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

4. INTRODUCTION TO THE DIALOGUE
A. Background to the proposed Tamuwan
province
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
Proposed Tamuwan Province Report 13