‘Caste-based discriminations exist in Nepal’

May 26, 2000
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Kathmandu, Mar. 26: Sixty-five per cent of the respondent of an opinion poll survey conducted by the Media Services International (MSI) said that cast-based discriminations existed in Nepal. Twenty-nine per cent said they were not aware of such discriminations while six per cent preferred not to express any opinion on the issue.

On where discriminations could be located at, 56 per cent referred to social ceremonies like weddings and furneral rituals, an MSI press release said. Twenty per cent referred to decisions relating to social and community activities, 13 per cent to justice dispensation, four per cent to rewardlessness despite notable achievements and eight per cent to areas like the problem of untouchability.

Sixty-seven per cent of the respondents, according to the press release, admitted that the level of caste-based discriminations had decreased after the restoration of multiparty democracy in 1990. Twenty per cent of the respondents, however, said that the situation had not changed while 11 per cent remained opted for no opinion.

Forty-two per cent of the respondents said that they would like their children to be educated in Nepali, 29 per cent were for English while 28 per cent opted for the mother tongues.

In response to the question whether Janajatis had been denied economic opportunities, 59 per cent said that they did not know any such cases. Twenty-one per cent said they knew of cases of denial of economic opportunities to the Janajati members, while 20 per cent did not express any opinion on the issue.

On the question of where specifically have the Janajatis  been denied economic opportunities, 43 per cent said in recruitment for employment while 21 per cent said in facilities given to the landless. Seventeen per cent said in obtaining loans from the financial institutions. 13 per cent in special programmes meant for the Janajatis and five per cent said in other areas.

Asked if they thought the government had done enough to preserve and develop the culture, customs and languages of the Janajatis, 55 per cent said ‘no’ whereas 28 per cent thought the government had done something in this regard. Sixteen per cent gave no opinion, the press release stated.

On the question of where were the improvements overdue, 41 per cent said in the special programmes designed for the preservation of tradition and culture of the Janajatis while 34 per cent said in study and research targeted to highlight the cultures, customs and languages of the Janajatis. Twenty per cent said in preserving traditional customs and practices of the janajatis and eight per cent said in other areas.

The opinion poll survey with a sample size of 1,068 individuals covered 15 districts from the mountains, hills and the Terai ranging from Ilam in the east to Dang in the west. Panchthar, Jhapa, Sunsari, Bhojpur, Sindhupalchowk, Makawanpur, Chitwan, Kaski, Lamjung, Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and Palpa came in between.

The respondents represented Yolmo, Thakali, Rai, Limbu, Gurung, Chepang, Magar, Lepcha, Jyapu, Tharu, Dhimal, Satar, Jhangad and Danuwar Janajatis,  the press release said.

The survey was conducted between January 5 and 15 this year, with a grant from the London-based Westminster Foundation for Democracy.