Nisha Sunar, Dalit Queer: I would like to say that the most important thing for us as members of the LGBTI community is to be accepted by society or family. If a person belongs to the LGBTI community, it means that they are immediately excluded from the family and are also deprived of property and other things. We cannot get things even if we want to, and there is a possibility that we could even lose our bodies. I would like to quote a statement, ‘Where there is unrest, there is no peace, and where there is no peace, there is no development and freedom’. From the legal point of view, even the constitution of Nepal’s constitution granted a number of rights to LGBTI communities, which unfortunately could not be implemented. The situation would be more pleasant if we could exercise these rights granted by the Constitution for an inclusive society.
Jinat Sheikh, Muslim: Going to college with a ‘hijab’ means peace for me, because wearing the ‘hijab’ is forbidden in many places, including Kathmandu. We get to hear things like ‘Why are you wearing that?’, ‘That is not allowed in college’, ‘That creates a bad environment in college’. The ‘Nepal Law Campus’ requires us to strictly follow the rules for wearing uniforms. In one case, one of my friends was classified as absent because she was wearing a different pair of shoes than prescribed. Another example I would like to share is that our college once held a student union election. They talked about inclusion, for women, Dalits, indigenous nationalities, and marginalized communities. They talked about including these principles of inclusion in their manifesto. According to the Nepalese Constitution of 2072, Article 42 – Right to Social Justice – states that all minority groups, backward classes, Dalits, Adibasi Janajati, Muslims, women and people from all classes have rights in all state structures based on the principle of inclusion. At the time, I was a freshman and attended college for just 15 days. Among the 200 or so people who attended the program in the hall, I was the only person who asked questions about the inclusion of Muslims in their team, but no one responded to my question.
After the program, 10 to 20 people picked me out of that political group and asked me, ‘why do you ask such a question in a mass?’. In their view, I should not have asked that question in a mass but in person. I have replied, ‘Why should I not ask about the rights of Muslims that are enshrined in the Constitution?’. In response, they told me that I had asked such a question out of greed for a post in the election and if I had addressed them personally, they would have given me a post. To this question, I replied that ‘I would have asked a question about my right not as an individual but as a representative of the ‘Muslim’ community. They were ashamed of my question in the meeting.
After that incident, even today, people of that political party-affiliated student union members start chanting the slogan ‘Jay Shree Ram’ when they see me wearing the hijab. I attend college with no religious intentions and have no intention of things going differently in college from a religious point of view. I feel this is a kind of disturbance. I wonder why they chant the slogan ‘Jay Shree Ram’ and why they say Nepal should be a Hindu nation when they see me.
Pramila Rai, Kirat: For me, peace means living in harmony, and respecting each other as citizens of this country, regardless of religion, gender, community, and culture. Let me talk about religion. Every religion should be treated equally. It is the natural right of all the people of this country to follow any type of religion, culture, and rituals. People should get the opportunity to use these natural rights fully. Things like, people from one religion getting angry when there is a program of another religion, and people trying to create unrest when some other community is celebrating their festivals. This is not harmony and peace. Everyone should get to live peacefully and freely as per the Constitution and the laws of Nepal.
My focus here is, for people to be able to follow their culture and rituals with freedom is peace. For instance, I am from the Kirat-Rai community. In Dharan, there is an ongoing tension in the name of killing a (he)cow, which they had done privately. In our Kirati culture, death rituals are not complete without offering bull’s meat. However, the cow is considered a national animal in our country. But now, those people are being imprisoned, and treated cruelly, tortured, and stressed. This ritual is part of my religion, and this is a secular country as per the constitution.
When people are deprived of legally guaranteed rights, unrest is bound to happen. Therefore, I would like to say that everyone should be allowed to follow their religion, culture and rituals without any restriction. For instance, if there is representation from the LGBTI community, they should also be allowed to enjoy their rights, and so should everyone else. So, it is the responsibility of the state to ensure that everyone is allowed to follow their religion independently and enjoy their rights.
Madan Sharki, Dalit Christian: I am from the Bajhang district of the Far-West province of Nepal. There are two major problems: One is that people are not able to live peacefully due to their low caste status. I am also a representative of the Dalit community. When I was admitted to the school, my name was originally Mangal, but since the name of the principal was also Mangal, my name was changed to Madan by him.
Dalits cannot even use language like high-caste people. I was severely beaten up for 3 days when I called a high-caste woman ‘aunty’. Imagine how hurt I would have been. We are not allowed to use names that are used by people from a higher caste, we are not allowed to use higher caste words. Even there was no provision of drinking water in the school.
My mother had to carry an 80kg load for 6 hours when she was just 6 days pregnant. We were bonded labour of high caste landlords, and our house would have been demolished if my mother did not serve them. This news was also viral on social media. Just a few weeks ago, a Dalit’s home from hard-earned money, was demolished because it was built in the Brahmin settlement. So, when we are talking about peace, Dalit people in the hill region of the Far West are far from it.
I experienced peace when I started following Jesus Christ and Christianity as my religion. Because, when I studied the bible, I felt peace. There are Brahmin people from the community I was raised in. I used to be beaten up and chased away when I used to go inside a Brahmin’s yard as a child. But today, in Dadeldhura, as part of the Christian community, I can stay in Brahmin’s house, I eat with them, and all other things are hearty. Therefore, I have not found caste-based discrimination within the Christian community.
In one instance, a Dalit boy fell in love with a girl from the high caste ‘Thakuri’ community. When the news spread to the people in the community, the boy disappeared, and his skeletons were retrieved after 6 months. In another incident, a 22-year-old girl from the high caste ‘Khatri’ community was in love with a Dalit boy. The girl requested to marry, but the Dalit boy did not commit due to fear of society. After receiving a threat from the girl to commit suicide, the boy married. But the people in the community, in alliance with the local government, made a document saying that the girl was just 12. The boy was accused of minor rape and was imprisoned for 10 years. There are a series of painful events concerning humiliation and discrimination against Dalits.
For financial stability, I have started a meat shop in the village. And I realized that when the Dalit word is associated with someone, that person cannot do any business and will not have any occupation. When I introduce myself somewhere, I cannot say my name is Madan Bahadur ‘Sarki’, I rather say ‘SK’. For me, unrest is caste.
Lagindra Sada, Hindu Dalit: In the Mushar community, our experiences and problems have become complex. In the Nepalese Constitution of 2015, among the fundamental rights in Article 40 stated that no one shall be displaced from their homes, regardless of caste. In Madhesh province, incidents of displacement, violence against women, and domestic violence are increasing. When people from the Mushar community go to work somewhere, people from the richer communities accuse us and beat us.
I would like to talk about my childhood experience. My mother had no clothes on her body, we ate on banana leaves, we used jute bags as blankets, and even providing a meal was difficult; how could she have educated us, how could she have brought about a cultural change? That was the situation my mother found herself in. Our father just managed to send me to school, but at school, I was severely discriminated against, I was not allowed to sit on the bench, and refused to drink water. But now that awareness has risen in our community, we talk about religion, peace, and our rights. Our past is full of problems; how can we get peace now? Without education, health, employment and income-generating programs, our community will never experience peace.
We have formed a struggle committee to make our voices heard. But when we go to the villages and talk about our problems, people are sent to our homes and beat us up; our girls are raped. We are talking about peace and religion; we follow the Hindu religion. Despite following the same religion followed by feudal high caste groups they have been restricting the celebration of our festivals. If people from the Musahar community do not do as they say, they bring in the administration to have us beaten and imprisoned. How can there be peace if people cannot have one meal properly? We need education, health, employment, elder education, tailoring training for women, goat-rearing for women, etc.
This incident is a recent one. Our community people had been living in a house built on government land. They were dancing and celebrating as part of our community’s practice. They came in and demolished the house, beat the people, and put them behind bars. They intervened violently during our celebration. These types of incidents are happening in the Terai region. There is a temple near the place where we live. The people of the society did not allow us to enter. They even did not allow us to fetch water from a tap there. These things are happening.
Anupama Sharma, Shikh: I am not alone, and my feeling agrees with all. I also come from the Far West, where you are not asked your name, but your home. I think there are different forms and types of discrimination in each community based on caste, religion and gender.
I studied in Dhangadhi. In school and college, I faced different kinds of discrimination. Now I am working and facing different types of discrimination. In school, I was bullied and I did not want to go to school. I attended a private school and I can not imagine the extent to which I would have faced discrimination and bullying. I have a younger brother and since we are Sikh. A Sikh man must wear a turban. He was harassed to an extreme degree. He would come home every day and cry. He did not want to grow his hair and said, ‘I don’t want to do this’. My father is a Sikh and my mother is a Hindu. So since we had some freedom, we decided as a family to cut his hair and even now he has short hair.
For me, peace means acceptance – where we accept each other without prejudice. In my community where I am accepted, and I also accept others – that is peace for me. I am now married to a Hindu, and it is a love marriage. I must admit, however, that I made this decision with selfishness. My father is from Indian Sikh and migrated to my mother. I do not have citizenship. I studied in Nepal, but to work I need citizenship. The option was to go to India and take citizenship there, but I did not want to leave the culture and community I grew up in. Therefore, I married a Nepali to get citizenship, although it is a love marriage. But I had a hidden interest in this decision. I am now employed and believe I have more power, but I am a woman and cannot relate to the practices of Sikhism, so I am discriminated against when dealing with Sikh people. Peace to me means acceptance – everyone is accepted as a human being.
Manmaya Gurung, Bon: Peace to me means that all religions should be respected and we should treat every religion equally. Also, peace means equality between men, women and different caste groups and freedom from untouchability.
My experience is that as a woman, I have been working in a club for 8 years. Since I am a woman, I was not appointed as the president of the club. No matter what I did, no one supported me. The previous practice of the club was that the vice president was eligible to become president. However, when it was my turn to become president, a different procedure was followed to put someone else in that position, which is against the club’s constitution. Therefore, I was not appointed president of the club and they did not say anything directly, but I heard from others that the club members asked, how can we follow a woman. I have had another bitter experience. In Lamjung, people very often say to each other: do not follow this or that religion. For example, if you say to a child, don’t go to a temple, you will be persecuted. That is not equality. Religion is the same for everyone, and all religions should show respect to each other.
Sharmila Joshi, Newari Christian: All individuals have the freedom to live according to their own desires and their religious beliefs. In my perspective, this constitutes a state of tranquility.
I originate from the Far West region; however, I have been residing in Kathmandu for the past year. There are various circumstances in which individuals may encounter feelings of unrest, such as being born as a daughter, religious factors, or being a married daughter. The personal encounters with discrimination that I have encountered due to my gender as a daughter, along with the limitations imposed upon us, have significantly disrupted the tranquility of my life. Society perpetuates the notion that ‘girls should refrain from pursuing education or attaining a high level of academic achievement’, as it is believed that this may hinder their prospects of finding a suitable partner for marriage.
I arrived in Kathmandu with the intention of pursuing my studies, a decision that required me to engage in a challenging conflict with my parents. After relocating to Kathmandu, I underwent a religious conversion despite my previous affiliation with Hinduism. I have embraced Christianity as my faith. This transition posed a significant challenge for me. I belong to the Newar family and have chosen to change my religion according to my personal preference. During the course, my family remained unaware of this situation. However, they eventually became aware of it during the last Dashain festival. After discovering my conversion to a different religion, my father prohibited me from accessing the kitchen. He made a statement implying that I adhere to a religion practiced by individuals from a lower caste who consume beef. He expressed the notion that physical contact with me was prohibited, and he imposed restrictions on my ability to interact with objects within the household. This period marked a significant phase in my life characterized by turmoil and instability.
I perceive the concept of peace from two distinct perspectives: internal peace and external peace. I have discovered Jesus and experienced a profound sense of inner peace. Whereas externally, my family and society have not accepted me. Being born as a female and adhering to the religion of my choice has resulted in turmoil in my life. One additional aspect to consider is that I entered into an inter-caste marriage. I belong to the Newar community, however, I entered into a marriage with a Brahmin individual, which subsequently led to significant turmoil in my life. The inter-caste and religious conversion I underwent had a profound impact on my mother’s life, akin to an earthquake. My father has not acknowledged my existence. The attainment of acceptance from both my family and community would provide me with a sense of external tranquility.
Achieving gender equality in Nepal poses significant challenges. As a resident of the capital city, I had assumed that significant progress had been made in terms of gender equality. However, upon returning to my village, I discovered that only a few positive changes had taken place, with no major advancements. In certain regions of the Far West, there exists a prevailing perception that daughters are burdensome, as they are expected to eventually marry and leave their parental home. Consequently, it is believed that imposing restrictions on daughters is necessary. Daughters possess the capability to excel in various domains; however, due to prevailing cultural and traditional norms, they often find themselves lagging behind.
The Hindu tradition is regarded as immutable and must be adhered to, as it is believed that any deviation from it may incur the wrath of the divine. That is the reason for my persistent dislike towards it, as I often pondered upon the notion of divine discrimination. Regarding Christianity, my initial knowledge was limited due to my surroundings and predominantly negative experiences. As a result, I made the decision to convert my religion. I posit that personal experiences play a significant role in driving change.
After undergoing a religious conversion, I have come to believe that individuals are often constrained or limited by their religious beliefs, including their concepts and perspectives. In the western regions, there is a prevailing gender disparity where daughters are marginalized and given less importance. In Kathmandu, I experienced a profound transformation after embracing Christianity. In the context of Christianity, there is a relatively lower occurrence of caste-based discrimination, with individuals generally refraining from openly displaying such biases. Another notable transformation occurred after my conversion, as I observed a significant increase in the overall happiness and a sense of celebration among the people. This reaction can be attributed to the fact that I hail from the Far-West region of Nepal, where I am perceived as a competent individual. This experience served as a source of motivation for me. However, within the context of Hinduism, individuals in my surroundings expressed disapproval, stating that as the sole daughter in the family, I had tarnished the reputation of my father and brothers. This discrepancy was the primary distinction I encountered, wherein individuals possess varying degrees of freedom based on their religious beliefs.
Jagram Parja, Tribe: When I introduce myself using my first name, I intentionally withhold information about my surname, which identifies my caste. However, when I reveal my surname as Chepang, a marginalized tribal group, people’s attitudes towards me vary and they treat me in a distinct manner. This form of discrimination must be eradicated in order to establish a society where individuals can coexist harmoniously in a state of freedom.
In my personal experience, the attainment of inner peace in this world is contingent upon one’s engagement with spirituality. In order to attain a state of inner peace, it is imperative that we have a clear understanding of the nature of peace itself. We cannot attain peace by engaging in reciprocal conflicts. When I initially arrived in Bandarjhula, I engaged in the practice of discriminating against others.
Despite the declaration of our country as a secular state, there exist limitations on dietary choices and religious practices. When I embraced Christianity, I experienced a profound sense of peace. However, upon sharing my personal journey with fellow members of the community, I encountered persecution. The opinions and perspectives of others play a significant role in shaping our understanding and knowledge. Some individuals continue to be imprisoned as a result of their peaceful expression of beliefs that are deeply rooted in their faith. Therefore, it is imperative for our state to enact legislation that ensures the practical implementation of freedom of religion. Otherwise, the perpetuation of caste discrimination, conflict, and religious discrimination will persist indefinitely. I
I believe it is imperative for individuals to communicate factual information on social media platforms without distorting it, emphasizing the importance of discussing only the truth. In our current media landscape, we are frequently exposed to a multitude of distorted news sources. The presentation of truth is imperative. Only through the attainment of peace can our country thrive.
Prativa Chaudhary, Madeshi: I am a female belonging to the Brahmin Caste. I have had diverse experiences that extend beyond instances of caste discrimination. I adhere to various religious beliefs and hold a leadership position within the Church. I experience profound sadness and a sense of suffocation when members of the community assert that Brahmins receive monetary benefits in the name of religion, yet fail to distribute these resources to individuals from underprivileged and impoverished communities.
In societal contexts, when individuals express criticism towards the Brahmin community and advocate for punitive measures against them, it evokes a strong negative emotional response within me. In such situations, the Brahmin community also does not get to live in peace. I have faced such experiences, and they have caused unrest for me.
Naman Upadhaya, Jain: In our discussion, most of the participants shared their views on the intersection of caste discrimination and religious discrimination. Caste discrimination is more deeply rooted than religious discrimination in our context. Regarding social media, we all use it either positively or misuse it. However, it is increasingly being used to politicize religious sentiment. Religious sentiments are being exploited for political gain. Everyone is doing this, regardless of their religious affiliation. Some people are using it more, while others are using it less.
The current political environment and the culture of exploiting religious sentiment are impeding and infringing upon our right to religious freedom. If religious sentiment and politics are not kept separate and we cannot overcome the endless conflict, it can create a different social scenario. Hence, we need to think about it.
Manoj Paswan, Madeshi Dalit: When we talk about religion, people and community are mobilized to get connected with the religion. Politicians always chase for the masses as they want a majority on their own side. Some politicians are advocating for Nepal to be declared a Hindu country and for the preservation of Hindu traditions. However, there are not Hindus only in Nepal. There are people from different religious communities. Everyone should be free. The media also needs to give emphasis on this issue.
I would like to share an incident here. Previously a person from the Dalit community was appointed as CDO at Sarlahi district. A Brahmin was there to obtain a citizenship certificate but when he came to know that there was a signature of CDO he refused to take the certificate. He threw all the papers and left. This is the situation of caste discrimination which creates conflicts. We need to make a conflict-free society. In a recent incident in the Sarlahi district, a person from the Paswan community was beaten severely just because he touched the water pot used for worshipping a Brahmin person. Until this kind of conflict and discrimination is not resolved, a peaceful society cannot be established.
It is said that we should love each other, but that notion is disappearing and discrimination is growing. The issue of cow slaughter and breaking traditions are rising these days relating to Christianity. This will encourage the situation of conflict and unrest even more. As Christians, we need to practice love and when we talk about peace, real happiness in the heart is peace. Happiness exists only when we get opportunities and religion can also give peace. Some people can find peace through their faith, so they should have the freedom to follow the faith that gives them peace. There should not be any rejection or discrimination based on faith. We need to practice love and tolerance for peace. We have to respect the concept of humanity.
There should be awareness of such issues and the media need to bring out the facts. Sometimes the media exaggerates the facts and it works as fuel in the fire. The media also needs to be responsible and sensible and stop such exaggerations. Government bodies should ensure the effective implementation of laws regarding media regulation and religious freedom. The fact-finding and investigation process should be done in the incidents of discrimination by government bodies.
Bandana Rai (Jha): The definition of peace is deep. From birth to death, peace is always present. We live in Nepal, and we are doing this event, but the responsibility to ensure peace in Nepal is the responsibility of the nation. The rules and regulations that a government develops and how they are implemented in different areas play a crucial role in ensuring peace. After peace, comes freedom. If I experience peace, it is not enough for me to simply say that I am at peace. I also consider the extent to which I can exercise my freedom. This freedom is what we learn from our families- by birth. Did I discriminate between my son and daughter? We need to ask this question. Every human should ask themselves if they discriminate against their children.
I was born in Terai, and I am called “Madhesi”. What I observed during my childhood was that my family members, starting with my father, then my son, daughter, daughter-in-law, and finally my mother, would have lunch or dinner together. I used to wonder why this was happening. Therefore, there should be no discrimination between sons and daughters. Peace begins at home. What I experienced during my childhood and the person that I am today is very different. This was possible due to my education. If we want peace and eliminate caste discrimination, then we need to change our education system. The education system does touch upon discrimination but does not address it effectively. Our ancestors have said- that Nepal and our society have a garden. Every flower in the garden is unique but each flower in the garden needs to accept the fragrance and existence of another flower. Likewise, we should accept each other in our society. Once we have this acceptance, there won’t be any existence of discrimination and conflict.
Another example – we were constructing a church in Budhanilkantha. A neighbor was constructing a house next door. The neighbor came and said that people at the church make a lot of noise. I said to him, “When you worship your god, I don’t consider it noise, and you should also think the same way.” Until now, we have not faced any issues, and our community is at peace. If we accept and adjust to each other, there will be harmony. Now, another essential requirement for peace is harmony within the community. Even though we have individual preferences and follow different religions, when we are in need, we rely on our neighbours and friends. We should come together, especially during difficult times and when there is a death in the family. What role we play in maintaining this harmony contributes to our peace. Along with peace, the right to live also comes. We have this right, and the nation should ensure this right. We should not be asking this of one another, but the nation should ensure this. While asking for votes, they promise many things and commit that we are united. They only limit their promises to words and never translate them into action. They should be honest and say what they can and cannot do.
The right to live also means the availability of food, shelter, and clothing. There are problems with employment. We heard about the Musahar community. I am a Christian. I am a daughter of Brahmin, married to a person from the Rai community. I was Christian before marriage. I went to Church for two years regularly to Gyaneshowr church. I won’t say that every practice in the Christian community is right. However, when I compare it to the community I did belong to before, I can say that 80% of things are better. In Christianity, there are also several issues. I was in a meeting and one religious leader said to me that Christians say the devil to other religious groups. I accepted this. I cannot confirm if we said this knowingly or unknowingly, we do say this. But what other communities will assume is that they are calling us the devil. So, I apologize for the mistake our community is making. I experienced a lot of freedom at church, and then I applied it to my household and neighbourhood. In my opinion, accepting good things and rejecting wrong things is the key to peace. When I studied the Bible and other books, I found this. We should accept the right things. We talked about the media and what the media has done. Media outlets are gaining subscribers by spreading false news. That is not the role of the media. They need to present the truth, and this can also establish peace.
Another issue related to peace is safety and rights. How safe we are and how we can exercise our rights. Sometimes we are not aware of our rights. One more issue related to peace is honesty. If I am honest with people from other caste groups. My religion is different, but my honesty establishes my reputation in society. We need to accept humans as they are- human beings. If we do this, then we have peace. Every religion and religious book talks about peace. It also talks about how we behave with each other. Therefore, we should focus on our religious texts and determine the actions required to establish peace. We need to learn this from our religious leaders. This will help us achieve peace and ensure peace in our community.
In Budhanilkantha, we have people who follow different religions – Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam. In my community during last rites and cremation, I go to everyone. For Christians in Lele, we have land available for cremation, but they have not granted us permission to establish a cemetery there. The community prohibited us. We take them to Pashupati and lie and say we are Kirat and Rai and we must lie and pay more money. They told us that only 10 people should go not to mention our religion. So, now we use the option of burning for last rites and it has affected us to a huge extent.
Sanam Limbu, Buddhist: In today’s program, we discussed various topics such as caste discrimination, religious discrimination, and violence against women. The focus of today’s discussion is religious freedom and caste discrimination in Nepal. And the title itself talks about discrimination so it means it does exist. This is a sensitive issue and cannot be eliminated at once.
All of us who are here must have read history books and in our context. When we look at a broader perspective, to uphold power number of incidents of massacres, and genocides have happened. The people who are in power have also used epistemic means to maintain their power, and it is important for us to recognize this.
We have 126+ ethnic groups with their own unique culture, language, and traditional attire. They have their own identity, mother tongue, land, and beliefs as well. This knowledge has been erased from history, and it is crucial for us to comprehend it. This is why the people in power continue to uphold power. The ethnic and Janajti groups are away from knowledge and their identity. If my identity and knowledge are removed, then I remain a body only. That is why religious conversion and domination of foreign language has increased. Using English makes me feel like I belong to a higher social class, but I have my own language and I should take pride in it.
In Nepal, amidst the various preachings and revolutions taking place in the name of religion, it is important to understand that religion is a matter of belief. It should serve as a unifying force, bringing people together and attracting more followers. But why are we struggling against each other and using religion as a means to defeat one another? We need to reflect and identify the root cause of dissatisfaction among the Nepalese people. They are using their religious beliefs to spark conflict, and we need to understand this.
As I said earlier, we look at history, ethnic groups’ water, land, and forest resources have been taken away from them. We have displaced them from their land, their language, and their culture. We have traumatized them, and now a traumatized community is living in Nepal. And now the community is demanding the return of their land, water, and culture, which is causing a significant commotion.
In the Sheetal Pandey case, 10,000 Tamang people came to speak against her. In her tone and manner of speaking, she portrays a biased perspective towards Tamang individuals, already labelling them as criminals. A person who works as a lawyer already assumes Tamang as a criminal. In this case, the 10,000 Tamang was a symbol of reclaiming their land, water language, and culture and to demonstrate that we are now moving forward to claim it back.
The incident that happened in Dharan and the words that came out in the media and Limbuwan- it was also a revolution. They are claiming their identity through this. In history, we can clearly see discrimination. Ethnic communities have been practising their culture and customs, but the nation has attempted to suppress them. Now, they are challenging this suppression. Now, ethnic minorities and Janajatis are raising their voices against discrimination.
I have visited all 77 districts, interacted with the communities, and visited their localities. What I have observed is that the nation has encroached upon the origin of these different communities in various ways. Previously, they were directly taking their land, and now they are doing the same, but under the guise of development, they are displacing them. For example, in the name of hydropower projects, they are constructing dams that impede the natural flow of water, resulting in the displacement of the Majhis. The Majhi tribe consider water to be their god. Their culture and livelihood revolve around water and the fish that inhabit it. But now, in the name of development and without their consent, they are being displaced.
In the name of conservation areas, various ethnic groups are being displaced. To elaborate further, Gokarneshwor-1 is located in Sundarijal, which is 14km away from Boudha, Kathmandu. There is a small village of 500 families that have lived there for a thousand years or more. Now there is a designated nature reserve with an army post. In order for these indigenous groups to return to their homes, they must present citizenship and land ownership documents to the army. This is Kathmandu, and 14km away, you will feel like you are in the Far West region of Nepal. The school only goes up to Grade 08. Additionally, there is a health post without a doctor, and the road conditions are terrible due to it being a conservation area. They are unable to use water for irrigation and are prohibited from collecting fodder or any materials from the forest. This is how they are slowly being displaced.
There is a new ADB project that will establish a substation in Sankharapur, Kathmandu. This construction project will displace 4000 families. It is a 400 kW station, which will be in the middle of the village. There will be high-tension power lines running through the village, passing over houses, land, and everything else in the area. Now, without the consent of indigenous people, the government must address their land rights. The electricity official is unaware of this act. It is necessary for them to obtain Free Prior Informed Consent from the indigenous group. When you lose your land, you lose your identity and question your existence.
Now, what I want to share is this: we discussed peace and various other topics. Do you believe that you will find peace in Nepal? I don’t think so because the self-determination of the Nepalese people is not accepted by the nation. Unless this is recognized by the nation, we won’t find peace. We are the land of Lord Buddha, who discovered and spread peace throughout the world. Sadly, the reality now is that our country is in search of peace. I want to request everyone here when you write reports and design projects tomorrow, please remember to mention that in the name of development, we should never attempt to displace indigenous people from their land.
Devi Sunar: I am a woman who has been fighting for justice leaving everything behind for the survivors of conflict chaos in our society for a very long time for 17-18 years. I am fighting not only for my personal cause but also for the conflict survivors during the ten-year Maoist insurgency period. In that conflict period, almost 17000-18000 people were killed, either a combatant, citizens or military/ police persons whoever was killed was illegal as per the law of Nepal. Everyone should have the right to live with freedom. The person who commits a crime must be regarded as a criminal. Therefore, I feel very concerned about such issues. I am from the Dalit community. My last name is Sunuwar and due to this most of the people recognize me as Sunuwar as another ethnic community (Rai/ Chettri/ Others) but I belong to the Dalit community. My maternal ethnicity is Rasaili and Sunchhuri and I am the daughter-in-law of Sadashanker. Hence, I belong to the Dalit community. Here I would like to share my social background with you all.
I am from Kavrepalanchowk and I have faced a series of physical assaults while fetching the water from a public tap due to untouchability practices. It is one of the reasons that I am here today to share my experiences and problems. I have been involved in various movements and now I am capable of addressing other’s problems as well. This has also made me successful in taking my daughter’s case to an international court. Thousands of people were killed and disappeared during the insurgency period and many of them are still missing. Most of the people who have already been recognized as the perpetrators in disappearance cases are not even punished. Today the world recognizes me as the mother of Maina Sunar due to my ability to put forward my issues clearly. I am a woman who has been fighting for the issues of human rights and for ensuring the right to live for every human being.
Rocky Prasad Shah: Do we acknowledge that we should not discriminate? When we were enrolled in school, then after that we got to socialize with Dalits, Muslims, people from privileged communities, unprivileged communities and communities regarded as untouchables. We get to socialize with people from different social classes and have friendships with people from various communities. We can look back on our own life experiences that when we were in school, we could eat together in the same place but whenever those friends were invited into our home, then they were not allowed to enter.
To tell you honestly, even today it is very difficult to convince the elderly members of our household (grandmothers and grandfathers) if we invite friends from other communities. They do not say anything at that moment but do make the objection later. Therefore, I am trying to connect here that one gets to experience discrimination when s/he is enrolled in school for all day. There s/he not only gains formal education but also learns to maintain social harmony, teamwork, playgroups etc. Hence, when a child is sent for school s/he learns social harmony and it helps to end discrimination. On the other hand, I am trying to connect with peace. I am from Janakpur and I am 23 only so I do not have more experience. However, from what I have heard that previously there was social harmony in Janakpur specifically among Hindu and Muslim communities. Nowadays there is a different situation.
In the contexts of Chath and Paigambar Day, there are practices of chanting religious slogans in public domains and even around the premises of other religious sites which hinders social harmony. Security forces are being operated in such contexts to maintain peace. I have heard that previously permission was given to build a Mosque behind the Janaki temple. The memorandum of understanding between the institutions of different religious communities should be ensured to maintain social peace and harmony. I would like to recommend two indicators that there should be mutual understanding and cooperation between different religious communities.
Neha Jha: We need to discuss the issues of discrimination and religion critically and in-depth. We cannot just talk about it in a superficial way. As the previous participant mentioned, we cannot just see it from the lens of our grandparent’s generation. The term religion is a distorted form in itself. We cannot talk about freedom of religion and freedom of belief as the same notion. In my view religion and belief are totally different concepts. We relate religion with God and discrimination starts right over there. When Hindu religion and belief are taken as the same concept then discrimination occurs. Everyone here knows the real scenario and has experienced discrimination in any form including me. We cannot solve the problem of discrimination unless we find out the root cause.
I have objection to defining belief as religion and I want to request all not to define it likewise. Belief is duty and course of action. As Krishna has said religion is action and deed but if we relate religion with God then the division occurs in the form of Allah, God, Bhagwan, and Bhrahmma. I think I am enforcing discrimination to myself. We have the majority of women in this discussion and we know that women do not prefer to go to the temple during the menstruation period. I do not prefer to go myself. This is also a form of discrimination and untouchability that exists. Even though anybody requests me to go to the temple in such a situation I do not because I think that something unfortunate can happen to me or I will get cursed by God. There should be self-internalization within the person.
Rampukar Mahara: I am representing Dhanusha district. Presently I am residing and working in Kathmandu. I feel peace gradually declines for me when I move further away from Kathmandu. I belong to the Madhesi Dalit community (Chamar community). I am among the few people in my community who have studied for a Master’s degree. I did my master’s in peace and development studies and also worked as a lecturer. I felt free when I moved out from my village because there is a majority of people from the Brahmin community there and they regard me as someone who is not capable enough in spite of my advanced academic degree. Even though I am highly educated they perceive me as a person from the Dalit community who does not know much about anything.
I think that if I learn to ignore what other people perceive then it would be easy to feel peace. Previously there used to be good social relationships within the inter-religious community; among Hindus and Muslims but the situation is changing nowadays. One should know that if I am using my rights, it comes with responsibilities. I think that we are not being able to teach in our school education and community-level socialization process that freedom comes with duty. I am not convinced that education alone can eliminate discrimination. It is known to all that discrimination is a bad practice, hence, we need to discuss and start making changes at the household and family level so that it can be reduced gradually. Youths should be capable of raising their voices against such discrimination and must be able to convince the elderly members to reject discrimination to maintain peace. Acceptance of coexistence, diversity, and knowledge of other communities also helps to establish peace in the community, society as well as at the state level. I think freedom should have its boundaries and limitations because sometimes excessive freedom can also cause adverse effects.
I want to share one of my experiences. An uncle from the Brahmin community has arrived to visit his sister in Kathmandu. When I went to meet him at his sisters’ house, they offered me food. Their dining room and kitchen were attached but they offered me food outside the dining room and when I needed to wash my hands, they did not allow me to go to the kitchen and they told me that I could just wash it outside. This kind of discrimination exists in Kathmandu too.
I have visited Buddhist monasteries and churches but I do not feel any kind of discrimination there. But till now I do not have the courage to enter the temple. Therefore, I think it is caste-based discrimination purely based on the Hindu religion. We consider religion, tradition and culture as sources while formulating laws. The laws of Nepal are based on Manu Smriti, and Muluki Ain and existing laws are totally based on the ideologies of the Hindu religion. If laws were formulated considering the ideologies of Buddhism and other religions there would not have been such levels of discrimination.
Nisha Harijan: The situation of getting married to a woman from any ethnicity and being able to worship in any temple without any hindrances could be a situation of peace for me. In my experience we face different forms of discrimination being a Dalit. We are not allowed to perform rituals and worship as a Brahmin although we belong to the same Hindu religious community. In my village, there are a majority of Brahmin, Dalit and Chettri communities. There is a temple where Brahmins perform rituals called Rudri. Dalit can also perform that ritual but a Dalit needs to hire a person from the Brahmin community to perform it. The ritual of Dalit people is not performed in the same group but is done separately and they can watch it from a distance only. They are not allowed in the place where the ritual is being carried out. In the Hindu religion, people from the Dalit community make an idols for worshipping.
In one incident, my sister went to deliver an idol for a Brahmin community. But when she made the delivery, they did not receive it directly but asked her to put it separately. They perform the rites of purifying and cleansing before placing it inside. People from Brahmin and Chettri communities do not use the road if Dalits are using it while going to temples. Even the children from the Brahmin community use derogatory words to address the elderly people of the Dalit community whereas people from the Dalit community require respectful words while addressing the children from the Brahmin community. This kind of discrimination has existed till now. Participants here raised the issue that ethnic and caste-based discrimination is more prevalent in the older generation but I think it is more rampant in the younger generation.
We can get that view from social media too. We can see more remarks and comments in the context of caste-based discrimination in social media nowadays. I practice the Hindu religion. In one instance while I was working in my community, I was a member of a monitoring team at the local level. We went to have lunch in one of the houses in the community where I was served other foods but not given dairy products. They provided it to other team members but in my turn, they made an excuse that it had been finished. Dairy products are not allowed for the Dalit community. This kind of discrimination has been practised till now.
We have to disguise our identity as Dalit while working at the local level as we need lodging facilities. Until our caste identity is disclosed at the community level, people deal with respect but as soon as we reveal our identity, the situation suddenly changes and they start to discriminate. Recently during the festival of Janai Purnima, one of the activists and journalists named Amar Sunar rebelled for wearing Janai (sacred thread) as it is not allowed to people from the Dalit community. Why does a Brahmin person get to wear it but a Dalit person does though both are practicing the same Hindu religion? These kinds of questions are still unanswered. People from the Dalit community cannot feel dignified and proud to be a follower of the Hindu religion till now. Due to these reasons, we are still oppressed and made backward. I feel that the Hindu religion has discriminated against us.
Sanjog Lafa Magar: Since 1990 AD it has been accepted that this is a country of diversity and that has been accepted very lightly not in a complete manner. As per my understanding, peace can be established only if; we follow the laws issued by Muluki Ain of 1910, if we do not raise our voice against the discriminatory laws and remain silent as well as tolerate the injustice. The Dalit community does not have the right to live as a human but is considered more untouchable than animals. A dog can enter the house of a Brahmin but a Dalit cannot. We have seen the outcomes when a Dalit person claims equal rights as we know that the dead body of Ajit Mijar is still waiting for justice. Men from the Dalit community were killed in the incident when one of them had an affair with a girl from a privileged caste. Political leaders calling themselves as comrades for progressive society had supported the cause. If we endure all these forms of injustice, then peace prevails. If we internalize the notion of fate in all domains then peace can be sustained.
There is dominance of a single ethnic community at all levels of the state. Recently due to reservation and affirmative action, we can see few new faces in state structures. If we support the opposing voices of those reservations then we can sustain peace. Is this the need for sustaining peace? They are people from privileged castes who are educated in the international institutions but still believe in superstitious traditions. If we support the ideologies of people from such schooling and psychology in social media then there will be peace. These are the narratives of peace in Nepal. Since the Rana regime if all the policies, rules and laws of a single Brahmin community and Hindu religion are accepted then peace is continued; but as soon as any of them is opposed then there will be conflict. We as a tribal community do not fight for personal but for collective freedom.
Our core concept is collective rights and freedom. Here individualist rights are considered but collective rights are ignored. Lastly, I would like to share about the statement given in an interview by a political leader of the Nepali Congress party, Krishna Prasad Sitaula who was among one of the draftsmen of the constitution of Nepal 2015. When the interviewer asked him for the reason behind quoting the Sanatan (Absolute) religion for Hinduism in the constitution in spite of declaring a secular state; he justified that his mother is aged and has devotion to cows, therefore, it is reserved in the constitution. I felt both anger and pity for his intelligence. Cow may be special and sacred to his mother but not for thousands of other mothers. It can be a deity for some but a delicacy for others. If this diversity is not recognized how can peace exist and be established? This is one of the reasons that our country is being more conflict-oriented in the current situation.
Lok Bahadur Rana: In the context of caste-based discrimination, previous participants mentioned Hinduism and Kirat religion. In my opinion, there is no existence of caste or any other social divisions. Actually, there are only two division which is a man and a woman. All types of social divisions such as Hindu, Muslim or Kirat etc. are imposed upon us by Hinduism. In my experience, being a member of the indigenous community, I would like to share a practice which is often seen in our society. If rice is cooked using butter, then it would be acceptable to a Brahmin person, but if it is just plain rice, then it would be unacceptable to them. Therefore, I think it is not only about caste discrimination but also has a relation with greed. Greed plays a major role here.
Everybody knows the real scenario and has understood the realities of our social practices but we are being oppressed by the system. During the Rana regime, there was a harsh punishment system for civilians. Even now just because we are in favour of the Hindu religion it should be mandatory for us to follow the religion. For establishing peace in our country all the communities should be given equal rights and freedom to live in spite of their different caste, tribe and beliefs. If the current situation of oppression and dominance is continued by Hinduism and other communities do not get to live freely with their own belief, then in such a situation peace cannot exist and conflict will arise.
Raju Sangtang: I completely agree with the statement of our last participant. Being a member of the Tamang community, I think, a situation of freedom and peace can prevail for the indigenous community only if the current state is completely dissolved and reformed. The freedom and happiness of indigenous communities are related only to the dissolvement of the state. Religious freedom cannot provide true happiness to indigenous communities. Our lands have been taken away and we do not have access to political structures.
Hindus have majority and dominance in areas of land ownership, politics, economy and culture. Declaring a secular state and celebrating Loshsar publicly will not give happiness to the Tamang community. All communities should get the freedom to practice their beliefs, culture, traditions and laws in spite of any tribe or ethnicity. They should have access to religious, political, economic and natural resources.
I am from the Terai region and in my experience, it is very difficult to live with Tamang identity in our society due to barriers in language and accent. Nowadays people from these communities are being trolled very badly in social media for their inability to communicate in the precise form of Nepali language. People from that community get the feeling that they need to transform their lifestyle, language and culture like Khas-Arya and Hindu practices to live a dignified life. One should be Hindu and must think like Brahmin/Chettri to be successful in any sphere. In Nepal, indigenous communities are losing their identities. Their identity has not been established till now.
In two world wars, these communities were used as the Marshall Race but now the same community is facing a crisis to live a dignified life with their identities. If a person from Tamang ethnicity is smart then s/he is regarded as a Brahmin for her/his achievements. People from tribal and indigenous communities are anticipated to have a straight and dumb nature. Therefore, these communities are deprived of their freedom and there is a presence of physical, and mental violence as well as situations of offence for them.
The Tamang community is surrounded by four religious groups. Tamang used to practice the Bon religion but then Buddhism attacked. They have internalized it, and then Hinduism takes over. In the last 300 years, Hinduism almost succeeded in destroying it. Therefore, in the present context, the Tamang community is entwined with Bon, Buddhism and Hinduism. In later periods Christianity had its influence over the community. It is now difficult to recognize the actual person belonging to this community. Hence, whatever indicators may be used for either freedom or happiness, this community has been vandalized by all these four religions. Tamangs prefer to identify themselves as a Bon religious group as it is close to nature.
Devi Prasad Lamsal: It is a different experience for one who realizes this and another who suffers the same situation in the context of caste and ethnicity issues. I accept that caste-based discrimination exists in our society as mentioned by the participant from Dailekh district. But religion does not teach us to discriminate against anyone. This is due to the existing condition of the working class and wealthy class in the society. The one who is working class is always the one to be exploited.
If we are seeking transformation and equality for all then everyone should get opportunities for livelihood as it is a major need. If we all have access to financial resources and economic advancement then there will be less possibility of discrimination. If I do not need to ask anyone for anything then who will be able to discriminate against me? Peace can be achieved if each person is capable of acquiring resources and sustaining their own livelihood. If I get the freedom to do the profession or business, I prefer then I will be able to achieve peace. For this every person requires capital and the system must ensure equal access to resources in the society.
Nisnu Thing: When the state reinforces discrimination by formulating laws, most of the citizens are feeling a situation of instability and unrest. The notion of peace that we hear in the market nowadays is an imaginary form of peace. Unless justice is established, peace is not possible. Peace recognized on the basis of justice is sustainable, tolerant and beneficial to all. The custom of caste-based discrimination still exists in our society. The people raised in Hindu culture and people raised in our (indigenous culture) have differences in approach and perspective towards society, the world etc. They have different rules and traditions for social operation. Therefore, multicultural studies are necessary.
When the state reinforces discrimination by formulating laws, it causes challenges to peace. The voices that are being raised are resistances to such institutionalized discrimination. Here two types of representation are essential; one is a representation of their faces and the other is the representation of their issues.
In the context of cultural practices, Loshar is celebrated hugely by Tamang, Gurung and Sherpas. One of my family members did not get leave at the office for the Lohsar celebration. In spite of a request made in regard to the importance of the festival for that community, an employer refuses to grant leave. Hence, such a situation creates conflict within the person, either to follow the rules of the employer or to prioritize the importance of their cultural practices. These kinds of practices are barriers to the peace. A similar kind of institutionalized discrimination was done in Harion of Sarlahi district, where markets were closed during the Loshar festival.
In Nepal, Hindu extremists are trying to provoke political instability to regain power so that the practice of exploitation and oppression can be continued by the existing political players. However, it could be one of the major hindrances and challenges for the peace-building process. The upcoming election in India can also influence and create a situation of unrest in border areas. The real farmers who are fighting for land ownership rights are not getting it and if such issues are not addressed on time it can lead to unrest. Due to these various reasons, there is less possibility of establishing peace in Nepali society.
Deepa Nepali: I am from Kailali district, the far western region of Nepal. I have not been able to experience freedom and peace till now, since I was born in this Hindu Brahmin society and I am still fighting for it. Dalit community can feel peace and freedom only when this community can feel an existence of equality, freedom and self-dignity. Freedom will be gained on the day when people from this community are given their identity with their surnames and they will not be forced to face discrimination.
There are divisions in areas of settlements for Dalit and non-Dalit communities in the hilly regions of Nepal till now. The discriminatory practices of separated roads and public tap/wells for the Dalit community still exist. We know from the recent incident in Bajhang that people from Dalit communities cannot build houses in areas of non-Dalit settlements. They have to live further away from non-Dalit settlements. Therefore, in everyday life, we are not able to experience self-dignity, freedom and peace in this society. In my region, during the cremation rituals in Dalit households, people from non-Dalit communities do not participate even though we live in the same society and follow the same Hindu religion.
I would like to recall an incident from my past. It was around 2011 and there was an opportunity for me to get a job as a teacher in a local school. However, it became an issue of debate there about how a girl from the Dalit community could teach children of privileged castes. How do children of non-Dalit communities greet with respect to the daughter of a tailor after being a teacher? I had to struggle for three months then.
The place where knowledge is produced, in that very place issues of discrimination are practiced. Whenever the teachers from non-Dalit communities are appointed then it is acceptable, but when someone from the Dalit community gets the opportunity, issues are raised against it. I used to think that illiterate and stupid people in rural areas only discriminate as they are blindfolded with religious superstitions.
I felt a lack of peace and freedom while staying in the village so I came to Kathmandu to study for my Master’ degree. While staying in Kathmandu, my landlord who was in government service (Officer at the home ministry) forced me to leave the room when he came to know that I belonged to the Dalit community. He made excuses for his old-aged mother for this and I am still fighting against it in the Supreme Court.
It is said that there is no caste-based discrimination in our society but it exists. People who have advanced academic degrees are not able to study our society and are not able to revise the laws of Nepal which are formed on the basis of Manu Smriti (Hindu religious text). Our society is dependent on Hindu Brahmin state structures till now. Hence, I would again like to repeat that the Dalit community can feel peace and freedom only when they get to experience dignity, freely express their identities and are not forced to face discrimination.
Keshmaya Gayak: In our country, there is an excuse for everything. I had heard that a person can live up to 115 years. When will the younger generation make changes if there is always an excuse for the older generation in the context of caste-based discrimination? If any plant has disease in its roots, treating its leaves will not help. Therefore, to create peace, the root cause of discrimination must be identified and treated accordingly.
Prejudice against other religious communities is also creating problems. Some of the participants shared that while at school, they get shared space with friends from Brahmin and other communities but discrimination occurs when similar friends are taken to households. Hence, there should be a provision of allocating a class hour at school where all children get to know about different religious groups within the society. Then there could be some changes.
Rukmani Nepali: During the Stone Age, the community was largely illiterate, but there was peace. In present times, people are educated, but instability and unrest are increasing. We need to critically analyze the causes behind this. In the context of ethnicity and religion, the Dalit community has never experienced freedom and peace, and this is due to the caste system.
I was born and raised in the Syangja district, in western Nepal. My family’s financial situation was good, and my father was an educated person. Therefore, I think I experienced freedom while I was there. I did not face discrimination there, but when I came to Kathmandu after completing my school education, I did not experience the same sense of freedom here. I used to think that in Kathmandu, I would have more freedom.
When I arrived in Kathmandu, I visited Pashupatinath. As everyone knows, we have to wait in a queue to enter the temple. While I was waiting there, I saw two people who appeared to be locals from Kathmandu, as they were engaged in a conversation. After a while, they meet someone there, a person whom they know. I was shocked by their behavior towards that person, as they were from the Dalit community. It was evident that they were treating that person poorly. At that moment, I understood that in Kathmandu, I would have to face caste-based discrimination to a much greater extent.
Previously, one of the participants shared that convincing the older generation is very difficult, but I think differently. It is quite easy to convince them, they are quite willing to grant us freedom. But it is very challenging to persuade the younger generation. Young people from non-Dalit communities, especially from the Brahmin community, tend to be more rigid. Being a woman from the Dalit community, I am not able to experience the same sense of freedom that our previous participants have mentioned. Family never introduces us to the caste system, but it is the non-Dalit community that reveals, reinforces, and demonstrates the practice of discrimination.
Ramchandra Bhandari: We can make positive things from a negative situation as well. Our society is only progressing with negative aspects, which is leading to an increase in social problems. Social media is distorting realities nowadays. I am not trying to blame the media, but the media should also be responsible and accountable to society and the state. Media needs to understand that anything that undermines the dignity and human rights of others should not be considered. All humans are equal and should have an equal right to live.
We had a strong cultural foundation, but deformity is increasing within our culture with each passing generation. It is creating a difference in social perspectives within communities. It is due to a lack of education in our society.
The issues of caste-based discrimination, child rights, and women’s rights must be included in the school curriculum to increase awareness and promote sensitization. There is no caste-based discrimination in Hindu scriptures such as the Vedas or the Bhagavad Gita, but these teachings are excluded from the curriculum. If we want to bring changes in our society, it should start right from the beginning, with school education itself.
Discussing amongst ourselves at this level is not going to work. Political leaders are not going to bring about any social change or transformation. They are only interested in collecting votes. It is written in the Vedas how a state’s structure should be, and we are aware of it. The current political system cannot solve the problems of our society.
Actually, Vedas are like the constitution and Manu Smriti is like the manifesto of political parties. We should be driven by the Constitution, not by the Manifesto, as anyone can write anything in the Manifesto according to their own interests. We should follow the teachings of the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita, which encourage us to treat all living beings equally. Everyone has a soul, and all souls are equal. Therefore, we should cultivate spiritual and philosophical thinking.
There is no caste-based discrimination in those teachings, but it is practiced. The terms like Dalit, Hindu, or communist do not exist in our Vedic scriptures. These words were created to govern us. All laws and practices are made by the rulers according to their own interests and convenience. Now, the issues of Dalit, women, tribal, and indigenous communities are common concerns. We need to address these issues together. Our ancestors made mistakes, but we must make corrections through united efforts.
The concept of Hinduism was raised today, but let me explain that the word “Hindu” does not mean religion itself; it refers to geography. We all belong to the same geographical area, so our problems are common, and we need to seek solutions together. Nothing can be changed by writing in the Constitution, as it is merely a piece of paper. Our inner soul must speak for itself. We must perceive each other as equals. Political leaders today are not working for these social causes. Firstly, they need to learn about state structures, internal management, and the development of the country. We should be aware of our original civilization and religion. We need to work together for all these social causes.
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