Kathmandu - The Nepalese government and an ethnic group
representing the minority Madhesi community reached a breakthrough
deal Thursday to defuse months of tension in the southern part of the
Himalayan nation, officials said.
The government and the ethnic Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF)
said they reached a 22-point agreement that will halt protests which
have periodically crippled commerce in the restive south.
'Nepal is now on its way to becoming a federal autonomous state
with guaranteed representation of all ethnic groups in all levels of
government,' MPRF president Upendra Yadav said. 'All our protest
programmes have now been withdrawn.'
The government agreed to provide compensation to those killed
during violent protests in southern Nepal during January and February.
It also promised to form a commission for the restructuring of the
state and ensure representation of all communities in administrative
decisions.
But the government did not agree to the MPRF's key demand for
full proportional representation in electoral system.
'We have decided to pursue the issue after the constituent
assembly elections,' Yadav said, referring to the body that will
rewrite Nepal's new constitution. 'But we are excited about the
agreement with the government.'
MPRF is the largest ethnic minority, representing nearly a third
of Nepal's 27 million population, and the agreement is expected to
boost the government's efforts to resolve southern unrest in the
run-up to the November elections.
The group was involved in violent protests demanding greater
representation for ethnic Madhesi community that resulted in the
deaths of at least 55 people earlier this year.
The government has intensified its attempts to hold talks
with disgruntled ethnic groups, whose protests are seen as the
biggest threat to holding free and fair elections.
Political analysts say despite the agreement with MPRF, peace in
southern Nepal is still not assured as smaller militant groups have
not agreed to enter negotiations with the government.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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