Senior political leaders have now realised that there is major unrest across the Tarai, and immediate steps need to be taken to address this. Kailali, in Far-Western Tarai, has become its epicenter where eight people, including a senior police officer, were killed last Monday.

The prime minister and other party leaders have called Tharu and Madhesi parties for dialogue. But they have not yet been able to gain the trust of agitating groups. The NC and CPN-UML are anxious to complete  the Constitution drafting through the current process underway in the Constituent Assembly (CA), with or without the Tharu-Madhesi ownership. However, two other signatories to the 16-point agreement—the Maoist party and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik believe that they will ask for deferral to the CA process if the Tharu-Madhes demands remain unaddressed. In other words, opposition leaders think that the government has invited them to talks simply as a formality with no intention of addressing their demands. In the current political climate, it is essential that the ruling parties, including the third major party, the UCPN (Maoist), make further efforts to gain the trust of agitating groups.

 There are two steps they need to take in order to do so. First, senior members of the ruling coalition need to take immediate steps to ensure that the major crisis in Kailali is defused. A curfew remains in place in the region, fear is rampant, and relations between Tharu and Pahade communities very poor. Reconciliation needs to be encouraged. Parties and the local administration need to take steps to decrease fear. There has to be recognition of the political nature of the problem at the highest level and the security forces should be given instruction accordingly. Only after reconciliation is encouraged, fear is reduced and the political nature of the crisis recognised, will the Tharu leaders feel comfortable enough to seat for substantive talks with the government. While the immediate engagement of the Tharu leaders from the leaders of Big Three parties is imperative to calm the frayed nerves of both the communities (Tharu and Pahade), the Tharu leaders will not be able to hold talk in a free and open spirit while their community remains under siege.

Second, Tharu and Madhesi leaders alike suspect that the government has no intention to listen to them, as very little has been done to incorporate them into the constitution-drafting process. Rather, the CA process is moving ahead as planned. According to the current schedule, there is one week for all amendments to be incorporated into the draft. It is clear that the complex negotiations that are required with Tharu and Madhesi groups cannot be concluded within such a short period of time. Senior political leaders need to demonstrate better faith and judgment. If they agree to postpone the constitution-drafting process for a brief period, this could help open up an opportunity for Madhesi and Tharu leaders to join the negotiation process.

More generally, Nepal’s political leaders should recognise that this is a crucial time for the country and the future will be determined to a large degree by what they agree to now. If they decide to promulgate a new constitution that excludes vast sections of the population, it is only likely that a major conflagration could occur in the country in the future. It would be best to take a more measured stance and seek to address the grievances of the agitating groups so as to create a durable and legitimate constitution.