Prabhu Chaudhary, president of Guthimohi Sangathan, Dang, said that it is sad that houses are being demolished unilaterally by using a dozer when the problem should be solved only by discussing with the landless squatters.
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Protests are ongoing in various parts of the district against the government's use of dozers in squatter settlements. Landless, squatter and freed Kamaiyas have demonstrated in major market areas including Ghorahi, Tulsipur, Bhalubang.
Basanta Nepal, Chairman of the Land Rights and Labor Organization Nepal District Committee, Dang, said that the government has launched a protest against the use of dozers in the squatter settlements. Hari Chandra Chaudhary, Chairman of the Mukt Kamaiya Samaj, Dang, said that it is inhumane to turn a blind eye to the problems of the landless and use dozers to raise the settlements.
Landless squatters have also submitted a memorandum to the government through the District Administration Office demanding an end to the dozer terror. Prabhu Chaudhary, Chairman of the Guthimohi Organization, Dang, said that it is sad to unilaterally demolish houses by using dozers when the problem should be solved only by discussing with the landless squatters.
During the protest, the landless squatters raised slogans like "Stop the dozer terror, remove poverty, not the poor", "Citizens cannot be forced to sit on the ground", and "Repeat anti-people decisions".
The gathering held in Rapti Rural Municipality has formed a 13-member "Squatters, Free Kamaiya, Unorganized Settlements and Landless Struggle Committee" under the coordination of Dal Bahadur Gharti Magar.
The meeting of the Tharu Kalyankarini Sabha Central Working Committee has also demanded that the government immediately stop the demolition of houses of landless squatters, free Kamaiya-Kamlari and unorganized settlements.
The meeting held at the Tharu Cultural Museum in Chakhaura, Dangisharan Rural Municipality-3 on Saturday concluded that such actions are unjust from the perspective of human rights, said Premi Lal Chaudhary, the chairman of the assembly.
The meeting has concluded that the demolition of houses and properties of landless and squatter citizens living near rivers, streams, forests and other areas without proper management is irresponsible and unacceptable. The meeting of the assembly has stated that serious attention has been drawn to the squatter settlements that have been carried out without rehabilitation and alternative management.
The decision to evacuate squatter settlements that began in Kathmandu has been opposed after preparations were made to implement it in Dang as well. A meeting of stakeholders held in Ghorahi on April 15 under the chairmanship of Chief District Officer Bishwa Prakash Aryal had decided to immediately remove the encroached illegal structures.
The meeting decided to remove the houses and huts built on the land of Rapti Institute of Health Sciences Ghorahi, District Administration Office Ghorahi, Regional Police Residential School Lamahi, Regional Police Office Tulsipur, Rapti Regional Hospital Tulsipur, Nepal Sanskrit University, various campuses, schools and other government bodies.
The meeting has decided to strictly stop new encroachers, collect data to remove illegal occupation, publish information and coordinate with other stakeholders to conduct a special campaign by the concerned local level. It has also been decided that the concerned local level will collect data of the actual landless squatters living in the encroached areas and arrange the necessary facilitation for alternative management.
