Dharan, October 1: Dalit advocacy has proliferated so fast in recent years that there may be as many as 500 Dalit organizations in Nepal. They have taken grateful advantage of Nepal’s political opening, and the movement for democracy, but at the same time they have their own distinctive agenda. Several Dalit have told me that there can be no real peace and democracy in Nepal as long as caste discrimination persists.

Some of the obstacles they face would be familiar to any civil rights activist. Out of the 205 members of parliament (before it was suspended) not one was a Dalit. While the Constitution outlaws discrimination based on caste, it can also be read as making an exception for tradition. Add to this that the laws are weak and rarely enforced. I am told that the maximum penalty for an act of discrimination is a 3,000 rupee ($43) fine and two years in jail. But when Dalit activists brought a test case in 1994, the accused man was fined one rupee. No one has yet been jailed for caste discrimination.

The Dharan meeting has attracted a number of active Dalit from the Eastern region. They include Yubaraj Darnal, a farmer from the district of Dhankuta, who found his calling eight years ago when the local government introduced a new water system into the area of Bhisgaun in the town center, but omitted to include 61 Dalit households. Yubaraj organized a group of over 200 young Dalit who marched to the government offices again and again until the government finally conceded.

Hooked on advocacy: Yubaraj Darnal from Dhankuta

Yubaraj decided to institutionalize his protest and formed the Madhuganga Association for Social Services to lobby for Dalit rights in Dhankuta. They launched another campaign on behalf of the Janajati, an indigenous group which also suffers from severe discrimination, and forced the government to recruit Janajata-speaking teachers in ten schools.

This first brush with Dalit advocacy helps to convey some of the flavor of Dalit activism. It is very strong on volunteerism, and obsessed with networking. Yubaraj’s own association has spawned a local network of 10 organizations, which include representatives from 4 local political parties, 3 local Dalit groups and 3 from the district level. The association has 32 members – all volunteers – and is run by a board of 11 volunteers.

This advocacy relies heavily on information to put pressure on those who resist change. This is one reason why this meeting has attracted an enthusiastic group of young Dalit cub reporters, including Yubaraj’s close friend Manju Baraily, a freelance reporter who writes for the Biratnagur Morning Times.

They generate a lot of energy, these young activists and reporters. The JMC is wise to be tapping into it.

Tomorrow: discrimination in Lahan