The local administration organized harmony programs in Munuwa, Patharaiya and Durgauli VDCs and invited leaders of the two communities to attend it. Participation of cultural Tharu leaders, also known as Badghar and leaders associated with various Tharu associations participated in the programs organized at Pathariya and Durgali VDCs was encouraging.However, only few Tharus attended the one organized in Munuwa. "The program in Munuwa was not as successful as we had hoped," informed Suman Dhital, chief of the administration office in Tikapur. "Only one Tharu leader, Hari Ram Chaudhary of Golauri village attended the program organized in Munuwa VDC"
Elaborating on the possible factors behind the minimal participation of Tharus in the program, he said that the locals were scared away by rumors that claimed that the administration's program aimed at arresting Tharu leaders. "Someone had spread rumors in Munuwa saying that the program was a trap to arrest Tharu leaders for their involvement in the incident of August 24. So the program was not attended by as much Tharu leaders as we had expected," added Dhital.
Chaudhary, who had represented Tharu village of Golauri in the program, said that security personnel should reach Tharu settlements and make them feel secure. Keeping his suggestion in mind, the administration is deciding to review policy which proposes that only Tharu security personnel of Armed Police Force (APF) and Nepal Police only be deployed in Tharu villages.
The programs have conveyed message to Tharu community that the administration plans to help restore the social harmony rather than arresting them. "The feeling of alienation will do no good to anyone. Our main intention is to help in the restoration of social amity," said Dhital.
According to him, the success in conveying the message in Munuwa program had helped in more participation from Tharu community in Pathariya and Durgauli VDCs. The harmony program organized in Pathariya was attended by 35 Tharu leaders. They complained that political parties had used them only to fulfill their own selfish needs. More number of participants from Tharu community were seen in the program organized at Durgauli. All the Tharu leaders of the VDC, including former VDC chairman Jagat Bahadur Chaudhary and former vice-chairman Bhadra Bir Chaudhary attended the program.
Coordinator of ward citizen charter forum, Laxiram Dadaura stressed that various organizations should play constructive role for restoring communal amity. "Everyone should play construction role in restoring social harmony. Attempt from the administration side only is not enough to restore social and cultural harmony that we had in the past," he said.
Most of the participating Tharu leaders complained that they were excluded and discriminated by the state. They pointed out that the government is only concerned about fulfilling needs of the hilly region.
Hilly communities stated that they are in favor of communal harmony and requested the Tharu community for not being terrified. They pointed out that both the communities should be careful not to do anything that may hamper the relationships between them.
"Let's talk less and make it sweet. Let's not talk things which may hurt the other community," said Mohan Prashad Upadhaya, a local participant. "Even the talks can hurt others. So we need to be careful," he opined.
Communities of hilly region and Tharu have begun to open up a little following the harmony programs. The two communities had started developing distant feelings after the protests flared in the district on the issue of federal boundary demarcations. The relationship had gone from bad to worse after the August 24 incident in Tikapur, where eight police personnel and a toddler was killed.
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