Identity Politics

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negative impact on the economy and development, the increase in the militarization of society, and the increase in the restrictions on human rights. Some of them discussed the ethnic

grievances and the Maoist mobilization of the ethnic groups.⁴⁷⁶ Moreover, some political scientists link the rise of the Maoist insurgency to the failure of the parliamentary democracy and to the failure of the political parties to work properly within the political system.

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The political movement of 1990 led to different national and regional movements, and the people at both the local and national level demanded to get their inalienable rights to speak and read or write in their mother tongue, and staked their claim over the country’s natural resources. After 1990, with the beginning of party politics, problems of people, like Tamang, Limbu, Madheshi, and Tharu, related to identity politics increased at local levels, as well as nationally, to form a wider communal identity in terms of religion, language, and so on. As a result, the Himalayan country has seen the development of several kinds of movements, which can be described as social movements, identity movements, the Maoist insurgency, for example.⁴⁷⁸ The CPN (UML) government formed in 1994 started to air news in Sanskrit language on Radio Nepal, and the Supreme Court banned to use Nepal Bhasa – language of Newari people – as an official language along with Nepali in the offices of Kathmandu Metropolitan city. The government of NC took a decision in 1993 to make Sanskrit a compulsory language in school education.⁴⁷⁹ Early in 1990, Nepal was described as a peaceful country in popular discourse and in academia. Hangen and Lawoti hold the view that the ethnic movement and identity politics moved ahead after 1990 and became more violent after the turn of the century.⁴⁸⁰ The indigenous nationalities movement began to work more actively to promote social, linguistic, cultural, economic and political rights of marginal people. Similarly, due to Madeshi, Dalit movements, Muslim activities, and women's

consciousness, Maoists responded and recruited indigenous community members – Madeshis, Dalits, and women – after 1996, and the voices of those people became the political agenda of Nepalese conflict.

However, there have been different type of conflicts and rebellions in Nepal's history.

After 1990, the collective mobilization that occurred in Nepal was varied in nature and, hence, its effects have differed as well. The contemporary contentious activities emerged from the

478 Upreti, Political Awakening in Nepal.

479 Gellener, Pfaff-Czarnecka & Whepton, Nationalism and Ethnicity in Hindu Kingdom.

480 Susan Hangen and Mahendra Lawoti, Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict in Nepal, 5.

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historical backdrop of exclusion, neglect, and changing social and political conditions. After 1990 identity politics became a major part of Nepalese politics, and, in the general election of 1991, NSP – a Madesh based political party – captured six seats out of 205 in parliament and three seats in midterm poll of 1994.⁴⁸¹ After 2006, the growth of ethnic political parties has resulted in ethnic association, forwarding ethnic demands, and fighting for protecting their rights. The report of INSEC 2011 – a human rights organization in Nepal – shows that, from 2005 to 2010, a huge number of Madeshi people were the victims of the eruption of new conflict. In 2007 more than 100 Madhesi were killed by the state or non-state organizations and this number was 79, even in 2010. The record shows that, in these six years, 97 per cent Terai based Madeshi people were killed and around three per cent pahadi Hindu people, with one per cent of indigenous people killed in the same period.⁴⁸²

Furthermore, the groups were mobilized towards identity politics by the Communist Party of Nepal, their student movement organizations, and their revolts and protests. There were also the collective struggles of trade unions, teachers, and socio-religious groups.⁴⁸³ National ethnic conflict has occurred in Nepal throughout its history, but after 1990, it seemed to become more visible than in the past.

The associations of different ethnic and caste groups are fighting for equal recognition of their language, religion, and culture, as well as for equal opportunities in politics, economy, and society. Until now, these movements (except for the Khambhuwan National Front

(KNF)⁴⁸⁴ and Janatantric Tarai Mukti Morcha (JTMM)) have not launched violent rebellions.

There have also been several conflicts and riots targeting religious sects. The following table shows the non-Maoist violent conflicts and contentious activities after 1990.

The tables below show the activities that have occurred thus far in the name of social and

481 Thapa & Sijapati, A Kingdom Under Siege, 38-40.

482 INSEC, 2011.

483 Neupane,Govinda, Nepali Samajko Rupantaran [Transformation in Nepali Society],2-39.

484 The KNF joined the Maoists (it split and joined again a couple of times) and JTMM split from the Maoists.

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ethnocentric movements. Since 1996, the tactics of such movements have been changing from nonviolence to violent activities, and are becoming increasingly visible in the Nepali political discourse.

Table 10 Non-Maoist Violent Conflicts (Riots and Insurgencies) in Nepal, 1990-2006

Date Events/actors Location

October, 1992 Hindu-Muslim riots during

Deepawali Nepalgunj

3-4 November, 1994 Hindu-Muslim riots during

parliamentary election Nepalgunj 3-9 December, 1994 Hindu-Muslim riots during

well renovation at a temple Nepalgunj 25-28 October, 1995 Hindu-Muslim riots during

Deepawali Nepalgunj

May, 1997 Hindu-Muslim riots during

local elections Nepalgunj 26-27 December, 2000 Parbate-Madheshi (Hrithik)

riots Kathmandu and Terai

Since 1999, increased in 02,

2001 Khambuwan Insurgency Khotang, Bhojpur,

Solukhumbu, Okhaldhunga 1 September, 2004 Riots against Muslims (Iraq

killing reactions) Kathmandu January, 2005, April, July

2006 Madheshi insurgency Rautahat, Saptari, Siraha,

Sunsari

Compiled by the author. Source: Lawoti: Contentious Politics and Democratization in Nepal.

Table 11Contentious Activities of Dalits after 1990

Year Event Location

1991 Mobilization to sell milk to dairies Udiyachaour, Syangja

1991 Temple entry movement Nawalparasi

1994 Mobilization to sell milk to dairies Chitwan 1994 Gorkhali temple entry movement Gorkha

1994 Right to water from public source Sipapokhari, Sindhupalchowk March, 2000 Anti-carcass disposal campaign Lahan, Siraha

12June, 2000 Mobilization to sell milk to dairies Gaindakot, Nawalparasi

Compiled by the author. Source: Lawoti, Contentious Politics and Democratization in Nepal.

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