April 17, 2009, Arlington, Va.: Members of the Nepali diaspora met recently at the Arlington library to discuss ways to incorporate Dalit rights into Nepal’s new consitution.

The Nepalese American Society for Oppressed (NASO) Community organized the event, which was attended by the Acting Ambassador of Nepal to the United States, Kali Prasad Pokhrel, as well as the heads of international Dalit organizations and other Nepali diaspora groups. NASO is an outreach partner of The Advocacy Project (AP).

The program started with the presentation of a draft paper prepared by active members of NASO regarding the new constitution. Suggestions included making caste-based discrimination a crime in Nepal, guaranteeing the rights of Dalit in the constitution, enacting land reform for Dalit to help them economically, establishing a free education system, and creating a separate government body to handle caste-based discrimination.

Mr Pokhrel said that the Nepalese Embassy would deliver the suggestions put forward by NASO and its members to the Nepali Government before the constitution is crafted.

The website NepalDalitInfo covered the event. Click here for their full article.