

proposed territory of Tamuwan to discuss, 

debate, and interact on several critical 

issues of federalism, i.e., autonomy, right to 

self determination, minority rights, and (c) 

creating a positive mindset to live together 

under the new federal political structure. 

Consensus Building: Discussion began 

with differences of opinion on the name and 

territory of the proposed Tamuwan province. 

Some participants, particularly from hill 

Hindu high castes and Dalits, objected to 

the name Tamuwan since it is associated 

with the identity of Gurung ethnicity. 

This represented, in a larger context, their 

opposition to “caste/ethnic based federalism”. 

They argued that ethnic federalism would 

have a negative impact on social harmony, 

national unity and integration. The Janjati 

participants also (mis)understood that the 

CSRDSP had adopted the principle of ethnic 

federalism. Partially because of the resource 

persons’ explanations that the proposed 

provinces were not designed in line with 

ethnic federalism and mainly because of 

the agreement to remove the claims of 

political prime rights (e.g., by Gurung in 

Tamuwan), the participants agreed to frame 

federal units on the basis of ethnic identity. 

Eventually, they endorsed the name of the 

province, Tamuwan, as well. This consensus 

sends a larger message that compromise 

can be achieved to mutually retain an ethnic 

provincial name and withdraw the provision 


of political prime rights. The dispute on the 

territory of Tamuwan, however, remains 

unresolved as the CSRDSP boundary (138 

VDCs, including two municipalities, in 6 

districts) is much less than the historical claim 

for Tamuwan as a land located between the 

Kali Gandaki and the Budi Gandaki which 

encompasses eight hill districts (Gorkha, 

Tanahu, Syangja, Lamjung, Kaski, Parbat, 

Manang and Mustang). 

Natural Resources and Economic Prosperity: 

Participants were excited by the bright 

economic future for Tamuwan. They listed 

many natural resources, i.e. rivers, lakes, streams, 

mountain, caves, land, mines, and herbs in 

the province. They included other sources of 

income and development such as historical 

monuments, tourism, hydro power, factories, 

horticulture, pastureland, and conservation 

activities. After hearing the actual and potential 

economic prospects of this province, one of 

the Magar participants, who has land in both 

Magarat and Tamuwan, said he was tempted to 

settle permanently in Tamuwan. 

A Self-Reliant Province: Participants sought 

to ensure that Tamuwan province will be a 

self-reliant unit while understanding that 

interdependence among the provinces is an 

essential ingredient of federal structure. They 

identified specific risks on inter-provincial 

relation on two areas: territorial disputes 

(many VDCs of Gorkha, Kaski and Lamjung 

have been placed in Narayani province) and 

over the sharing of natural resources. 

For Decentralized Federalism: Through 

their interaction with the resource persons 

and discussion among themselves, 

participants learned that the division of power 

between center and province approved by 

the CSRDSP report provides greater power to 

the center. They strongly recommended that 

this be reversed and stressed that they also 

preferred a decentralized revenue collection 

system in favor of the province. 

Identification of Minorities and their 

Rights: For constituting Autonomous 

Regions and Protective Areas – as provided 

by the CSRDSP under the section of Special 

Structures – participants identified the 

following list of ethnic groups in Tamuwan: 

Dura, Chepang, Kusunda, Bhujel, Majhi, 

Hyolmo, Kumal, Dura and Loo-dorsap. Apart 

of other rights that these Autonomous 

Regions and Protective Areas are entitled to 

enjoy, participants suggested the provision 

of reservations, positive discrimination, 

protection of their traditional occupations 

and the promotion of their own language 

and culture. 

Less Concern for Customary Law: The 

impact of modernization and the legacy 

of the past process of cultural assimilation 

are evident in Tamuwan. Despite the 

participants, at times, wishing to support 

customary law and governance structures, 

the participants were less interested in and 

less knowledgeable about this aspect of the 

discussions. 

Dalit and Women’s Quest for Political 

Space: Women and Dalits – two large 

excluded groups who do not have their 

own province under the federal structure 

– sought to maximize their own rights and 

representation in the state apparatus at all 

levels. Female participants pleaded for their 

representation to be increased from 33% 

to 50% in all elected bodies of the state. 

The Dalits advocated for a greater political 

representation than the proportion of their 

population size as compensation for their 

historical discrimination and deprivation. 

This is similar to what was heard during the 

Federalism Dialogues in other provinces 

as well. 


3. MAJOR ISSUES 

Disagreement with the name of the province: Participants who were not 

from ethnic groups seriously objected to giving the province a name 

that recognizes the identity of one particular ethnic group. Further, this 

recognition also provides them prime rights in the province. However 

the ethnic participant from Syangja supported the federal arrangement 

because, as he said, “There is no alternative to accepting the Federal 

structure since the old mechanism failed to address the issues of the 

people. We must accept this change.” 

TExpectations from the new structure: 

People hope that unlike the unitary 

system, federalism will provide more local 

opportunities and services. Therefore 

participants found it difficult to realize 

that federalism is based on the principle of 

interdependence but not self-dependence. 

They hesitated to accept services like 

education, health at easy accessible, no matter 

how close, if they were within the adjoining 

province. Similarly, participants were very 

conscious about the decentralization of 

power and authority, and concerned about 

the centralized fiscal system. However, other 

voices provided a rationale for this provision. 

Mr. Bhim Karki, UML representative from 

Manang stated, “The local infrastructure is 

not ready for a decentralized fiscal system 

and thus the local government must be 

empowered while ensuring the provision of 

a decentralized system in due time.” 

Diverse understanding on the right to 

self determination: As usual participants 

understand the right of self determination 

in various ways, and the ethnic people are 

interested in obtaining clear information 

about this right for aboriginal people. 

However, Khemraj Adhikari the representative 

of Nepali Congress from Tanahu argued that, 

“If the right to self determination is provided, 

it should be guaranteed to all sectors. 

Otherwise there is no use of the right to self 

determination.” The resource person clarified 

that there are two extreme opinions about 

the right to self determination: one that does 

not support this right for ethnic people at 

all, and the other extreme that is in favor of 

forming separate states through the right to 

self determination. Neither of these extremist 

views supports building the nation. 

Demand for assurance of Women’s and 

Dalit’s rights: Both women and Dalits 

demand that their rights be ensured in the 

federal structure. Khagi Sara Thapamagar 

asserted, “Women’s inclusion should be 

proportional and a reservation of 50% seats 

in administration and education at the 

central level and 32% at the local level should 

be ensured for 10 years.” The Dalits asked for 

compensation for being exploited by the 

state and Mr. Khadga Bahadur Nepali asked 

that the practices of discrimination against 

Dalits be considered not only as social crimes 

but as crimes against the state. 

Development of Minorities in federal structure: 

The participants want to ensure that all minority 

communities have sufficient opportunities to 

develop in the ethnic province. Therefore the 

participants proposed conducting actual field 

visits before considering autonomous region, 

protective or special area s for any particular 

ethnic community. Discrimination in favor of 

certain minorities could result in continuous 

conflict unless it is based on their actual numbers, 

underdevelopment and inaccessibility. 


4. INTRODUCTION TO THE DIALOGUE 

A. Background to the proposed Tamuwan 


This province has been created to recognize 

the identity of the Tamu (Gurung) ethnic 

group, as it is considered the place of origin 

of the Tamu ethnic group. The Tamuwan 

province includes 138 VDCs of 6 districts 

namely, Dhading, Gorkha, Manang, Mustang, 

Lamjung and Kaski. 

The objective of the workshop was to 

sensitize the participants about the concept 

of federalism and federal structure, its 

advantages as well as challenges in relation 

to the general context of Nepal and to 

explore the existing facts on opportunities 

and challenges for the implementation of 

federal structure. The program aimed to 

provide social and political activists with 

general insights into various dimensions of 

federalism from the experts, and to promote 

discussion on the local context, enabling 

people to make recommendations to the 

Constituent Assembly to address their needs. 

The program was designed to take forward 

the momentum of dialogues on federalism 

in relation to the general context of Nepal 

as well as particular local contexts. Annex 1 

Parcipaon by Ethnicity 

Dalit 

12% 

Newar 

2% 

Brahmin 

15% 

Chhetri 

3% 

provides the Program Agenda. 

B. Date and Venue 

The three-day provincial level federalism 

dialogue was organized in Pokhara, Kaski 

from 14 May to 16 May 2010 in the seminar 

hall of Hotel Barahi with the partnership 

of Nepal Magar Sangh. The workshop 

was residential to give people a suitable 

environment for interaction and discussion. 

C. Participants 

Representatives from various political 

parties, social organizations, and human 

right organizations, indigenous and ethnic 

organizations participated in the program. Of 

the 59 participants 24% were Gurung (Tamu), 

44% represented other Hill Indigenous 

Groups, 18% Brahmin/Chhetri, 12% Dalit 

and 2% Newar. Women constituted 31% of 

the participants. Representing the various 

political parties were four participants 

from Nepali Congress, five from CPM/UML, 

and one from RPP. Many participants were 

members of indigenous, women’s, and Dalit 

organizations. The CDO of Kaski district 

attended the workshop on the first day. 

Female 

31% 

Parcipaon by 

Gender 

IN 

(Indigenou 

s) 

68% 

Male 

69% 

Total participants= 59 


5. DIALOGUE PROCEEDINGS 

A. DAY l: 14 May 2010 

Inauguration 

The first day of the program included an 

hour-long media session attended by 

representatives of 27 national and local media 

houses, providing both print and electronic 

media coverage. Prof. Krishna Hachhethu 

explained that the Federalism Dialogue is 

designed to discuss the draft constitution in 

respect to the report of CSRDSP and collect 

the participants’ responses so that the federal 

constitution would be more representative 

of the thought and spirit of Nepali people. 

Prof Krishna Khanal emphasized that 

during this transitional period informed 

and reason-based debate was important 

for establishing federalism in the country. 

He encouraged the journalists to continue 

making their contributions to this discussion. 

Mr. Shambhu Koirala, CDO of Kaski said, 

“The political agenda has been always 

been given priority in the country, but the 

federal structure must address the economic 

issues at first.” He further encouraged the 

media “to give priority to economic news 

and publish it on the front page.” Mr. Jhag 

Bahadur Thapamagar, representative from 

Nepal Magar Association concluded, “In 

this transitional period there must be open 

discussion on both positive and negative 

aspects of federalism to make it a lasting 

system for the country and to ensure equal 

rights for all.” 

Expectation Collection 

The participants were interested in learning 

about the concepts and principles of 

federalism, its geographical, political 

and economic aspects, its pros and cons, 

successes and failures in the world, and the 

rationale for developing federalism in Nepal. 

They asked for information on the model 

of federalism proposed by the CA CSRDSP, 

and the fundamental components of federal 

structure in Nepal. They expected to have 

the opportunity to discuss and identify the 

proper basis for naming and marking the 

boundaries of particular provinces. They 

wanted to identify a suitable model of 

federalism for Nepal, to know how to manage 

a federal structure while maintaining its 

inclusive nature and respecting all. They 

hoped for insights on federalism as a means 

to manage diversity, and not to break the 

nation into many pieces. There was some 

concern about federalism amounting to 

secession. 

Participants sought more information 

specific to Tamuwan province: its territory, 

geography, advantages and challenges. 

Some participants were concerned about 

the economic viability of federalism, access 

to resources, natural resource management, 

and the distribution of resources and 

authority between the center, provincial and 

local governments. 


Specifically, participants wanted to be 

clear on issues like the right to selfdetermination, 

minority and Dalit rights 

in the federal structure, ethnic autonomy, 

and the significance of provinces based on 

ethnicity. They wanted to hear about the 

basis of restructuring the state, why so many 

provinces are proposed, and why some were 

given ethnic names. They hoped to pressure 

the concerned stakeholders to manage 

issues of ethnicity in federalism. 

Presentation on Federalism, an 

introduction to Nepal’s Federal Future: 

Prof. Khanal introduced federalism in 

the context of a future federal Nepal. He 

highlighted that Nepal will be a federal state 

with a definite geographic and administrative 

structure. Although internally the structure 

will provide for different identities for 

different groups, externally there will be a 

single nation with one identity in the world. 

He made clear to the participants that it is 

not practically correct to say that only large 

countries practice federalism. China is a very 

large country, but does not have a federal 

structure, whereas the small country of 

Switzerland is a federal state. 

After the presentation the participants 

added their views about federalism in Nepal. 

Mr. Pan Bahadur Gharti wondered whether 

the concept of federalism is only a matter of 

discussion, considering that there has been 

no change in the thought of the different 

political parties and the government 

administrative mechanism. On the other 

hand, concern was expressed about how the 

ethnic structure of federalism could sustain 

ethnic harmony in Nepal in the future. 

Mr. Bhim Karki, the UML representative 

from Manang questioned the rationality 

of restructuring the state on the basis of 

recognizing ethnic identity. He felt it will 

increase the chances of allocating provinces 

to more groups in future. 

Participants raised various questions to Prof. 

Khanal concerning the implementation of a 

federal system in Nepal. Some are recorded 

here: 

Q. How can conflicts created by 

communities who are not provided 

provinces on the basis of ethnicity be 

addressed? -Khemraj Adhikari 

A. The names of the provinces should not 

create conflict. However, if there is growing 

internal discrimination, conflict will be 

generated. The development of federalism 

in Nepal is the demand of the Nepali people. 

Q. Would it be practically reasonable in 

federalism to plot the state on the basis of 

economy and geography? -Shambhunath 

Mishra 

A. In Nepal except for the Tarai, the demand 

for federalism is not for geography but for 

identity. Thus in our context federalism is 

not possible on the basis of geography. In 

India also states are created on the basis of 

language but they are not recognized as 

ethnic states. 

Q. Why are there different opinions about 

federalism among Nepali intellectuals? 

These opinions might affect the common 

people. - Rajendraraj Panta 

A. One argument fears that federalism 

will cause parts of the country to secede. 


This should make us aware of the issue of 

secession. Federalism should be established 

by developing it on the basis of its positive 

aspects. It is a scientific system and people 

can have disagreements about it. We need 

discussion on both the positive and negative 

aspects of federalism. However, the economic 

situation can’t be the deciding factor for 

establishing federalism in a country. Both a 

poor country like Ethiopia and a rich country 

like Switzerland practice federalism. 

Q. What is the meaning of the nonterritorial 

province demanded by the Dalit 

community? - Resham Gurung 

A. Non-territorial provinces are found 

in Belgium and Ethiopia, but they are 

comparatively few in 

practice and are not 

as functional as other 

forms of provincial 

administration. A nonterritorial 

province can 

provide 

representation 

for the Dalit community 

but it cannot ensure access. The provision of 

a Dalit Council would be more appropriate. 

The Council could provide suggestions and 

develop Dalit-focused laws to ensure Dalit 

rights in different sectors of the state. 

More queries concerning federalism in the 

context of Nepal are incorporated in a later 

section of this report. 

micro level while at macro level it recognized 

Dalit, women and Madhesi as minorities and 

provided their rights. 

Economic capability and 

geography should be 

considered in demarcating 

the federal provinces. 

-Shuv Nath Mishra 

Participants expressed the opinion that all 

the provinces have not been created on 

the basis of recognizing the identity of the 

local community. Mr. Bipin Chandra Dhakal 

argued that there was no demand for the 

provinces of Jadan, Narayani and Khaptad 

and they do not recognize the identity of 

any community. However, Yam Bahadur 

Tamu stated, “It is difficult to build a new 

structure by breaking the old one, but at this 

time we have no alternative to federalism in 

Nepal. We should not debate much on the 

borders of the province because the federal 

structure has addressed the issues of the 

ethnic community.” They 

all agreed on the need 

to develop a team of 

geographical 

experts, 

economists, and political 

experts to draw up the 

appropriate demarcation 

of the federal state. 

Some specific questions related to the 

provincial level structure are listed below 

with Prof. Hachhethu’s responses. 

Q. Federalism has been demanded 

to decentralize the system. How will 

federalism address this issue and provide 

accessibility? - Khadga Nepali 

Presentation on the Federal structure at 

the Provincial Level 

Presenting the provincial structure, Prof. 

Krishna Hachhethu stated that the report of 

the CSRDSP did not provide minority rights at 

A. Federalism decentralizes power and authority 

and supports the provision of accessible services 

to most people in the country. However, 

accessible services such as the issuance of 

citizenship, passports and so on for everyone in 

all 14 provinces are still not possible. 


Q. What is the meaning of political prime 

right? Indigenous people can enjoy special 

rights for two terms but how does this 

ensure the quality of the special rights 

provided them? -Rudrashris Magar 

A. Historically one community has been 

dominated by another community. To ensure 

the claim of the previously dominated 

group, reservations and a quota system are 

provided. However in this process federalism 

requires acceptance from both groups to 

make decisions. Ensure the prime rights for 

35% Gurung population in the Tamuwan 

province means a deprivation of 65% of 

other population from that right. 

Other questions concerning this topic are 

included in a later section of this report. 

B. Day 2: 15 May 2010 

Presentation on Federalism: Nation building and Minority Rights 

Prof. Khanal outlined that federalism builds 

a new dimension of nationality in Nepal. In 

this process it recognizes minority rights 

based on two criteria: population figures, 

and access or lack of access to power. In the 

federal structure the definition of minority is 

different than at the overall macro level, and 

it might vary for different provinces. 

After the presentation the participants 

wanted clarification on the right to self 

determination, 

arguing 

that a specific provision 

was needed in the 

constitution. Khem Raj 

Adhikari stressed, “If the 

state gives the right to self 

determination, it should 

be guaranteed for all sectors. Otherwise it has 

no use.” The female participants expressed 

their concern to ensure their rights and 

those of Dalits. To ensure the minority rights 

for Dalits, Dhan Maya B.K. asserted that 

the reservation for Dalits should increase 

by 7% in local government and 20% at the 

While enjoying one’s own 

rights, the rights others 

should not be violated. 

- Bhim Karki 

provincial level. However, Mr. Bhim Karki, 

UML representative from Manang, argued, “It 

is difficult to separate anything from personal 

interest, so great care must be taken. While 

ensuring one’s own rights, the rights of 

others should not be violated.” He noted 

that while ensuring minority rights social 

harmony should be maintained. Mr. Khadga 

Bahadur Nepali has argued that ensuring the 

prime rights for two tenures as the executive 

head to the particular ethnic group in its 

rights as stated below: 

own ethnic province 

discriminates against the 

other minority groups. 

The participants asked 

many other questions 

related with the minority 

Q. What is the meaning of multi-national 

as written in the constitution? What is the 

meaning of Dalit?- Yam Bahadur Gurung 

A. The term multi-national is not in common 

use unless we directly transcribe it from 


English “Multi-national” is commonly used 

in the business sector, for example a multinational 

company is one that operates 

throughout the world. There is a provision 

in the constitution to nominate the vice 

president from a different nationality than 

the President. Thus in the Nepali context 

“national” refers to ethnicity. Literally Dalit 

means daliyeko in Nepali. In India, cobblers 

have been named Harijan and they write it 

as their last name. The word Dalit has been 

established as an identity within the Dalit 

community and it has been also accepted 

politically and socially. However, their 

issues relate to social justice rather than 

identification. 

Q. How is the right to 

self determination 

ensured for indigenous 

populations? -Pan 

Bahadur Gharti 

A. Regarding the right 

to self determination, 

the indigenous NGO 

Federation and other 

indigenous 

people 

involved in different political parties have 

different opinions. Therefore it is necessary 

to ensure that the constitution represents 

our sentiment. 

Q. In the context of Nepal, what type of 

right to self-determination would be 

appropriate? -Tika Gauchan 

A. There are two thoughts about the right 

to self-determination. Lenin recognized that 

the right to self-determination is the right 

to secede and compares it with the right to 

divorce. Though there is the right to divorce, 

it is not used by all. The United Nations 

declaration and ILO 169 regard the individual 

and collective right to self-determination 

as the fundamental right of indigenous 

people and also ensures that indigenous 

people will be informed in advance of any 

activities being carried out which will affect 

them. However, in the context of Madhesh, 

the right to self determination is linked with 

Madhesh Province. 

Since the old mechanism 

did not address the issue of 

disadvantage, this change 

in (Federal) structure has to 

be accepted. 

- Yam Bahadur Gurung 

Ethiopia has guaranteed the right to selfdetermination 

as the right to secede, but 

with the provision to conduct a referendum 

three years after a bill of secession is brought 

in the parliament. This is to provide sufficient 

time for the people to have second thoughts 

about secession. 

Other questions related 

with minorities and their 

rights are included later in 

this report. 

Presentation on Fiscal 

Federalism: 

Prof Krishna Hachhethu 

explained that the proposed federal financial 

system has a provision of centralized 

revenue collection. The draft constitution has 

projected 88% revenue (including foreing 

aid) concentrated in the center and and only 

12% to the 14 proposed provinces. This is 

similar to the practice of the Australian federal 

system. However, following the principle of 

equalization, the center has the responsibility 

to support the less developed provinces by 

collecting revenue from more developed 

provinces and redistributing it. He stressed 

that in the federal system, one province 

can be more developed than another but 


the provinces are interdependent with the 

center and with other provinces, and with 

the local government. 

After the presentation Mr. Bhim Karki stated 

that although the centrally concentrated 

fiscal system is a matter of concern for 

all, before giving more authority to the 

local level, local government should be 

strengthened. However, most participants 

feel that more authority should be allocated 

to the local level so people can develop their 

own provinces by themselves. Thus, Gaja 

Kumari Gurung recommends that the fee 

for passports and visas should be allocated 

to the province rather than center. Mr. Shuv 

Nath Mishra said that to maintain an impartial 

distribution of power among the provinces 

in case of different political parties ruling in 

the province and in the center, the provinces 

should be demarcated with consideration of 

their natural resources. 

Q. What kind of taxation policy would 

ensure less difficulty for taxpayers paying 

taxes to different levels of government, 

and for carrying out infrastructure 

development between two provinces? 

- Bhim Karki 

A. Although federalism is the result of the 

disparity in power distribution in the unitary 

system, it is necessary to widen the scope of 

income for the province. Without allocating the 

power no one can build the capacity, thus both 

should be ensured at the same time. However, 

one should be careful about the probable 

risk of leaving major responsibility with the 

provinces. If total national revenue is shared 

properly between the center and provinces it 

will encourage decentralized federalism. 

Q. Why is there written in the preamble 

“Adibasi, Janjati” whereas the indigenous 

people are claimed to be Adibasi Janjati? 

Gaja Kumari Gurung 

A. Human nature is that everybody wants 

opportunities and the word “Janjati” after 

the comma denotes the Khas people. The 

distribution of power and opportunity 

should be based on the proportion of the 

population of the particular community. 

More questions on the presentation of fiscal 

federalism are included later in this report. 

Group Work 1: Exploring the facts about 

different facets of federalism in the context 

of Nepal 

The participants were divided into five groups 

to discuss issues related with federalism. 

The topics of the group discussion were 

inter-provincial relations, minority rights 

in the province, the basis for restructuring 

the state, local government and its services, 

and the division of power between center 

and province. 

Inter-provincial relations: The first group 

made several points concerning the 

relationship between the provinces in the 

federal structure. They had no argument with 

the geographical borders and ownership of 

water, land and forest within the provinces. 

They believe there should be no interprovincial 

policy of taxation on food grains 

and other consumer goods. There should 

be the construction of shared projects and 

infrastructure, and easy facilitation of travel 

and communication between provinces. 

No restrictions should be made for people 

from one province receiving basic services 


like health and education in another 

province, or working and conducting trade 

in another province. Social harmony should 

be maintained between different ethnic, 

religious, linguistic and cultural groups, and 

provinces should cooperate on maintaining 

peace and security and guarding against 

crime. 

Minority rights in the province: The second 

group stressed that prime rights should not 

be provided to any particular community for 

the position of chief minister or head of the 

government. Anyone elected by the people 

of the province will be capable to serve as 

head of the province. Similarly, there should 

be equal access to the natural resources of 

the province and the provincial government 

should not provide 

financial support any 

particular 

community. 

As people are conscious 

of ensuring minority 

rights and promoting 

minorities in the federal 

structure, they suggested 

reserving 

separate 

constituencies or seats in the provincial 

legislative assembly to provide access to 

minorities in the decision making level of the 


Basis for restructuring the state: The third 

group noted that in the process of developing 

a new structure for the state many historical 

communities have been identified and 

must be respected. Thus, ethnic habitation, 

language, cultural density and history must 

be considered. At the same time, geography, 

economic potential, and the availability of 

natural resources are other important factors. 

The practice of 

discrimination has not 

ended, thus special legal 

provisions are required. 

-Bipin Dhakal 

The federal structure should ensure that 

government services are more accessible to 

the people than they are currently. At the 

same time, this structure should not defy 

national unity and integration among the 

people 

Local government and its services: The fourth 

group envisioned a properly functioning local 

government with sufficient resources and 

authority to manage local level services and 

make them available and easily accessible 

to the people. For local level security, 

community and town police should be 

provided. Revenue should be collected from 

local taxes on land, water, forest, electricity, 

house rent, etc. Local roads, village roads, 

agricultural roads and irrigation should be 

maintained, and there 

should be an integrated 

service center for 

agriculture, livestock and 

land preservation. There 

should be management 

of local markets, 

including import and 

export. The local courts 

should include services for reconciliation 

and mediation. Local languages, culture and 

customs should be promoted. Telephone 

and other modes of communication, such as 

newspapers should be maintained. 

For efficiency and accuracy the group 

recommended that the local government 

take responsibility for services like education, 

health, maintaining records of unemployment 

and other individual records. Thus, the Gaon 

Palika should provide free education to the 

secondary school level, and the municipality 

should provide higher education. The Gaon 


Palika should provide a primary health care 

center with a doctor, and the municipality 

should maintain a well-equipped hospital. 

The Goan Palika should maintain citizenship 

records and provide passports. 

Distribution of power between center and 

province: The fifth group concluded that although 

decentralization of power is the basic principle of 

federalism, the proposed distribution of power 

supports a centralized federalism system of 

government. Thus, the group suggested that all 

areas of government other than international 

affairs and centrally significant areas be given to 

the provincial government. 

The group listed the following powers 

of the central government: Defense and 

army, Central Bank, Fiscal and monetary 

policy, Foreign and diplomatic relations and 

relations with the United Nations, Foreign 

aid and donations and loans, International 

organizations, Extradition, International 

border management, Supreme court and 

constitutional court, Election commission 

and other constitutional commissions, 

Customs and excise duty, Value added tax, 

Visas, International and National Aviation, 

Arms and ammunition. 

The powers of the province were listed 

as the following: Provincial law and 

administration; Provincial legislature and 

local government; Provincial court, family 

court and child court; Provincial civil service 

management; Provincial commissions, 

Police, peace and security; Citizenship and 

passport management; Individual income 

tax, property tax and other taxes; Royalty 

from natural resources; Land management, 

registration and land tax; Inter provincial 

trade; Agriculture and livestock development 

and factories; Provincial railway service and 

provincial highways; Language, culture, 

script, and religious protection; F. M. Radio 

and television. 

The detailed lists of the findings of the group 

discussions are included in Annex lV. 

C. Day 3: 16 May 2010 

Contextual Analysis of Proposed Taruwan Province by local resource 

person Mr. Resam Tamu 

Mr. Tamu presented the history of Tamuwan 

province, noting that the Gurung ethnic 

group originated in this region. The Gurung 

Khol state covered the area between the 

current Lamjung and Kaski districts. The 

state was abolished about 500 years ago 

during the period of the Thakuri king of 

Kaski, Jagati Khan. The Gorkha king Drabya 

Shah murdered the Tamu king Samari Klhen 

in 1559. The traditional practices and culture 

of the Gurungs were also obliterated by the 

state, which compelled them to practice the 

Hindu culture. 

Although King Prithivi Narayan Shah 

contributed to the unification of Nepal, he 


discouraged traditions, cultures, languages 

and practices that differed from those of the 

Hindu Khas people. Mr. Tamu showed how 

the state, and not the Brahmin or Chhetri 

communities, has been responsible for 

discouraging the varied traditions, cultures 

and religions of the country. He stressed 

that the rights of indigenous people should 

be ensured by the state. He mentioned the 

collective efforts and awareness campaigns 

of the Sherpas, Tamangs, Magars, Gurungs, 

Rais and Limbus. 

To ensure their right to their own cultures, 

indigenous people have been involved in 

the indigenous movement and sought to 

establish a federal system 

in Nepal. However 

there are two extreme 

positions among the 

indigenous and other 

people concerning the 

practices of federalism. 

One extreme argues 

against the formation of ethnic provinces 

and the other extreme favors the formation 

of separate states by using the right to selfdetermination. 

These extremist views do 

not support the creation of a strong nation. 

Mr. Tamu made it clear that the creation of 

Tamuwan province does not mean that only 

Gurungs can rule in this province. All the 

people living in this province will have the 

opportunity to govern. 

Tamuwan province should extend to the 

Budi Gandaki in the east, the Kali Gandaki 

in the west, the Nepal-Tibet border in the 

north and Nawalparasi and Chitwan in the 

south. The following eight districts of the 

current Nepal fall within Tamuwan: Mustang, 

Manang, Kaski, Syangja, Parbat, Lamjung, 

Gorkha and Tanahun. 

Provinces created on the 

basis of ethnicity do not 

provide enough attention to 

accessibility. 

- Khadga Bahadur Nepali 

Mr. Tamu noted that Tamuwan province is 

required only to recognize the identity of 

the Gurung community, and to ensure them 

representation and access. This might not be 

required after 10-15 years. To maintain the 

social harmony in the state, governance in 

the Tamuwan province should be decided by 

the democratic process 

through 

proportional 

representation and in an 

inclusive way. This can 

be also addressed by 

providing autonomy in 

the autonomous regions. 

Mr. Tamu discussed the positive economic 

prospective of Tamuwan Province. Good 

opportunities exist for the production and 

export of various agricultural products, 

including fruit and vegetables, herbs, and 

wool. Likewise, there is a great potential for 

tourism, particularly after the completion of 

the currently proposed international airport 

at Pokhara. Hydropower production and 

mining are other possibilities. 

Elaborating on the geographical history of 

the Gurung people, Mr. Tamu stated that 

according to Prof. Dor Bahadur Bista and 

Prof Narayan Gurung, the Gurungs have their 

origin in Tamuwan Province. Based on the 

opinion of national and international experts 

As for challenges, Mr. Tamu identified 

possible dissatisfaction with the name 

Tamuwan among non-Gurung communities 

living within the province. He recommended 

consensus building on this issue and said that 

an alternative name could also be sought. 


The boundaries of the province could also be 

disputed by Tamang and other ethnic groups 

in the east and Magar and other groups in 

the west. He recommended dialogue and 

discussion on this issue before disputes arise. 

Mr. Tamu emphasized the importance of 

the principles of inclusion and proportional 

representation in all opportunities offered 

by the state, noting that this also protects 

Tamus living outside of Tamuwan. 

In his final section, Mr. Tamu presents a list 

of suggestions. Some concern the rights to 

be granted the Tamu (Gurung) community 

within Tamuwan. Others are more general, 

such as making Nepal a truly secular state 

and constitutionally ensuring the rights of 

various ethnicities, including the indigenous 

ethnicities, and recognizing Nepal’s 

multiethnic, multilingual, multicultural and 

multireligious diversity. 

Mr. Tamu’s complete presentation is provided 

in Annex III. 

Group Work 2: Exploring different facets 

of federalism in the context of Tamuwan 


The second round of group work discussed 

the following issues concerning Tamuwan 

province: history and geography, political 

and administrative structure, natural 

resources and economic potential, judicial 

system and customary law, and identification 

of minorities and their rights in Tamuwan. 

Presenting the history and geography of 

Tamuwan province, the group stated that it 

is not possible to collect much information 

about the history of Tamuwan due to the 

lack of written documents concerning 

disadvantaged people. The group disputed 

the provincial borders proposed by the 

CSRDSP. Based on available historical books 

and archeological studies, the province 

should include the eight districts of Mustang, 

Manang, Gorkha, Lamjung, Kaski, Tanahu, 

Parbat and Syangja. Ms. Teku Nepali and 

Ms. Dhanmaya B.K. argued for including 

Nawalparasi district as well to link this 

province with the Tarai. 

The next group discussed the political 

and administrative structure including 

autonomous, protective and special regions 

of the province. From the total of 137 VDCs in 

Tamuwan the group has conceptualized eight 

municipalities that include more than one VDC. 

Identifying these regions solely on the basis of 

the ethnicity rather than geography is difficult. 

Although the group has identified some 

autonomous regions for certain ethnic groups 

like Baram, Thakali, Kumal, Dura, Chepang 

and Majhi on the basis of ethnic identity, they 

raised the issues of developing more protective 

regions in Gorkha, Manang, and the northern 

part of Mustang, considering the geographical 

remoteness of the area. 

The third group presented a long list of the 

natural resources and their economic 

potential of the proposed Tamuwan 

province. They portrayed a province with 

a good economical potential, considering 

the existing tourism industry, natural 

resources and many agro based industries. 

The potentials include many destinations 

and activities for tourists, as well as religious 

destinations. In addition the province 

has water resources, fruit and agriculture, 

livestock and wild animals, and herbs. There is 

also a remittance economy. An international 


airport is planned for Pokhara, and there is a 

customs point in Lo Manang of Mustang. The 

group envisions Tamuwan as one of Nepal’s 

most prosperous provinces. 

Participants had a long discussion on the 

judicial system and customary law of 

Tamuwan province. They emphasized the right 

of ethnic groups to practice their own tradition 

and culture, and concluded that in the federal 

system of government local problems and 

cases should be handled with local customary 

laws of the various ethnic communities like 

Naal pratha and Thum. These laws should be 

recognized and institutionalized. However, it 

is also recognized that no law practiced in the 

province should encourage any type of gender 

or caste based discrimination. When customary 

laws like Bahupati pratha are practiced, these 

laws should be seen from the perspective of the 

particular community that has been practicing 

them so there is continuity in the future. 

The group also stated that there should be a 

strong independent and efficient provincial 

judicial system, and that the central law 

should consider the provincial law. The legal 

system should ensure ethnic, religious, and 

linguistic harmony. To establish the rule of 

law there should sufficient provisions to 

punish those who violate the law. 

Identifying the minority groups and their 

rights, participants stated that groups that 

have a low population and lack access to 

economic, social and political power within 

the province are called Minority Groups. 

They listed Dura, Chepang, Kusunda, 

Bhujel, Thakali, Najhi, Tyolmo, Kumal, Durai, 

and Mustang Lo Dorsap as minorities in 

Tamuwan province. To ensure minority rights 

to the different opportunities provided 

by the province, the group has proposed 

making provisions for positive discrimination 

for a particular time period. In addition, the 

state should be responsible to protect and 

promote the traditional occupations of the 

minority groups. They have the right to their 

language, culture and identity. 

The detailed lists of the finding of the group 

discussions are included in Annex IV. 

Additional Questions and Answers raised 

during discussions 

Q. How far will a federal structure 

developed on the basis of ethnicity address 

issues such as “PUN” not recognizing 

themselves as part of the “MAGAR” group? 

Will this type of problem create more states 

in the future? Bhim Karki 

A. If there is internal discrimination in the 

province there could be conflict in the future, 

but only naming a province on the basis of 

identity is not enough to create conflict. 

Q. What are women’s rights in the context 

of federalism in Nepal? Is there any federal 

country in the world where women enjoy 

equal rights? Will there be a separate state 

for Nepal’s 60 lakh Dalits?-Teku Nepali 

A. The issue of the rights of Dalits and women 

are not directly addressed. The federal 

structure is a geographical administrative 

division. Further, the issues of Dalits are 

not related with identification but with 

discrimination and social justice. Similarly, 

the issues of women have been addressed 

by providing special rights with regards to 

representation and education. Further, the 

leadership development of Dalits in the 


provinces where they have a large presence 

can be ensured by their sharing rights with 

other communities in the province. 

Q. During the unification of Nepal against 

the structure of the Baise or Chubise 

states, many people sacrificed their lives 

to recreate a unitary state. Will there be 

the need in the future to sacrifice again to 

reunite the state? -Saraswati Adhikari 

A. The CA members are responsible to 

ensure that the issues of common people 

are addressed in the new federal structure. 

This team is facilitating the collection of the 

suggestions and thoughts of the common 

people to take them to the CSRDSP. However, 

the new federal structure provides for the 

inclusion of the maximum 

number of people 

compared to the Baise and 

Chaubise kings of the past. 

Q. In Gorkha there are 

two Tamang villages 

where people from 

one village must 

pay a charge to use the meadow or the 

community forest in the other village. If 

this type of situation occurs in the future, 

how can the federal structure address it? 

-Rajendraraj Panta 

A. If the interests of the community people 

clash, internal conflict will occur even within 

a single community. 

Unless the political parties 

change their attitudes, the 

government mechanism will 

not change. 

-Pan Bahadur Gharti 

is the result of the Janjati movement and the 

Tarai movement it has included the issues 

of other communities. Even though it was 

not demanded, considering the 9% Brahmin 

& 26% Chhetri population and regarding 

their sentiments, Sunkoshi province 

was created. In this regard, demography 

became the deciding factor. The creation of 

cultural territories has eased the functional 

dynamism in the federal structure. 

Q. Will the suggestions provided here be 

considered or not? -Bipin Chandra Dhakal 

A. There are many steps to follow during the 

process of developing the constitution. After 

the election of the CA members, opinions 

have been collected from the people. The 

CA members have been 

making the initial draft 

of the constitution 

and in this process an 

authorized 

committee 

has restructured country. 

There are opinions about 

revising the 11 draft 

reports of the various committees and in 

that process the number of provinces might 

change according to the suggestions of the 

people of the country. However, the principle 

of restructuring the state will not change 

because other reports are also based on the 

restructuring committee’s report. The UNDP 

will make necessary arrangements to hand 

over all suggestions to the concerned parties. 

Q. Why have the three provinces of Jadan, 

Narayani and Kaptad been created without 

any demand? Bipin Chandra Dhakal 

A. Learning to live together is the basic 

principle of Federalism. Although federalism 

Q. How can be the rights of women be 

ensured at the central, provincial and local 

levels? -Khagisara Thapamagar 

A. Reservations should be in proportion 

to the population and thus should be 


at least 40% for women. In the last CA 

election, an effort was made for 50% 

women’s representation through direct 

and proportional representation but it was 

not possible. Now the preamble includes a 

provision to reserve one seat for a woman 

in the prime positions of the state. For 

example if a man is selected in the position 

of President the seat of Vice President will 

be reserved for a woman and vice versa. 

Although special provisions are required to 

balance the gender, in some areas such as 

the medical profession efficiency is also very 

important. Thus representation alone is not 

always enough and empowerment is also 

necessary. 

Q - Why are the Sales 

tax and Value added 

tax included under the 

Central government 

rather than allocated to 

the provincial govt. for 

effective monitoring? 

Pan Bahadur Gharti 

A. Although federalism is the result of the 

disparity in the power distribution, and the 

income of the provinces must be expanded 

to make them capable of dealing with the 

local issues, it is also necessary to be careful 

about the possible risks involved with this. 

Closing Session 

At the end of the workshop, Ms. Bishnu 

Sherchan spoke as a representative of 

the participants. She said that this type of 

inclusive gathering of people of different 

ethnic and caste groups, different political 

parties, and representatives of women and 

Dialogue can provide 

solutions for every conflict, 

and if we stay open-minded, 

alternative doors will open. 

- Bishnu Sherchan 

Dalits is a starting point for living together in a 

federal system and gaining conceptual clarity 

before going to a federal structure. Another 

participant, Mr. Rajan Panta pointed out that 

timely organization would be more fruitful 

for including people’s views and suggestions 

in the constitution. Prof. Krishna Hachhethu 

asserted that this type of workshop helps 

support the constitution making process by 

providing suggestions and preparing people 

to practice federalism in future. Prof. Krishna 

Khanal added that legal recognition should 

be given to the customary law and practices 

of different ethnic groups, and that local 

people should take the responsibility for 

the development of local resources in the 

new federal structure. 

Mr. Jhag Bahadur Thapa 

Magar from the Nepal 

Magar Sangh stated 

that in the process of 

establishing 

federalism 

in the country, VDC level 

interaction 

programs 

have been conducted to 

collected suggestions to support building 

the constitution. Mr. Surendra Chaudhary, 

CSO/SPCBN grant manager, concluded the 

session by saying that CCD will take care to 

provide all the suggestions collected from 

this workshop to the CA. 


6. EVALUATION SUMMARY 

Of the total 59 participants, 38 completed the evaluation forms. Analyzing 

their responses, 100% of those who answered found the subject matter 

and content, and the presentations and facilitation of the workshop to 

be useful/satisfactory or good. 92% found the selection of participants 

to be useful or good, and 100% found the management satisfactory 

or good. All but one participant thought the workshops should be 

continued. The detailed evaluation is shown in the table below: 

Workshop subject matter and content 

Not useful % Useful % Good % 

0 0 18 46 21 54 

Presentation/ facilitation 

Unsatisfactory % Satisfactory % Good % 

21 54 18 46 

Selection of participants 

Not useful % Useful % Good % 

3 8 25 64 11 28 

Management 

Unsatisfactory % Satisfactory % Good % 

One 0 participant did not answer 0 this question. 16 41 23 59 

Need for continuation of 

workshop* 

Yes % No % 

38 97 0 0 


7. RECOMMENDATIONS 

The participants suggested including more discussion sessions on subjects like geographic 

demarcation, administrative structure and the right to self determination. Further, the 

content of the different subjects presented in the workshop should be clearly analyzed from 

the perspective of any problems and negative aspects. They also recommended explaining 

to the participants the details of federalism at first. More women and people from different 

political parties should be included. Use of mobile phones, leaving the workshop and side 

talk during sessions should be strongly discouraged. Including some activity to refresh the 

participants was also suggested. Additional specific recommendations follow. 

• Ethnic and geographic issues should 

be discussed at the same time. 

• The discussion requires continuity. 

The subject matter is difficult to 

understand. 

• More participants from political 

parties and NGO partners should be 

encouraged. 

• Provide more information on the 

percentage of the population in 

different provinces and their history, 

language, culture and geography. 

• Ensure equal involvement of men and 

women in forming groups. 

• Women should have comprised 33% 

of the workshop participants. 

• Considering inclusiveness, make 

efforts to find women participants 

who will discuss and argue in the 

groups. 

researched. 

• More programs involving both ethnic 

and non ethnic people should be 

organized. 

• Discussion should focus on the 

demarcation based on geography not 

only on identity. 

• UN should mobilize experts in the 

villages for orientation on federalism. 

• There should be a geographical 

name for the province since conflict 

could arise if the Magar population 

increases in Tamuwan province. 

• Provide a full map of the federal 

structure to display the capability and 

potential of the provinces. 

• Create an environment of belief 

in each other among people with 

different opinions to establish 

emotional relationships. 

• The history of other ethnic groups 

in addition to the Tamu should be 


ANNEX 


ANNEX I 

Federalism Dialogue in Proposed “TAMUWAN” Province 

Program Agenda 

DAY ONE: 14 May 

08:30 – 09:00 Registration 

09:00 – 09:30 Opening 

SPCBN Representative, 

UNDP Highlights of 

Objectives 

Grants Manager or Program 

Officer, UNDP 

09:30 – 11:00 Federalism, an Introduction 

to Nepal’s Federal Future 

Professor Krishna Khanal, 

T.U 

11:00 – 11:30 Tea Break 

11:30 – 13: 00 Discussion on Prof. Khanal’s 

presentation (Federalism, 

an introduction to Nepal’s 

federal future) 

13:00 – 14:00 Lunch 

14:00 - 15:00 Federal Structures at the 

Provincial Level 

Professor Krishna 

Hachhethu, T.U. 

15:00 – 15:30 Tea Break 

15:30 – 17:00 Discussion on Prof. 

Hachhethu’s presentation 

(Federal structures at the 

Provincial Level) 

17:00-17:30 Film Screening: The 

Challenges of Diversity-The 


DAY TWO: 15 May 

08:00 – 0900 Breakfast 

Federal Experience 

09:00 – 9:45 Federalism, Nation Building 

Rights 

and 

Khanal, T.U 

9:45-10:30 Discussion 

10:30-10:45 Tea break 

Minority 

Professor Krishna 

10:45 – 11:30 Fiscal Federalism: Forms 

and Authorities 

11:30-12:15 Discussion 

Prof. Krishna Hachhethu 

12:15-12:30 Break into small groups for 

detailed discussion 

• Review on the basis of province 

formation as proposed by Committee 

on State Restructuring and the 

Distribution of Power 

• Distribution of power between 

province and local government 

• Minority rights in provincial structure 

• Local government /autonomous 

region and service provision 

• Interprovincial relations 

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch 

13:30 – 15:00 Group work 

Each small group will work 

to reach agreement on 

their task. 

15:00 – 15:30 Tea break 

DAY THREE: 16 May 

08:00 – 0900 Breakfast 

09:00 – 10:00 Contextual Analysis of 

Specific Federal State Issues 

Local resource person 

10:00 – 10:45 Discussion 

10:45-11:15 Tea Break 

11:45-12:15 Small Group Discussions 

on Critical Local Provincial 

Issues 

• History and geography 

• Political and administrative structure 

• Natural Resources and economic 

probabilities 

• Judicial system and customary law 

• Rights of minorities 

12:45 – 13:45 Lunch 

13:45-15:30 Small Group Presentations 

and Discussion 

15:30-16:30 Planning for the Future: 

Next Steps 

16:30-17:30 Plenary discussion with 

Professor Krishna Khanal 

and Professor Krishna 

Hachhethu 

17:30 Closing Remarks 

UNDP SPCBN Representative 

Representatives from Workshop 

15:30 – 17:00 Presentation by each group 

followed by floor discussion 


ANNEX II 

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS 

Sl Name Sex Caste District Organization Contact no. 

1 Basanta Bdr. Ale M IN Tanahu NMA 9846062817 

2 Naresh Pakhrin M IN NC 9856024377 

3 Pan Bdr. Gharti M IN Kaski NEFIN 9846025973 

4 Resham Gurung M IN Tamu Hyula Chhohi 9841294580 

5 Shiva K. Adhiakri M Brahmin 9846043567 

6 Dhan Bdr. Gurung M IN Tanahu 9846081584 

7 Bhim Karki M Chhetri Manang CPN UML 9846057766 

8 Khagi Sara Thapa M IN Syangja NMA 9846071330 

9 Tej Bdr. Ale M IN Syangja Janajati 9846240636 

10 Yam Bdr. Gurung M IN Tamu Hyula Chhohi 9856025212 

11 Padam Gurung M IN Syangja Tamu Hyula Chhohi 9846027584 

12 Manju Aryal F Brahmin Gorkha Amnesty 64420262 

13 Rajan Raj Panta M Brahmin Gorkha NC 9846056338 

14 Jhak Bdr. Thapa M IN Kaski NMA 9846044755 

15 Bir Bdr. Sunar M Dalit Lamjung DWO 9844126181 

16 Sanam Tamang F IN Tanahu NEFIN 9846163909 

17 Gaj Kumari Gurung F IN Kaski 9856021902 

18 Mekha Thapa M IN Tanahu UML 9856028608 

19 J a w a h a r M IN UML 9847680666 

Bhattachan 

20 Subhanath Mishra M Brahmin NC 9841051149 

21 Bishnu Serchan F IN Mustang 9847638037 

22 Sharmila Gurung F IN Mustang Step Nepal 9847638038 

23 Sujita Serchan F IN Mustang Jomsom Women 9847638072 

Group 

24 Sanumaya Tamang F IN Tamang 

9846312465 

Association 

25 Rinzin Namgyal M IN UCPN Maoist 9847670494 

Gurung 

26 Chakra Bdr. Parajuli M Brahmin Syangja CPN UML 9846071020 

27 Khadka Bdr. Nepali M Dalit NDO 9846096763 


28 Arjun B.K. M Dalit Manang 9803882701 

29 Amrit Bdr. Nepali M Dalit Dalit Sangh 9846062535 

30 Dhanmaya B.K. F Dalit Syangja Mukti Samaj 9846072721 

31 Sushila Thapa F IN UNESCO 9846274875 

32 Saraswati Adhikari F Brahmin Tanahu Red Cross 9846040389 

33 Binu Gurung F IN Tanahu Tamu Chhohi 9841818862 

34 Nanu Rana F IN 9846140048 

35 Tak Bdr. Gurung M IN RPP 9751009316 

36 Ashok Rana Magar M IN Gorkha NMA 9846039306 

37 Jagan Sing Gurung M IN Gorkha Tamu Chhoj 9846056027 

38 Ek Bdr. Gurung M IN Gorkha NEFIN 9846056451 

39 Min Kashi Gururng M IN 9846121577 

40 Bimal Pulami F IN RSC 9846074959 

Magar 

41 Chandra Ghale M IN NCP 9849408781 

42 Nabinda Thapa F IN Gorkha HADC 9846270887 

43 Bipin Chandra M Brahmin Gorkha CPN UML 9846051622 

Dhakal 

44 Laxmi Adhiukari F Brahmin Mothers 

9846074272 

committee 

45 Dharma Raj M Newar Lamjung NEFIN 9856028632 

Shrestha 

46 Trishna Serchan F IN Mustang 9847640981 

47 Manoj Gurung M IN Parbat 9846047566 

48 Tika Pd. Gauchan M IN Myagdi RCDF 9841269797 

49 Krishna Mohan M Dalit Himal Pari Dalit 9846296733 

Nepali 

50 Mahendra Thapa M IN Janajati 9846073708 

Magar 

51 Hupa Jung Gurung M IN Manang 9746041373 

52 Rudra Shress Magar M IN Kaski NMA 9846111602 

53 Khem Raj Adhikari M Brahmin Tanahu NC 9856024799 

54 Teku Nepali M Dalit Mukti Samaj 9851093572 

55 Bal Bdr. Rana Magar M IN NMA 9846089661 

56 Sita K.C. F Chhetri 9846044687 

57 Kul Pd. Pun M IN NMA 9841701892 

58 Gyanendra Pun M IN NMA 9851016713 

59 Ambika Thapa F IN NMA 9846135558 


ANNEX III 

Presentation from local resource person- Kumar Yonzon 

An analytical Concept on 

Structure, Situation and Challenges of Tamu Hyule (Tamuwan) 

Resam Tamu, General Secretary 

Tamu Hyule Chhong Dhin Gurung National Council, Central Committee 

Historical Background 

The Gurung’s Khol state was abolished during 

the period of Thakuri king of Kaski, Jagati 

Khan, five hundred years ago. According to 

Prof. Narayan Gurung (2064 B.S.) the King of 

Gorkha, Drabya Shah murdered Tamu King 

Samari Klhen in 1559. 

In 1865 Mangsir 5 (Friday), the royal seal by 

the then King Girwan Bikram Shah said, “You, 

Gurung non-entity are carrying out rituals 

from Lama Ghyawri in the name of ancestryreligion, 

but now onwards, for ancestryreligion 

you should carry it out through a 

Upadhyaya Brahman, have ten karma done, 

and purification rituals”. 

The caste-based discrimination is found to 

have begun in the 14th century following the 

act of classification of the Newar community 

into 64 castes by Jayasthiti Malla (1382-1395 

B.S.) with the help of Maithili and Hill Brahmins. 

Budhathoki (2039) writes that Jayasthiti Malla, 

with the might of state power, revived the once 

disappeared Sanatan Hindu religion. 

Secondly, after seizing control, through military 

action, over small principalities, Prithvi Narayan 

Shah introduced the concept of 4 castes 36 

races, or 4 races 36 castes and described Nepal 

as a real Hindustan. And we should understand 

this very act as the beginning of the attack 

on the language, religion and culture of the 

indigenous nationalities. 

The third strike of Hinduism was the Jange 

law or the Country Code which classified the 

Nepali society into Brahmin, Chhetri, Baishya 

and Shudra. As a result, higher/smaller, upper/ 

lower, touchable/untouchable, sacred/ 

unsacred caste groups were created and 

discrimination, suppression and exploitation 

began. For example, indigenous nationalities 

were included under the ‘Shudra’ category. 

Collective efforts and awareness 

• MaGuRaLi (Magar,Gurung, Rai and 

Limbu) and SeTaMaGuRaLi (Sherpa, 

Tamang, Magar,Gurung, Rai and 

Limbu) campaigns during 2012/13 BS, 

• Allegation of inviting communalism 

and disintegration, 

• Symbolic representation during the 

Panchayat Period, and 

• Context of 10 years People’s War, 

062/63 (2007) Second Janaandolan 

(Popular Movement) and the 12-point 

agreement. 

Geography, Population and Cultural Situation 

Geography 

Among the Nepali researchers, Prof. Dor 


Bahadur Bista has said, “The land of origin of 

Gurungs is the southern slopes of Annapurna, 

Manasalu and Himalchuli mountains”. 

Prof. Narayan Gurung provides an important 

note in the Lemkuko ‘Pye’ which says that 

Tamus governed a state in the Gandak 

region. Almost all Tamu scholars agree on the 

fact that ‘Klhole Sopre (Sonthar) Tyho’ is the 

ancestral land of Tamus. 

Bernard Pignede (1966) said, “…Gurung 

Country lies in the high valleys of the southern 

slopes of the Annapurna chain and of 

Himalchuli in the central region of high hills …. 

The chain of the hills which separates the valley 

of Kali Gandaki from that of the Modi forms the 

western, whilst the valley of the Budhi Gandaki 

constitutes the eastern border”. 

The English scholars, Prof. MacFarlan Elan, 

who studied the changes in Pye Tan Lhu 

Tan and Tamu population, and Mr. Simon 

Strickland, who has in-depth knowledge 

of Pajyu, are also of the view that human 

geography of Gurungs is concentrated 

around the periphery of current Gandaki 

zone. 

Highly appreciating the opinion of the 

national and international scholars/ 

researchers, the demarcation of Tamu Hyule/ 

Tamuwan should extend to Budhi Gandaki 

in the east, to Kali Gandaki in the west, to 

the Nepal-Tibet border in the north, and to 

Chitwan and Nawalparasi in the south. 

Thus, eight districts—Mustang, Manang, Kaski, 

Syangja, Parwat, Lamjung, Gorkha and Tanahu 

should fall under Tamu Hyule Tamuwan. 

Population 

Table: Ethnicity Distribution, National Census, 1991 and 2001 

Ethnicity Region 1991 2001 

Population % Population % 

Chhetri Hill 2,968,082 16.05 3,593,496 15.80 

Bahun Hill 2,388,455 12.92 2,896,477 12.74 

Magar Hill 1,339,308 7.24 1,622,421 7.14 

Tharu Tarai 1,194,224 6.46 1,533,879 6.75 

Tamang Hill 1,018,252 5.51 1,282,304 5.64 

Newar Hill 1,041,090 5.63 1,245,232 5.48 

Muslim Tarai 653,055 3.53 971,056 4.27 

Kami Hill 963,655 5.21 895,954 3.94 

Yadav Tarai 765,137 4.14 895,423 3.94 

Rai Hill 525,551 2.84 635,151 2.79 

Gurung Hill 449,189 2.43 543,571 2.39 

Damai Hill 367,989 1.99 390,305 1.72 

Limbu Hill 297,186 1.63 359,379 1.58 

Thakuri Hill 299,473 1.62 334,120 1.47 

Sarki Hill 276,224 1.49 318,989 1.40 

Teli Tarai 250,732 1.36 304,536 1.34 

Chamar Tarai 203,919 1.10 269,661 1.19 

Koiri Tarai 205,797 1.11 251,274 1.11 

Source: CBS, 2003 


VDCs 

S.N. Ethnicity Having population 

more than 50 % 

Having population 

more than 30 % 

Having population 

more than 10% 

1 Chhetri 401 895 1,972 

2 Magar 179 378 900 

3 Tamang 165 306 644 

4 Bahun 110 419 1,509 

5 Tharu 108 238 446 

6 Gurung 79 123 307 

7 Rai 76 179 338 

8 Limbu 45 106 187 

9 Yadav 39 166 589 

10 Muslim 36 138 514 

11 Newar 30 73 394 

Source: Central Bureau of Statistics, National Foundation for Upliftment of Indigenous 

Nationalities (NFDIN) 

4. Gurung Population in Nepal, National Census, 2001 

S.N. District Total Population Total Population Male Female Percent Rank 

of District of Gurung 

1 Mustang 14,981 6,770 3,291 3,479 45.19 1st 

2 Manang 9,587 7,273 3,633 3,640 75.86 1st 

3 Gorkha 288,134 64,240 29,994 34,246 22.30 1st 

4 Lamjung 177,149 56,140 26,241 29,899 31.69 1st 

5 Kaski 380,527 69,038 31,657 37,381 18.14 1st 

6 Tanahu 315,237 39,418 18,275 21,143 12.50 2nd 

7 Syangja 313,720 31,687 14,304 17,383 9.99 3rd 

8 Parbat 157,826 8,034 3,749 4,285 5.09 5th 

Nepal 22,736,934 543,571 259,376 284,185 2.39 11th 

• Reviewing the population, there are 

many people raising serious questions 

as to who will govern – minorities 

or majorities? What we wish is not 

a unitary ethnic state of Tamuwan. 

Therefore, it will not be the case that 

Tamu Hyule or Tamuwan will be 

the rulers of the state and all others 

will be governed by Tamus. As per 

a democratic system and based on 

proportional and inclusive principles, 

equal participation of all ethnicities, 

languages and regions shall be 

ensured in all organs of the State. 

• According to the 2001 census, there 

are official records of, 100 castes/ 

ethnicities, 8 religions and 92 

languages and language-speakers in 

Nepal. In this context, people argue 


about whether it is possible to form 

the state on the basis of all ethnicities 

and languages. Eighteen different 

ethnic communities have more than 

1% population. All shall have the 

right to govern as per the policy of 

autonomy under autonomy based on 

their dense settlement. 

Opportunities 

• Apples of Mustang, Musk deer and 

sheep in the Himalayan region, 

production of wool, Yarchagumba 

(Cordyceps Sinensis), Panch-aunle 

(Dactylorhiza Hatagirea) and other 

herbs can be exported to Tibet 

and India. 

• Similarly in hilly areas, income can 

be generated from orange farming 

in Tanahu, Gorkha and Syangja 

districts, and vegetable farming in 

other districts, including Kaski. 

• Foreign exchange can be earned 

from the influx of domestic 

and foreign tourists after the 

completion of the currently 

proposed International Airport 

in Pokhara, which would be the 

capital or headquarters of the 

proposed State. 

• For this, entrepreneurs will have to 

be allowed to operate well-managed 

hotels/lodges in the trekking routes 

including in Pokhara. 

• To constitute and develop mothers’ 

groups and youth organizations 

in tourist villages like Sirubari 

in Gorkha, Lamjung, Tanahun, 

Manang, and Mustang districts. 

• Youths will get jobs if Rupa lake, 

Begnas lake and Tilicho lake are 

developed as a tourist destinations 

like Fewa lake. 

• If Annapurna Conservation 

Area is kept free of poaching 

and developed into a centre of 

attraction for the tourists, hotels 

and lodges would increase and 

thereby enhance the possibility of 

earning foreign currency. 

• Improvement in transportation 

services to the villages and 

communities, conservation of 

forest by forming mothers’ groups 

and mobilizing youth groups and 

opening of rural museums and 

required hotels should be done. 

• Since the proposed Tamu Hyule 

(Gurung State) is also not poor in 

water resources, the state treasury 

can be strengthened through 

hydropower production. Examples 

at present are the Pokhara Fewa 

Lake, Jomsom, Syangja Seti 

Confluence, Chame, Marsyangdi, 

Andhi Khola, Arughat. 

• Establishing view towers in 

Pokhara Kahun Danda, Kolma 

Baharachour and Panchse lake 

will help increase domestic and 

foreign tourists and thereby 

increase income for the State. 

• The sites of religious and cultural 

importance such as Muktinath 

temple, Manakamana temple, 

Dudhapokhari, Khol Sopren Tyho, 

Alamdevi temple, etc. and other 

sites of touristic and cultural 

importance can be maintained for 

tourists and pilgrims. 

• Similarly, there are mines in 

the proposed Tamu Hyule, for 

example, the possibility to extract 

10 million tons of iron in Labdi 

Khola, Tanahu. Similarly there is 

also possibility of iron mining in 

Dhorkhani of Tanahu, Dhulakot of 

Prawat, and Sekham of Syangja. 

Similarly, there is possibility of 

copper mining in Pandi Khola 


of Syangja, Buddha Khola of 

Bandipur and Marfa of Mustang. 

(Buddhi Prasad Pokharel:2063). 

For e.g. the materials made by iron 

from Dhulakot and Dhoreli are 

popular in the villages. 

• Mountains like Manasalu, 

Himalchuli, Annapurna and 

Machchhapuchhre that fall under 

Tamu Hyule can attract domestic 

and foreign mountaineers, and 

such possibilities should be 

properly utilized. 

Challenges 

1. The naming of the proposed state/ 

region as Tamu Hyule (Gurung State) 

or Tamuwan Autonomous Region 

may not be digestable to indigenous 

peoples including Bahun, Chhetri residing 

in that region. As there will not 

be a majority of the Tamus in the State 

Legislature (Bidhan Sabha), one cannot 

rule out the possibility of a serious 

dispute over this current name 

and another alternative name may be 

needed. The strong Chhetri community 

in Kaski also calls for consideration 

in this regard. Therefore, two options 

are identified: 

A. At first, seek to forge a consensus 

to name the province Tamu Hyule 

or Tamuwan. For this, consensus 

should first be reached among the 

indigenous peoples of the area—the 

Tamang, Thakali, Magar, Chepang, 

Dura, Balami and Tharu—followed 

by a discussion with the Chhetri community, 

Bahun community and others 

providing them with reasons for 

naming it Tamu Hyule or Tamuwan 

and reaching agreement. This will be 

the most appropriate way, and will remove 

the concerns of other minority 

ethnic groups including Thakali, Dura, 

Majhi, Magar, etc. 

B. Secondly, if dissatisfaction remains 

and a dispute arises among other 

indigenous nationalities and nonnationalities 

on the name of Tamu Hyule 

or Tamuwan, seeking alternative 

names may provide the right solution. 

2. While demarcating the proposed 

Tamu Hyule/Tamuwan region, the 

possibility of a dispute arising with 

Tamang and other ethnic groups in 

the east and Magar and other groups 

in the west cannot be ignored. Therefore, 

it will be appropriate to hold dialogue 

and discussion beforehand. 

3. The principle of inclusion and proportional 

representation should be applied 

in all opportunities of the state 

in the proposed Tamu Hyule/Tamuwan 

state. This helps to protect the Tamus 

living outside the Tamu Hyule, i.e. 

the Tamus residing in from Taplejung 

to Kailali Kanchanpur. We can raise a 

strong voice for prioritizing inclusion 

and proportional representation and 

this shall guarantee further consolidation 

of unity among all the Tamus. 

Our common issues (that we have been 

raising) 

1. The Tamu Hyule (Gurung state)/ 

Tamuwan should be ensured by 

guaranteeing ethnic autonomy along 

with the right to self-determination in 

the Constitution. 

2. As per the aspirations of general 

Nepali people, the Constitution of the 

federal democratic republic of Nepal 

should be promulgated within the 

scheduled time after determining the 

federal states on the basis of ethnicity, 

language and region. 

3. The territory of the Tamu Hyule (Gurung 

state)/Tamuwan should extend to the 

Budhi Gandaki in the east, Kali Gandaki 

in the west, and the international 


orders in the north and south. 

4. The multi-lingual policy should be 

applied in the state with full authority 

to use the language of Tamus in the 

Tamu Hyule (Gurung state)/Tamuwan 

as the official (Government offices, 

media and court) working language. 

5. The International Labour Organisation 

(ILO) Convention No. 169 ratified 

by the Interim Parliament, the 

International Covenant on Economic, 

Social and Cultural Rights, 1966, 

International Covenant on Civil 

and Political Rights, 1966, the UN 

Declaration on Elimination of all forms 

of Racial Discrimination, 1963, and 

United Nations Declaration on Rights 

of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), 2007 

should be respected. 

6. There should be a provision in the 

Constitution itself requiring all 

government and non-government 

level projects operating in the Tamu 

Hyule (Gurung state)/Tamuwan State 

to acquire prior approval from the 

Tamu community. 

7. The Constitution should ensure the 

political prerogative right to the Tamu 

(Gurung) community in the Tamu 

Hyule (Gurung state)/Tamuwan State 

by guaranteeing proportional and 

inclusive participation in all bodies 

of the State on the basis of ethnic 

population. 

8. Backed by the extreme Hindu system 

of rule, various places in the Tamu 

Hyule (Gurung state)/Tamuwan earlier 

named in the Tamu language have 

been renamed in the Khas language. 

Accordingly, the Constitution should 

ensure the right to rename them in 

the Tamu language. 

9. Nepal should be made a secular 

country in real sense by amending 

or reforming the Country Code and 

all laws based on Hindu religion, 

in accordance with the norms and 

values of secularism. 

10. The prime right of the Tamu 

community over land, water, forest 

in the Tamu Hyule (Gurung state)/ 

Tamuwan should be established 

constitutionally. 

11. Curriculum based on Pye Ta Lhu Ta (Rituals, 

culture) of Tamus in the Tamu Hyule 

(Gurung state)/Tamuwan State should 

be developed and the fundamental right 

to acquire primary to higher secondary 

level education (optionally) in the mother 

tongue should be established in the 

Constitution. 

12. According to the policy of “Automony 

within autonomy” in the Tamu Hyule 

(Gurung state)/Tamuwan, the right 

of various ethnicities including the 

indigenous ethnicities should be 

ensured constitutionally. 

13. The Constitution of the Federal 

Democratic Republic of Nepal should 

be drafted by maintaining national 

independence, integrity and mutual 

ethnic harmony, and recognizing the 

country’s multiethnic, multilingual, 

multicultural and multireligious diversity. 

14. Traditional knowledge, skill, 

traditional customary laws etc. 

of Tamu community should be 

recognized in the Constitution. 

15. The State should put to an end the 

centuries-old lingual, social, cultural, 

religious, educational, economic 

and political discriminations against 

the indigenous Tamu (Gurung) and 

provide special rights for a certain 

period as compensation to them, and 

this provision should be made in the 

Constitution itself. 


ANNEX IV 

Group work outcomes 

First group work outcome: 

Group A: Inter-provincial relation 

• neea a preempt to avoid conflicts 

among neighbouring provinces on 

geographical border and ownership 

with water, land and forests. 

• Provision for no inter-provincial tax 

on food grains and other consumer 

goods. 

• Construction of shared projects and 

infrastructure. 

• Maintain social harmony between 

different ethnic, religious, linguistic 

and cultural group. 

• Supportive relationships between 

the provinces to maintain peace and 

security and prevent crime. 

• No restriction on people from one 

province receiving education, health, 

and employment opportunities in 

another. 

• Easy facilitation of communication 

and travel services. 

Group B: Minority rights in the Province 

• No prime rights for the majority and 

equal rights for minorities. 

• Right for the minority to practice their 

culture. 

• Provision to elect to the membership 

of the provincial legislature members 

of minority groups and tribes 

threatened with extinction for one 

term. 

• Right against being ignored. 

• Equal rights for the minority to 

resources and decision making 

procedures. 

Group C: Base of restructuring the state 

• Ethnic habitation 

• Status of language 

• Cultural density 

• Historical civilization 

• Geographical accessibility/continuity 

• Economic potential 

• Availability of natural resources 

• Political and administrative 

accessibility 

• No huge differences of population 

and geographical area 

• Emphasis on national unity and 

integration 

Group D: Local Government and its 

services 

• Security management-Community 


police and metro police 

• Communication- Telephone and 

all other mode of communication 

(Newspaper) 

• Tax system- Land tax, vehicle tax, 

tourist tax, herbal tax, 

- Gaon Palika: Drinking water tax, natural 

resources (water, mine and forest) 

electricity tax, recommendation and 

registration tax 

- Municipality tax: House rent tax, 

sanitation tax 

• Education: Goan Palika-Free 

secondary level education 

Municipality-Higher education 

• Health : Goan Palika- Primary Heath 

care center with Doctor 

Municipality- Well facilitated Hospital 

• Administration: Goan Palika- 

Citizenship, Individual case 

registration and passport 

• Judiciary- Local court, Reconciliation 

and mediation 

• Unemployment data collection’ 

• Local market management, import 

and export and well managed 

residency 

• Local road, village road and 

agricultural road and irrigation 

• Practice and promotion of Local 

language 

• Agriculture, Livestock and land 

preservation (Integrated service center) 

Delivery of Local services: 

• Provision of special budget, and 

program and protection other than 

the service provided in the local area. 

• Special program related with the 

language, culture and custom 

Group E: Distribution of power between 

Center and Province 

• Decentralized federalism and proper 

decentralization of power. 

• The power of center: 

- Defense and army 

- Central Bank , Fiscal and monetary 

policy, Foreign aid and donations 

and loan 

- Federal legislative and federal 

executive 

- Supreme court and constitutional 

court 

- Election commission and other 

constitutional commission 

- Arms and ammunitions and its 

production factory 

- Custom and excise duty, Value 

added tax, visa, International and 

National Aviation 

- Foreign and diplomatic relation 

and United Nations relation 

- International organization, 

extradition, International border 


management 

• The power of province: 

- Provincial law and administration 

- Radio F. M. and television 

- Police, peace and security 

- Royalty form natural resources 

- Provincial civil service 

management 

- Individual income tax, property 

tax and other tax 

- Provincial legislature and local 

government 

- Provincial court, family court and 

child court 

- Land management, registration 

and land tax 

- Language, culture, script, religious 

protection and use 

- Agriculture and livestock 

development and factory 

- Provincial commission 

- Inter provincial trade 

- Provincial railway service and 

provincial high way 

- Citizenship and passport 

management 

Second group work outcome: 

Group A: History and Geography of 

Tamuwan 

• According to the excavations in 

Kaohola Sothere conducted by 

the Archeological department and 

Cambridge University, Gurungs come 

to the Gandaki region. 

• Other scholars like Dor Bahadur Bista, 

Bernard Pignun also support this view 

in their books and reports. 

• According to history, since the regime 

of Jagati Khan the Samari Kahale 

(Ghale) have lived in this area. 

• The Tamu history is the oldest among 

all other ethnic groups. 

• As per historical documents this is the 

appropriate province for the Tamu 

people 

Geography: 

• The boundary provided by CSRDSP is 

not appropriate and the border of this 

province should include-all the area 

between the Kali Gandaki and Budhi 

Gandaki including the districts of 

Mustang, Manang, Gorkha, Lamjung, 

Kaski, Tanahu, Parbat and Syangja. 

Different Opinion: (By Teku Nepali and 

Dhan Maya B.K.) 

• In deciding on the structure of 

any province, it should include the 

mountain, hills and the Tarai so 

Tamuwan province should include 

Nawalparasi district. 

Group B: Political and administrative 

structure of the province 

• The number of Goan Palika, 


Autonomous regions, Protective 

region and special regions: 

District Municipality 

Autonomous region 

Special region 

Goan Palika 

Protective region 

District Municipality Goan 

Autonomous 

Protective 

Special 

Palika 

region 

region 

region 

Gorkha 2 26 Baram - - 

Manang 1 10 - - - 

Mustang 1 12 Takali - - 

Lamjung 2 35 Kumal,Dura, 

- - 

Chepang, Majhi 

- - 

Kaski 2 28 - - 

Group C: Natural Resources and Economic 

Potential 

• Natural Resources: 

- Rivers: Marsyangdi, Budi Gandaki, 

Kali Gandaki, Madi, Seti, Daruadi 

- Lakes: Fewa, Begnas, Rupa, 

Baidi Tilicho, Khaste, Dona, 

Kachhumaan, Narayan Dudh 

pond. 

- Falls: David falls, Syaku falls, 

Chaymche falls, Rupsi falls, 

- Mountains: Manaslu, Annapurna-I, 

II, III, Machhapuchhere, Daulagiri 

- Caves: Mahendra, Chamero, 

Gupteshwor, Husangal, Jogi, Seti 

- Tatopani Kunda: Chyame kunda, 

Ghermu kunda, Jagat kunda, 

Machhapuchhre kunda, 

- Land: Mountain, Hills, Plains, 

Simsar, High palin area, Forest, 

- Religious sites 

- Mines: Bronze of Gorkha, Salt, 

Bronze, Coal, Gas of Mustang, 

Valuable stones of Manang, mines 

of gold, sand, silajit etc. 

- Botanical/Biological resourcesvarieties 

of Sunakhari, herbs, birds, 

animals and insects. 

• Economic Potential: 

- Tourism-Mountain, Lakes, Falls, 

Rivers, Cave, forest, religious 

places, tourism villages and hiking, 

rock climbing, paragliding. 

- Industry-Different industries 

running and potential industries 

in Lekhnath in pokhara for herbs, 

carpets, wool, leather wood, 


alcohol, juice, jam and other agrobased 

industries. 

- Water Resources-Madhaya 

Marshyangdi, 

Mathillo 

Marshayangdi and Super 

Marshyangdi and many other 

hydro power projects, irrigation 

- Fruits and agriculture- Apple, 

mushroom, orange, tea, coffee 

and many other agricultural 

products, fishery, bee keeping and 

Bhir mauri. 

- Livestock-Sheep, Goats, yak, 

Kasturi, Horse etc. 

- Other wild animals-Kasturi, 

Himchituwa, Bear, Daphe, Munal, 

Kalij, Haleso, Himmanab, Potential 

of Yeti. 

- Herbs-Yersagumba, Panchaaula, 

Nirmasi, Chiraitoo, Lathesalla, 

Toojo, Allovera, Timur, Kalo Gajur 

Gano 

- Remittance economy 

- Custom point-Lomangthang of 

Mustang, Larke 

- International Airport-Pokhara 

Group D: Judicial system and 

customary law 

• Right to practice tradition and culture 

as per own ethnicity 

• Local problem and cases should be 

dealt with by local laws like Nalpratha 

• Strong independent and efficient 

provincial judiciary system 

• Central law should consider the 

provincial law. 

• Legal system should ensure the 

ethnic, religious, linguistic harmony 

• To establish the rule of law there 

should sufficient provisions to punish 

violators. 

Group E: Identification of Minorities and 

their rights 

• In the proposed Tamuwan province, 

the groups that have a low population 

and lack access to the economic, social 

and political power of the province 

are called Minorities. 

• The minority groups are: Dura, Chepang, 

Kusunda, Thakali, Majhi, Tyolmo, Kumal, 

Durai, Mustang (Lo-Dorsap). 

Minority Rights: 

• Rights should be listed. 

• Provision of positive discrimination 

to ensure the right to different 

opportunities provided by the 


• Protection and promotion of 

traditional occupation and trade. 

• Provision of reservation for particular 

time period. 

• Right to language, culture and 

identity. 


2 

3 

1 

9 

8 

4 

5 

ANNEX V 

Legend 

Streams 

Location Map 

11 

12 

14 

6 7 

13 

10 

Proposed Federal Unit Boundary 5. Limbuwan 

7.Magrat 

Proposed Federal Units 

9. Narayani 

1. Jadan 

10. Newa 

2. Karnali 

11.Sherpa 

3. Khaptad 

12.Sunkoshi 

4. Kirat 

Dolpa 

13.Tamsaling 

6. Lumbini -Awadh-Tharuwan 

14.Tamuwan 

8. Mithila-Bhojpura-Koch-Madhesh 

Map data source(s): 

Federal units- Constituent Assembly Committee on State Restructuring and 

Distribution of State Power; Population data- CBS 

Myagdi 

Disclaimers: 

The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do 

not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. UNOCHA 

and UNDP/CCD provide this map as a basis for discussion among CA 

members and the public and can not take any responsibility for its 

correctness. 

Beni 

Baglung 

Baglung 

Gulmi 

Kusma 

Parbat 

Jomsom 

International Boundary 

Syangja 

Proposed Federal Unit Boundary Built up 

!. Proposed Federal Unit Capital 

Cultivation 

Mustang 

ANNAPURNA CONSERVATION AREA 

Manang 

Forest 

Kaski 

&- District Headquarters 

Pokhara 

Syangja 

Tanahu 

Chame 

Damauli 

Tamuwan 

MANASLU CONSERVATIOM AREA 

Gorkha 

Lamjung 

Rasuwa 

Besishahar 

Dhading 

Rasuwa 

Orchard 

LANGTANG NATIONAL PARK 

" 

Buildings 

Nuwakot 

Grass 

Airports 

Bush 

District Boundary 

o 

Sand 

Gorkha 

Designated Area 

Glacier 

Highway 

Barren Land 

Proposed Federal Unit : Tamuwan 

Reference Map 

Feeder Road 

River Water 

District Road 

Snow 

Other Road 

Lake 

Main Trail 

Predominance by Caste/Ethnicity - Tamuwan Federal Unit 

32% 

20% 

13% 

8% 

5% 6% 

5% 4% 

3% 3% 

1% 

Gurung 

Brahman-Hill 

Chhetri 

Kami 

Magar 

Newar 

Tamang 

Damai/Dholi 

Sarki 

Gharti/Bhujel 

Others 

Hill Brahman/Chhetri (HBC) 

Tamuwan 

Madhesi/Terai Brahman/Chhetri (MTBC) 

0.5% 

0.2% 0.3% 

0% 

Disadvantaged Other Madhesi/Terai (DOMT) 

Non-Disadvantaged Other Madhesi/Terai (NDOMT) 

35% 

30% 

25% 

20% 

15% 

10% 

Hill Dalits (HD) 

35% 

35% 

Madhesi/Terai Dalits (MTD) 

New ar (N) 

5% 

0% 

Disadvantaged Hill Janajati (DHJ) 

Non-Disadvantaged Hill Janajati (NDHJ) 

Disadvantaged Terai Janajati (DTJ) 

0.1% 

Non-Disadvantaged Terai Janajati (NDTJ) 

1% 

10% 

12% 0.4% 

Muslims (M) 

5% 1% 

Others (O) 




Centre for Constitutional Dialogue (CCD) 

3rd & 4th floor, Alfa Beta Complex, Buddhanagar, Kathmandu 

Telephone 977-1- 4785466 / 4785486 / 4785998 

E-mail: info@ccd.org.np 

Website: 48 www.ccd.org.np 

Federalism Dialogues Series 5

English - Support to Participatory Constitution Building in Nepal ...

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