An interaction program was held on 18 November 2021 in Jahada Rural Municipality, Province No. 1. Shanthal Indigenous Peoples and local government members interacted with each other on Autonomy and legal recognition of ' Majhi Handam' – the traditional institution of Shanthals to exercise self-governance within their community.
Shanthal Indigenous Peoples urged the local government to take the records of sacred sites of Shanthals. They urged the local government to take steps for establishing Shanthal Autonomous region considering the ancestral territories of Shanthal in accordance with the constitutional and legal provisions to promote autonomy and self-determined development.
Article 56 (5) of the constitution and section 99 of the Local Government Operation Act 2017 have provisioned Special, Protected and Autonomous Region for socio-economic and cultural development of Indigenous Peoples. The 15th five-year plan, 2019/20- 2023/24, of the government of Nepal has also focused on translating these legal provisions into action.
Advocate Bhim Rai, representative of LAHURNIP, has explained various constitutional, legal provisions and national development plan of the government of Nepal that can be used to promote self-determination of Indigenous Peoples.
The Shanthal Indigenous Peoples have submitted memorandum letter to the local government demanding the legal recognition of their traditional institution and autonomy in accordance with the existing legal provisions and international instruments.
