Only 10 Percent of Recommendations by Indigenous Nationalities Commission Implemented: Chair Thapa Magar

Lalitpur, On 03 February 2026: Chairperson of the Indigenous Nationalities Commission, Ram Bahadur Thapa Magar, has said that more than 10 percent of the recommendations submitted by the Commission to the government over the past five years have not been implemented.

Speaking at a programme organised today to mark the fifth anniversary of the Commission, Chair Thapa Magar said it was shameful that the Commission’s reports had not been seriously discussed in either the federal or provincial parliaments.

He stated that the indigenous nationalities’ native languages, culture, traditions and identity have been suppressed in the process of state formation. Recalling the history of legal discrimination beginning with the Muluki Ain of 1910 BS, he clarified that the Indigenous Nationalities Commission was formed under Article 261 of the Constitution against this background.

“The Commission has conducted advocacy, training and empowerment programmes related to linguistic, cultural and traditional rights in more than 500 local levels across all seven provinces. In accordance with Article 294 of the Constitution, the Commission has already submitted five annual reports to the President, which include 84 recommendations. These reports have also been submitted to the provincial heads,” Chair Thapa Magar said.

He informed that more than 90 percent of the complaints filed at the Commission are related to encroachment on traditional lands and impacts on livelihoods caused by national pride projects, road expansion, national parks and hydropower projects. Despite limited resources and time, hearings on 95 percent of the complaints have been completed, he added.

At the programme, it was reported that although indigenous nationalities constitute 35 percent of the population in the civil service, their representation stands at only 16.9 percent. Their presence at the policy-making level is minimal, and representation in the National Assembly is limited to just 10 percent. Speakers warned that without the enactment of special laws in line with the spirit of the Constitution, there is a risk that representation could drop to zero.