A party against discrimination

In Kaushilanaghar the discrimination of Dalits has stayed the same but now the Dalits will hold a party to unite the community.

The women in Pariwartan Women’s Savings Group had a dream about getting rid of the discrimination from Non-Dalits when they established the group back in 1996.

“There was so much discrimination and domination and we wanted to get rid of it and we thought that when we are in a group we can be liberated. We wanted all sorts of change at that time. We also wanted equal treatment as women, we wanted a better future for our children and everyday there was domestic violence and we wanted to bring justice,” recalls Sitala Pariyar, chair person of the group there is situated in Kaushilanaghar, ward no. 5 in Rajena VDC, Banke district.

In spite of all good intentions the group have not managed to eradicate the discrimination in the community. Other women groups working with Dalit Welfare Organisation, DWO, have but not this group. Social mobiliser Prema Sunar explains:

“There are different factors that have to be taken into consideration. In other communities there is a majority of Dalits and the financial situation of the non-Dalits is poor, however, in this community the majority of community members are Brahmin and they are all financially well-off. The Dalits here have a poor economical situation and therefore the balance is poor in this community.”

But the women have a plan so that the discrimination can be eradicated in the community. They plan to hold a party where all people in the community, which the women estimate to around 500 people, are invited. The party will be held within this Nepali year.

“All Dalit people in the community will prepare the food and all people in the community will participate equally and those who won’t come are identified as those who still wants to discriminate us. But my dream is that all will come because that, I believe, will decrease discrimination but I cannot be sure. I am testing how pure the milk is here in the community,” states Sitala Pariyar who also wants to include representatives from the local government and the neighbouring communities.

However, not all women in the group believe that the party will decrease the discrimination in the community.

“On the day of the party the high caste people will not come; especially not the senior people. They will send their children to block our mouths. Then they can always say that they did not have the time but send their children instead,” says Deumaya B.K.

“When we go to trainings and we have snacks the high caste people always pretend their stomachs are full so how will we be able to get them to the party and eat our food,” asks Hajani Pariyar.

Social mobiliser Prema Sunar believes in the idea of having a party and thinks that the non-Dalits will take the idea positively.

“Especially the men in the community will be positive but the women might not come. If the high caste men in the community have a problem they come to talk to this group’s chair person and ask her for help. She is highly respected in the community. A women group with Brahmins also talks positively about this group so I think the environment will favour the idea,” says Prema Sunar.

The women in the group have already extended their hands to the community by offering childcare to all children in the community. Two years ago they built a house from their own money and here all children can play under adult supervision.

“Our message is to the community that all children can play together and no one should be discriminated. We should all help each other and we are trying to tell it by doing it,” tells Sitala Pariyar.