A unified Madhes – Matrika Yadav

Matrika Parsad Yadav, Maoist Central Committee member, Chairman of the Tarai Mukti Morcha, Chairman of the Tarai Autonomous Region

Nepali Times, 11 August 06 – 17 August 06

Nepali Times: On Goit’s Tarai secession agenda
Matrika P Yadav: We are not in favour of secession. Madhesi people don’t want secession. We want a democratic republican state based on federal autonomy and proportional representation. But when these rightful demands are not addressed, then the country will break up on
its own.

On dividing Madhes into several regions
I am in favour of a unified Madhes. The division you are talking about is only in conceptual form. Debate is on-going in the party. But I believe that several regions can exist within a unified Madhes. The main issue is how to make discriminated and marginalised communities participate in a new governing state structure.

On anti-Madhesi discrimination within the Maoist party
Yes, there was discrimination, and I even resigned from all party positions citing my dissatisfaction. But now most of those issues have been addressed, especially after our party’s Chunwang plenum. Many Madhesi cadres have now been given leadership roles in the party’s organisation in the Madhes. Our army has even formed two Madhesi battalions.

On reconciling with Goit
If they want to stop fighting, we too will stop. What we have seen is that his agenda is harmful to the Madhes. Even now, we want to resolve this problem with him peacefully. But knowing his nature and personality, I know he is not conciliatory.

On the citizenship issue
It is a big problem, but the cut-off date proposed by the other parties is not the solution. In our view, after a new constitution has been declared, a committee comprising government officials and all political parties should go into each and every village and distribute citizenship based on local people’s recommendation. The locals will know who are genuine citizens and who are not.