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Denial Of Burial To Non-Hindus At Shleshmantak Forest
By KTM Metro Reporter
January 31, 2011: in the name of meeting the standard of UNESCO for declaring the Pashupati area a world heritage site, the officiating government of Madhav Nepal has bulldozed the cemeteries of Christians, Muslims and other non-Hindu ethnic groups that have been burying their dead loved ones in the area.
In protest of the government denying the ethnic people burying their dead loved ones at the Shleshmantak forest saying this area is entirely for the Hindus only, non-Hindus have started off the protest against the government’s actions. Kiratis have started protesting against the denial of burying one of their dead persons at the area since Saturday, January 29, 2011. Christians have even threatened the government to parade their dead ones on the streets of Kathmandu if the government fails in permitting them to bury their dead loved ones at the area they have seen burying.
Human rights activists have started questioning the record of the Madhav’s government protecting the human right of the Nepalese, as the right to bury the dead loved ones beside their ancestors is one of the fundamental human rights.
Minister for Culture Minendra Rijal has been defending the government’s decision on denying the non-Hindus from burying their dead loved ones at the Shleshmantak forest area. He has even warned protesters of taking strong actions on them.
Various Kirati communities such as the Rai, Limbu, Yakha and Sunuwar have been burying their dead loved ones at the Shleshmantak area since the time of their ancestors. They want to continue their tradition.
Today, the police have fired tear gas at the people staging a sit-in protest at Guashala in Kathmandu against the government’s decision on not permitting them to bury their dead loved ones at the Shleshmantak area.
Minister for Culture Minendra Rijal has told reporters that the government’s decision on denying the non-Hindus to bury their dead loved ones at the Shleshmantak forest area is final and not reversible and will not bow down to the pressure of anybody.
The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) has ended the burial of Christians and non-Hindus in the Shleshmantak forest area bulldozing all non-Hindu cemeteries in the Shleshmantak forest area stating the area is not a graveyard and only holy men passing away while meditating in the area is buried in this area. The chief of PADT has told the reporters that Kiratis and Christians have been burying their dead loved ones in the area is not supported by any historical evidences.
