Biratnagar, Jan. 2: The Research Centre for Indigenous and Ethnic Issues, Nepal, held an interaction programme around the topic ” the Present Condition of the Indigenous Tribes and Ethnic Communities in Nepal and Challenges of the 21st Century” here on Saturday.

Inaugurating the interaction programme, president of the Nepal Bhasa Manka Khala and former minister Padma Ratna Tuladhar said that the indigenous people should themselves unite for their rights and the upliftment of their language and culture.

Language and ethnic issues still remain unresolved even after so many years of the reinstatement of democracy in the country, he said, adding that granting of local autonomy to local bodies would promote indigenous languages and culture.

Presenting a working paper, lecturer Ishwar Govinda Shrestha spoke of the need to grant local autonomy to areas predominantly settled by the people of the indigenous groups.

Commenting on the paper, General Secretary of the Federation Of Nationalities Parsuram Tamang, Upendra Yadav and Joint Secretary of Nepal Sadbhavana Party Khusilal Mandal pointed out the need for unity among the people of the different indigenous communities for the attainment of their rights and welfare.

Central vice-president of Tamang Ghedung Association Mahendra Jung Tamang, Ramesh Thapa Magar of the Magarat National Freedom Front, chief of the organisation department of the Janamukti Party Kumar Lingden, president of the Morang District Tamu Chhoda Dhi Rudra Gurung and Prof. Rajendra Prasad Gupta stressed raising the level of public awareness among the indigenous communities for their upliftment.

At the programme presided over by president of the centre Mr. Satya Narayan Chaudhari, professors Parsu Bhagat, Jibeshwar Lakhe, Saran Kumar Rai and central member of the Kirat Yakthung Chumung Ram Kumar Iwang called for the upliftment of indigenous language and culture in the twenty-first century.