Janajatis are deprived of their right to utilise their water, land and forests as guaranteed by ILO Convention 169. The government is selling medicinal herbs, wood, rocks and soil without taking permission from the rightful owners because Janajatis don't have access to politics.

Once the provinces are created based on ethnicity and the rights over water, forests and land are ensured, they don't have to look to the centre for development activities and locals will be employed.

Creating federal units without the right to self-determination is impossible. It should be understood as the right to secession. It is a provision to take decisions on our own but within the purview of the country's interests.

The ethnic issue should be resolved before class conflict. If we want to resolve the class issue, all should be employed, which is impossible. But the people are rendered unemployed, impoverished and disrespected just because they are Magar, Tharu, Dalit or Muslim. How can this be a class issue?

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