FECOFUN to continue its protest to establish community forests’ rights

The Federation of Community Forest Users Nepal (FECOFUN) said that its phase-wise protest programmes will continue. The Federation has been launching protest against the forest regulations launched by the government.

Issuing a press statement by the Federation’s chairperson Bharati Pathak, the Federation has demanded withdrawal of provincial act formulated against the Federal Forest Act and revision in the Forest Regulation formulated against the Forest Act-2076 BS and against the constitution of Nepal.

The Federation said that it sprung into agitation to urge the government to consider withdrawal of multiple tax systems imposed on community forests by the federal, provincial and local government, removal of ban of the collection, usage and ferrying of forest produces among others.

The statement stated, “We condemn the clash between the security personnel and people launching peaceful protest in front of the office of Department of Forest at Babarmahal observing all precaution against COVID-19. We also severely denounce the arrest of the community forest activists and advocates in the clash.”

The Federation extended its gratitude to media, civil societies, stakeholders, national and international organizations for solidary in their protest and their support to them against the government’s atrocity, oppression and arrest of the community forest advocates and activists.

The Federation said that it has been launching agitation to ensure the authority and priorities of the community forests user groups on the natural resources in those community forest.