Nepal Magar Sangh and Samyukta Magar Manch on Wednesday organised peaceful protests demanding a separate Magarat province.

“We are not in favour of violent demonstrations,” Dhankeshar Suryabansi, Magarat State Council chief of Sanghiya Ganatantrik Janmukti Party (SGJP), said at a press meet in the district. “We will not resort to violence even if the government uses army,” he said, adding that they took to the streets following consultations with leaders and cadres various indigenous nationalities.

The SGJP said it will hold mass meetings on Friday and submit memorandums to local administration in districts where Magar settlements are located.

According to Dal Bahadur Birkatta, Magarat State Council secretary, they will hold protest meets in Palpa and some other districts on September 15. “It will be difficult to crush our peaceful protests as we are guided by peaceful principles,” he said. “We hope we will not be forced to resort to bandas and strikes.”

Birkatta said they had to stage protests as a plot was being hatched to disregard the rights of indigenous Magars in the new constitution. The protest organisers said they feel that the 16-point agreement signed among major parties on June 8 curtails the rights granted by the Interim Constitution.

Magarat Samyukta Sangharsha Manch Advisor Kehar Singh Rana expressed hope that common people will express solidarity with their protests. “There is a misconception that we are asking for ethnic states but we are simply demanding identity. It is necessary to make people aware of the matter.”

Nepal Magar Sangh central member Gam Bahadur Thapa claimed leaders and sister organisations of all political parties in the region have supported their protests. A Magar Sangh leader said Magarat province includes Palpa, Gulmi and Arghakhachi of Lumbini zone, Baglung and Myagdi of Dhaulagiri zone and Ropla, Pyuthan, Rukum and Salyan of Rapti zone.