SUMMARY
The Terai plains, often also referred to as the “Madhesh”, are the flat and fertile low-lands of southern Nepal. The plains are home to around 50% of Nepal’s total population and have had significant importance in both the economic and political sphere since the 1950s. It is inhabited by a number of diverse groups, with one of the largest being the Madhesi people; making up approximately 30% of the plains’ population. Another large group is the “pahadi”, internal immigrants from the surrounding hills.
A communal-based identity for the Madhesi people began to evolve in the mid-1950s, with the formation of political parties and advocacy groups in the plains area. Grievances during these times revolved around the issue of Nepali as the national language (most Madhesis speaking other languages) and insufficient representation in government and public services. Other issues have been those over citizenship rights and autonomy. Clashes between Madhesi groups and Nepali nationalists and security forces were relatively frequent throughout the 1950s and 1970s.
The same issues of experienced discrimination among the Madhesi people came to the forefront with the CPN-M's (Communist Party of Nepal – Maoist) engagement with the government in peace talks and a subsequent peace agreement in 2006. As a new constitution was being negotiated between the CPN-M and Nepal’s other political parties Madhesi advocacy groups, the most prominent being the MJF (Madhesi Jana Adhikar Forum; Madhesi People’s Rights Forum), began to demand that their long-held grievances should be taken into account when finalizing the new political system. The MJF visualized a federal Nepal, with equal citizenship rights for the Madhesi and a system of proportional representation.
The CPN-M also had interests in the Terai plains, mainly embodied and acted upon by the MRMM (Madhesi Rashtriya Mukti Morcha; Madhesi National Liberation Front); a front organization along ethnic and regional lines controlled by the party’s center. After the formation of the CPN-M’s autonomous people’s governments (on territory seized in the armed conflict with the government of Nepal) the Terai plains had been divided into two separate entities, Tharuwan and Madhes, which further inflamed the feelings of the MJF, which feared a substantial loss in political influence through this division. While the MRMM’s and the MJF’s stated goals overlap to some degree they, however, differ substantially in their loyalties.
When it became apparent that the draft interim constitution of December 2006 did not wholly address the demands of Madhesi advocacy groups protests broke out throughout the Terai. Demonstrations raged in January and February 2007, with an MJF activist (Ramesh Kumar Mahato) being shot to death by CPN-M cadres in late January. The killing of Mahato enflamed tensions and several locations in the Terai were struck by protests, looting and strikes. The CPN-M denounced the MJF as being “criminal”, claiming that they did not represent the Madhesi people.
The government initiated half-hearted attempts at talks and reforms of the interim constitution, but the MJF declined to participate until more determined efforts were taken. CPN-M – MJF tensions continued to increase, and soon turned violent. A clash in Gaur, in March 2007 as the MRMM and the MJF launched simultaneous rallies, left approximately 26 people dead as MJF activists clashed with Maoist cadres. A few more, but much less intense, clashes took place also in March and June.
Talks between the MJF and the Government of Nepal were initiated soon after the clash in June. An MJF delegation met the government during June-August for several rounds of talks before a 22-point deal was agreed in late August. The deal included some compromises on a mixed electoral system and restitution for those killed and wounded in clashes.
By October 2007 the MJF, however, felt that the government had not fulfilled its part of the 22-point deal, and the group again threatened to initiate protests and demonstrations in November of the same year.
Whilst tension between the MJFand the government was somewhat lowered by the government’s promise to implement the 22-point deal, relations with the CPN-M continued to be sour at the end of 2007. No new clashes with the CPN-M were however registered after June.
Clashes between the MJFand the CPN-M took place solely in the Terai (Madesh) plains area, with the bulk of deaths being registered in Gaur, in the Rautahat district.
The non-state conflict between MJFand CPN-M is first included in UCDP data in 2007. On 21 March 2007, a clash between MJF activists and CPN-M cadres resulted in over 25 battle-related deaths.
