Newa Guthi, New York strongly condemns against the Guthi bill aimed to nationalizing public and private trusts, presented to Federal Secretariat by Minister of land management Mrs. Padma Kumari Aryal on 16 th Baishakh 20176, for the amendment of laws that are related to our traditional Guthi system.

If the Guthi bills will endorsed by the House, it will directly impact, dismantle and destroy the tradition of Guthi community trusts. On one hand, this system will suppress all the Guthi right of indigenous and non-indigenous people of Nepal and on the other hand, this system will jeopardize and loses the significance value of our culture and its tradition. Ultimately, our fundamental identity, our pride, will be destroyed. Government of Nepal, is disrespecting the importance of the Guthi systems which we cannot tolerable.

Our prime concern is regarding the Guthi Bills with three clauses such as 22, 23, 24. Clause 22, which limits the basic human rights of indigenous people of Nepal to freely build religious monuments and organizing their rich tradition activities through Guthi. Clause 23 states, transferring all ownership of all the existing properties of Guthi to the government of Nepal. Similarly, in clause 24, it states that the government of Nepal, directly taking control of the Guthi System by disqualifying the management department of our Guthi system. Present Guthi’s (Trusts) whether it is public or private are running on self-source of income and the government is attempting to undertake the source of income of Guthi (trusts) and also attempting to interfere on our traditional practice. Point to be noted that Governmental treasure has never been appointed to protect or operate Guthi System.

These above clauses will directly impact to our Guthi System which has been running since many centuries in Nepal. Therefore, the Guthi bills must be withdrawn or terminated by the Nepal Government. As we know, through Guthi system, we manage everything in our community such as organizing festivals, ritual ceremony, funeral ceremony, management of monuments and so on.

Further, we are very furious and deeply saddened to see inhuman and immoral activities of the Nepal police attacking our peaceful unarmed demonstrators in Maitighar Mandala, Kathmandu on June 9th 2019. As a result, many of our protestors had to go through number of serious casualties and imprisonments. We strongly condemn this government action and urge to stop misusing the power towards our peaceful protestors before it’s too late.

And we also condemn the false and framing briefing of Mr.Ram Bahadur Thapa (Badal), Home Minister of Nepal, given before the parliament on June 9th 2019. Mr. Thapa   stated false claim regarding police action that the demonstration was illegal and protestors were blocking the road by laying down and throwing the stones to the police which had never taken place in the first place.

We strongly request to Nepal’s Government to terminate and withdraw the Guthi bills before the fire breaks down. We demand the resignation of Mrs. Padma Kumari Aryal , Minister of Land Management, who does not want to understand the significant value of our Guthi system, and Mr. Ram Bahadur Thapa (Badal), Home Minister, who has been misusing the power by mobilizing the police for inhuman action towards the peaceful protestors .

We humbly request all the Newa, indigenous and indigenous people all around the world, to stand up and shout out loud to terminate this Guthi bills and also please participate and convey the message of coming protest rally which is going to held on ashadha 4th at Maitighar Mandala around 11 am.

Subhaye,

Newa Guthi

New York