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Parshuram Tamang

Parshuram Tamang, a member of the Call of the Earth Steering Committee, is a Professor of Economics at Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu in Nepal. Born on 18 February 1952, Parshuram is of Tamang descent from the eastern part of the region - the Tamang people being one of the largest indigenous populations in Nepal.

He is a human and democratic rights activist and is also one of the leading architects for indigenous movements in both Nepal and Asia. Over the past 30 years his efforts have been instrumental in the:

  • reorganisation of the Tamang Peoples' Organisation
  • foundation of the Indigenous Federation and Human Rights Organisations
  • establishment of a National Human Rights Commission via direct lobbying
  • formation of national, regional and international coalitions for the promotion of concerned peoples professional and social interests.

Formerly president of Nepal Tamang Ghedung, an association for the largest Indigenous peoples of Nepal, he now serves as Chief Advisor. In addition to various other roles he holds, Parshuram is:

  • Chairman of the International Tamang Council
  • Chairman of the Indigenous Nationalities' Campaign for Human Rights
  • member of 'Save the Democratic Rights Movements' and
  • core member of the National Environmental Coalition of Indigenous Peoples' Organisations of Nepal.

He is also a founding member of the Nepal Federation of Nationalities (NEFEN) (1990) and until 2000, was General Secretary. NEFEN's membership has increased from eight indigenous organisations to 46 members since 1990.

In 2002, he led the organisation of the First Tamang International Conference. He has also successfully led the Nepalese indigenous movement to:

  • gain recognition of 59 indigenous nationalities
  • establish the National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities
  • introduce indigenous languages in government owned radio media, and
  • secure space for indigenous policy and programme in separate chapters of the Ninth and Tenth plan of Nepal.

On the international scene, Parshuram has remained active serving as Executive member of Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, a regional organisation in Asia (1996-2000) and Executive Secretary for the International Alliance's Secretariat based in London, United Kingdom (2000-2002). He is currently an International Coordinating Committee member for the International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forests.

He was elected Vice Chairman for the United Nations Permanent Forum (UNPF) on Indigenous Issues (2002-2004) from the Asia Regional Indigenous Conference, and will be serving a second term from 2005-2007.

Parshuram has also participated in numerous national, regional and international conferences and seminars including the:

  • World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna in 1993
  • People's Plan for 21st Century
  • CBD Workshop on Traditional Knowledge (1997)
  • Working Group on Indigenous Populations
  • Working Group of Human Rights Commission on the possible establishment of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples (1998-2000)
  • Intersessional Working Group on Draft UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
  • Conference of the Parties to CBD
  • Conferences of Parties to UNFCCC
  • World Conference Against Racism in Durban 2001
  • WIPO regional conference on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore in Iran, and
  • Call of the Earth's International Conferences on Indigenous Peoples and Intellectual Property related issues.

He also represents Indigenous peoples in the Climate Change (UNFCCC) process.

Furthermore, Parshuram has organised or assisted in the organisation of the following events:

NATIONAL

  • National Congresses of NEFIN (1992, 1994, 1996, 1997 and 2000)
  • National Consultation on Indigenous Peoples (1994)
  • First National Conference on Linguistic Rights (2000)
  • National Consultations on Constitutional Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2000)

REGIONAL

  • Asia Regional Conferences on Indigenous Knowledge System (1997)
  • South Asia Regional Conferences of the International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forests in Nepal (1998), India (2000), Bhutan (2002) and Bangladesh (2003)
  • Asian Regional Conference on the establishment of Permanent Forum on Indigenous peoples in UN system in India (1998), Thailand (2000)
  • Asian Regional Conference to elect Asian Indigenous Representative for the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (2001).

INTERNATIONAL

  • International Conference on Biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples: Donor Best Practices Supporting Civil Society and Conservation (2001)
  • International Conference on European Union Development Policy on Indigenous Peoples in Brussels (2002)
  • International Indigenous Forums on Biodiversity and International Indigenous Forum on Climate Change in partnership with many national, regional and international organisations
  • 4th International Conference of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forests in Kenya (2003)
  • Expert Meeting of Forest Related Traditional Knowledge and International Commitments in Costa Rica (2004).

He is also the recipient of numerous awards including:

  • Ashoka Fellow (1990-1993)
  • International Guest of Honours (1992)
  • Academy Scholar (1994)
  • National Education Award (1994)
  • National Decade Hero for Human Rights (2000)
  • National Tamang Emminent Personality Honours (2000)
  • Laasso Award (2002), and
  • Special Honour from the Nepal Federation of Nationalities in recognition of his contributions to national and international indigenous movements (2000).

Parshuram's publications are varied and include edited proceedings from conferences, seminars and articles on Indigenous People's fundamental freedoms, human rights and economics. In addition he has published the following books:

  • Nationalism and Indigenous Nationalities
  • Tamang Nation
  • Tamang Rites of Passage
  • The Tamang: A Face of Nepal
  • Tamba Kaiten: A Recitation of the Tamang Traditional Songs
  • Tamang Nation and New Year Tradition
  • Tamang Healing in the Himalaya: An Ethno-Medicinal Study
  • Nepal's Trade Relations with India
  • Metal Ware Industry: A Caste Study of Bhojpur, Nepal, and
  • Biodiversity, Protected Areas, Access and Benefit-Sharing (In Press).

On a final note, Parshuram has travelled to more than thirty countries in Asia, Africa, America and Europe, ensuring indigenous voices are heard in national and international forums. This will continue in his work at the United Nations.

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Parshuram Tamang (Nepal)
Parshuram Tamang (Nepal) Photo:Aroha Mead

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