Jirels, Jiri, and politics: An overview

The Jirels are the indigenous population occupying the Jiri Valley in Dolakha District of eastern Nepal. The Jiri Valley falls within the jurisdiction of the Jiri Village Development Council (VDC), which is a geographic unit defined politically by the central government in Kathmandu. There are a number of other ethnolinguistic groups in the Jiri VDC as well, including Sherpas, Sunwars, Surels, Tamangs and a Hindu caste population, predominantly Chhetris and Brhmans. According to the offical Nepali census of 1991, the totla population of the VDC was 7,138. The Jirels constitute 3,067 people, or more than 40 percent of the population of the VDC. Despite this, historically they have had less influence in the local politics than any of the other ethnic groups. Furthermore, they are also on the lower rung of the socioeconomic hierarchy. Given this, the question might be asked: Why have the Jirels been unable to assume a more prominent role in local political, economic and developmental activities? The purpose of the paper is to describe the position of the Jirels within the local political structure and to determine some of factors that continue to keep them at the bottom of the political and economic hierarchy.