Introduction:
Nepal Tamang Ghedung is an autonomous, non-profit making and
non-partisan national level peoples organization. It was
founded in 1956 for the preservation and promotion of
language, script, religion, culture, ethnic identity and
dignity of historically repressed and discriminated Tamang
people. Though it was banned in 1960 until 1989, it has
played an active role for the restoration of democracy,
human rights and fundamental freedoms. At present, the
association has many village and district level committees
in 62 out of 75 districts of Nepal.
Organizational Structure:
*National Convention: an assembly of representatives and
observers elected by the district conference at five-year
intervals.
*National Executive Committee: a central decision-making body
of 45 members elected from the National Convention.
*Secretariat: a body consisting of eleven members
responsible for carrying out the day-to-day activities of
the organization.
*Advisory Board: consists of renowned social activists,
scholars and politicians irrespective of political
ideologies.
*District Convention and Commitee: an assembly of
epresentatives of village committees of a district and its
elected working committee.
*Primary Units: at the bottom of the organizational
structure on village, town or neighborhood.
Objectives:
*To protect and promote human rights, civil and political
rights, economic, social and cultural rights, women, child
and indigenous peoples' rights in accordance with the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International
Covenants, protocols and laws.
*To preserve and develop the Tamang language, script,
literature, art, religion, culture and social values and
norms and identities.
*To uplift the socio-eco-political status by strengthening
the democracy and democratic development.
*To promote harmonious relations and cooperation with other
national and international organizations with similar aims.
*To empower the communities by creating awareness and
uniting them by various means.
Major Activities:
*Organized the Second National Conference (June 1990), Third
National Convention (April 1-3, 1993).
*Held symposiums on "Chittagong Hill Tract People of
Bangladesh" (October 1992), "Flesh Trade and Aids: Our
Responsibility" (October 1991), "Education in the Mother
Tongue" (September 1992), "UN's International Year 1993 and
Indigenous Peoples of Nepal" (December 1992).
*In cooperation with various peoples organizations actively
involved organizing a "Peace March" of 150,000 people for a
secular state, achknowledgement of language and cultural
identities of all indigenous and ethnic groups (July 1990),
Awareness Campaign in the General Election (May 1991),
Population Census and Complaints against False Recording in
Census, First Congress of Nepal Federation of Nationalities
(July 11-13, 1992), Mass Demonstration and Public Meeting
against Compulsory Sanskrit Education (August 1992), Rally
to mark the beginning of the International Year for the
World's Indigenous Peoples (January 1, 1993).
*Participated in 3rd, 4th, and 5th Annual Conference of
Internwtional Network of Engaged Buddhists in Bangkok, the
First International Conference on Human Rights Violations in
the Himalaya (December, 1991), Human Rights Situation in
SAARC Region (January, 1993).
*Participated in the Cultural Festival of Indigenous Peoples
delegation to Ministers of various portfolios, organized on
the occasion of the International Xear for the World's
Indigenous Peoples.
Publications:
*Tsar-Mhendo (monthly) magazine in Nepali
*Tamang (trimonthly) magazine in Tamang language
*Occasional books on Tamang language, culture, religion,
arts and history
For more information on Nepal Tamang Ghedung, please contact
them at the above address.