Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) General Secretary held in cow-slaughter scandal

26 June, Kathmandu - Police on Sunday arrested Ang Kaji Sherpa, General Secretary of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) - umbrella body of Nepal's indigenous peoples' organization who had gone to the police station to inquire about four individuals arrested earlier for cow slaughter in Kathmandu. See http://www.ekantipur.com/2011/06/26/top-story/cow-slaughter-scandal-nefin-gen-secy-sherpa-held/336333.html

Though Nepal has been declared secular republic since 2006, slaughtering cow, considered holy by Hindus (the majority populace of Nepal) and symbolized as the national animal is still outlawed. This is reminiscent of continuing dominance of Hindu values in Nepal's legal system that once codified indigenous peoples into hierarchical Hindu caste system entrenching discrimination against them. Nepal's indigenous peoples organizations' umbrella body NEFIN has demanded respectful release of Sherpa and announced of holding protests in Kathmandu and throughout the country against continuing the law through a new legislation being introduced next week. See NEFIN press releases in (Khas) Nepali language at

http://nefin.org.np/press-release/664-2011-06-24-17-45-14.html and 

http://nefin.org.np/press-release/665-2011-06-24-17-49-00.html

International Indigenous Film Festival in Dharan, eastern Nepal

Indigenous Film Archive (IFA) is organizing International Indigenous Film Festival 2011 in Dharan city of eastern Nepal from 18-19 December 2011. The festival aims to raise the issues of indigenous rights and demands through films, expand indigenous films to villages and include indigenous film-making in the so-called ‘mainstream’ towards strengthening the foundation of national unity.   

Indigenous Nationalities Film Promotion Committee, Dharan will host the International Indigenous Film Festival 2011 at the City Hall of Dharan. Embassy of Denmark is the main supporter of the festival.

This is the third edition of the International Indigenous Film Festival being held annually in Dharan as an extension of the Nepal International Indigenous Film Festival (NIIFF) organized by the Indigenous Film Archive in Kathmandu.

A total of fifteen indigenous films and documentaries will be screened in the festival this year. The films from Nepal include Godewa (Tamang), Gwaye Maru (Newar), Tinaagaa (Tamu), Bhuyaar (Tharu) and Bhuyar (Tharu), among others while the films from other countries are Building Dignity (Bolivia), Oscar Award nominee Hotel Rwanda (Rwanda), etc. Short films and documentaries being screened are Thakthakma (Limbu), Da Chiuri (Chepang), Naaraam (Magar), Mahita (Tamu) from Nepal and Geitalaaga from Finland. The festival will also consist of various indigenous food and books stalls.

Translated from Bhisan Rai’s original article (below) published on 13 June 2011 on Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN)’s website. 

Monday, 13 June 2011 00:02

धरानमा आदिवासी चलचित्र महोत्सव भीषण राई आगामी पुस ३ र ४ गते धरानमा अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय आदिवासी चलचित्र महोत्सव हुने भएको छ । आदिवासी मातृभाषाका चलचित्रमार्फत आदिवासी माग, मुद्दा र  अधिकारका विषयहरू उठान गराउने, आदिवासी चलचित्रलाई गाउँगाउँसम्म विस्तार गर्ने र मूलधार भनिने चलचित्रमा आदिवासी धारलाई पनि समावेश गर्दै राष्ट्रिय  एकताको आधारलाई अझ मजबुत बनाउने उद्देश्यअनुसार अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय आदिवासी चलचित्र महोत्सव हुन लागेको हो । आदिवासी जनजाति चलचित्र प्रवर्द्धन समिति सुनसरी धरानको आयोजनामा धरान सभागृहमा अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय आदिवासी चलचित्र महोत्सव -२०६६ हुन लागेको हो । महो त्सवको मूल आयोजक इन्डिजिनियस चलचित्र अर्काइभ -आईफा) हो भने मूल सहयोगी एम्बेसी अफ डेनमार्क छ । राजधानीमा इन्डिजिनियस चलचित्र अर्काइभद्वारा सम्पन्न अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय आदिवासी चलचित्र महोत्सव-२०६६ लाई विस्तार गर्ने क्रममा धरानमा आयोजना गर्न लागिएको हो ।  प्रत्येक वर्ष धरानमा आयोजना गरिने अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय आदिवासी चलचित्र महोत्सवको यो तेस्रो संस्करण हो । महोत्सवअन्तर्गत राष्ट्रिय अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय लामा छोटा गरी कुल १५ वटा आदिवासी चलचित्र तथा वृत्तचित्र प्रदर्शन गरिनेछ । जसमा बिल्डिङ डिग्निटी -बोलीभिया), ओस्कार  एवार्ड प्राप्त होटल रुवान्डा -रुवान्डा), गोदेवा -तामाङ), ग्वाय मरु -नेवार), तिनागा -तमु), भुयार -थारु), बाराहीपुत्र -मगर) आदि चलचित्र छन् भने छोटा चलचित्र तथा व ृत्तचित्रमा थाक्थाक्मा -लिम्बू), द चिउरी -चेपाङ), नाराम -मगर), महिटा -तमु) र गेइटालागा -फिनल्यान्ड) प्रर्दशन गरिनेछ । चलचित्र महोत्सवस्थल धरान सभागृहमा नेवार, थारु, राई, लिम्बू, मगर, शेर्पा तामाङलगायत विभिन्न आदिवासी जनजातीय खानाका  स्टलका साथै आदिवासी जनजाति पुस्तकहरूको स्टल पनि राखिनेछन् ।