Participants in a protest organized by the Nepal Settlement Conservation Society on Saturday have warned that they will unite and resist the government if attempts are made to remove settlements in Dharan as well.
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A protest has been held in Dharan against the use of dozers in the slums of Kathmandu Valley. Participants in the protest organized by the Nepal Settlement Conservation Society on Saturday have warned that they will unite and resist the government if attempts are made to remove the slums in Dharan as well.
They had shouted slogans against the government, saying that they were forcibly evicting people without any alternative. Participants in the rally, which took place from Chhatachowk to Bhanuchowk, raised slogans such as ‘Mare Chihaan, Banche Ghar, Ekta Nai Hamro Bhaar’. They said that displacing the poor and disadvantaged communities in the name of development is an unjust and inhumane step.
The protesters had carried placards with slogans such as ‘Give development, not dozers’, ‘What kind of development is this that destroys the houses of the poor?’ and ‘Re-establish displaced slum dwellers’. They accused the state of complicating the problem by using force instead of providing a long-term solution.
Demolition of houses without proper rehabilitation arrangements is a violation of human rights, said Subash Rai, the society's program coordinator. He said that the move was wrong without proper identification, classification and management of the squatters according to their needs. He urged the government to be sensitive, emphasizing the need to solve the problem on a long-term policy and legal basis. 'In the name of finding a solution, adding to the suffering is being done, this is not fair,' he said.
After the settlement was cleared using a dozer in Kathmandu, panic has also spread among the squatters of Dharan. According to the data of the Dharan Sub-metropolitan City, about 17,375 squatter families are living in all 20 wards here. Of these, 1,462 are landless Dalits, 4,106 are landless squatters and 9,871 are unorganized settlers. Ward-5 has the highest number of squatters, while wards 17, 11, 15, 16 and 4 also have significant numbers. In other wards, the number is comparatively less .
Meanwhile, the Dharan Sub-metropolitan City has indicated that it will not allow the removal of squatter settlements . Acting Mayor Aindra Bikram Begha has made it clear that he will not use dozers to remove the settlements as long as he remains in office . ‘We are in favor of the squatters, there is no immediate plan to use dozers,’ he said .
He stressed that the problem of squatters should be resolved from a humanitarian and legal perspective, not a political one. He urged the squatter community not to be agitated and to remain calm, saying that the local government is acting as the guardian of the citizens. According to Begha, ensuring housing security and a dignified life for all citizens is the priority of the local government. He said that this incident necessitates a long-term policy for managing squatters .
