Minister Gurung: Use of AI Will Shape the Future of Indigenous Peoples

Kathmandu — Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung has said that how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is used will determine the future of indigenous peoples. He made this remark in the context of rapid global technological advancements and the growing development and discussion surrounding AI.

Addressing a special main ceremony organized by the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) in Kathmandu today to mark the 31st World Indigenous Day, Minister Gurung emphasized that indigenous communities should encourage their future generations to study and research trending global issues. “We must involve our children in the evolving world of technology,” he said.

Minister Gurung noted that although Nepal’s indigenous peoples have secured more rights compared to those in other countries, many rights remain unachieved. “Since the promulgation of the Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal on september 20, 2015 (Asoj 3, 2072 BS), our mother tongues have been recognized as national languages,” he said. “This is a significant achievement for indigenous peoples, enabling many mother tongues to be used as official languages at the local level.”

While the state currently grants public holidays on indigenous festivals, he stated that this is still insufficient. As the government spokesperson, Gurung stressed that indigenous peoples have sought autonomy and the right to self-governance, and that local and provincial levels now have the authority to draft their own policies, programs, budgets, and laws. “We have made many achievements, but we must focus on how to protect them,” he said.

Highlighting that language, traditions, culture, attire, and customary laws are the core of indigenous identity, Gurung warned that failure to protect them would lead to the loss of identity. “Be proud of who you are. Teach your children your mother tongue at home. Many laws are still not in place,” he added. “We demanded a separate ministry and university for indigenous peoples, but only a few of our demands have been met.”

According to Gurung, while demands for an Indigenous Commission, proportional representation based on ethnicity, and maintaining Nepal as a secular state have been fulfilled, many rights are still pending. He also emphasized the need to present indigenous concerns clearly in international forums.

Speaking at the event, NEFIN President Gelje Lama Sherpa said that with the arrival of large-scale projects, indigenous peoples in Nepal are being displaced. “We lost our yak pastures and sheep grazing lands,” he said. “In the name of conservation areas and national parks, the state seized indigenous lands, forcing communities to abandon their ancestral homes.”

Sherpa asserted that the time had come to fight again for rights, warning that if constitutional amendments curtail identity-related rights, indigenous peoples would withdraw their support. He mentioned that NEFIN is working to amend provisions in recent bills on civil service, education, and land laws that are unfavorable to indigenous peoples.

Every year on August 9, indigenous communities worldwide observe World Indigenous Day. This year in Nepal, the day was marked with various programs under the theme: “Ensure Indigenous Peoples’ Rights over Natural Resources, Water, Land, and Forests; Implement the Supreme Court’s Directive on UNDRIP and ILO Convention 169.”

The program was attended by former ministers Sher Bahadur Tamang, Sita Gurung, Thammaya Thapa Magar, lawmakers Suresh Ale Magar, Durga Rai, NEFIN’s former president Pasang Sherpa, former Constituent Assembly member Jipchhirig Lama, and Amrit Sunuwar, president of Sunuwar Service Society, among others, who stressed the need for unity in the struggle for indigenous rights.

On the occasion, Nima Lama, chairperson of Chumnubri Rural Municipality, and the Lawyers’ Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples were honored. NEFIN Senior Vice-President Buddhar Gharti Bhujel provided information about the program, while General Secretary Dibas Rai and Deputy General Secretary Ram Krishna Lama Blon facilitated the event.

Before the main ceremony, various indigenous communities participated in a rally showcasing traditional displays and cultural processions.