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

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.
Proposed Tamuwan Province Report 11