Civil Society representatives have appealed to the concerned stakeholders to promulgate the new constitution by addressing the concerns raised by various marginalised communities including Dalits, women, Tharu, Madhes and indigenous people.

In an appeal issued by the civil society for peace and constitution on Friday, the representatives have urged the government and the political parties to institutionalise the federal democratic republic by effectively addressing the demands raised by various marganilised groups across the country through the path of amendment provisioned by the Constituent Assembly (CA) and not to delay the promulgation of new constitution.

“Our political parties themselves are the example to prove that any issues regardless of their seriousness or sensitivity can be resolved through dialogue,” said the civil society in their appeal. 

The appeal has urged the government, the major political parties and the agitating forces to initiate dialogue at the earliest in order to resolve the current adverse situation triggered by the proposed boundaries of federal states in the constitution Bill. 

“We appeal to both the warring sides not to contend whether the protest should be halted first or put off the constitution drafting process, by making it an issue of prestige,” the society noted. 

The 25-member civil society includes Arbinda Kumar Gupta, Ratneshworlal Karna, Indra Adhikari, Prof Dr Dev Kumari Gurung, Ram Narayan Dev, Kanak Mani Dixit, Shiva Gaunel, Satyanarayan Shah, Durga Soba, Subodhraj Pyakural, Kapil Shrestha, and Rem Bahadur Bishwokarma, among others.

They said that the demarcation of federal states should be based on established principle and standard.

The civil society has remarked that the used of violent force by the warring sides—government and agitator—in the demonstrations across the country against the federal borders is unforgivable and intolerant social crime.

The representatives have demanded an immediate formation of a high-level probe panel to look into the violent incidents that occurred in Surkhet, Kailali, Parsa, Bara, Rautahat, Saptari, Baridya, Banke and Jumla, among other districts.

Expressing serious concerns over the growing communal hatred in the name of protests, demonstrations in the country, the society has call on the people to not give inflammatory statements that may spread hatred. It has appeal to the social media users and the media to not publicise such hateful remarks even if someone makes it.

Taking exception to the serious violation of human rights during the recent spate of protests, the society has urged the concerned stakeholders to become serious about the problems especially faced by children, students, and pregnant women.