Hundreds of squatters protest Nepal govt's move to dismantle structures in Kathmandu

More than 3,500 structures belonging to landless squatters have been demolished by the federal government in Kathmandu and hundreds of other settlements since last month in different districts outside the capital city for beautification and environmental protection.

Hundreds of landless squatters on Friday staged a demonstration protesting the Balendra Shah government's recent move to bulldoze their structures in various parts of the country, including in Kathmandu. More than 3,500 structures belonging to landless squatters have been demolished by the federal government in Kathmandu and hundreds of other settlements since last month in different districts outside the capital city for beautification and environmental protection. Nepal's Supreme Court on May 4 ordered the government to submit the details of procedures followed in demolishing squatters' settlements in the Kathmandu Valley. On Friday, carrying empty plates and raising slogans demanding their right to live and housing, the protesters -- organised under the Joint Landless Squatters forum -- gathered at Maitighar Mandala in the heart of the capital city. ''End the displacement drive in the name of development,'' ''Where will you wash the hands tainted with the blood of squatters?,'' ''Give us justice, not displacement,'' were the slogans raised and captions of the placards on the occasion. The federal government and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City jointly evicted thousands of landless squatters from various parts of Kathmandu including Thapatali, Gairigaun, Manahora, Balaju, Anamnagar Sinamangal and Kapan areas displacing around 20,000 people. The government shifted a few hundred squatters in holding centres in Kirtipur, Bhaktapur and some hotels on temporary basis, despite which, hundreds of squatters are still staying in open sky in miserable condition even when the pre-monsoon rains have started across the country, said Saraswoti Karmacharya, a journalist associated with Nepal Samacharpatra. There is a risk of starvation of hundreds of landless squatters, who are forcibly evicted from their settlements, she pointed out. Opposition parties and different civil society groups have also criticised the government on the ground that thousands of landless squatters were evicted from Kathmandu and other major parts of the country without properly collecting their data and with alternative settlement plans. In a related development, people protested the notice circulated by Kshireshwor Municipality of Dhanusha district in Madhes Province, to vacate the public land occupied by squatters in that area. The protesters blocked the Janakpur-Dhalkebar road section in Kshireshwor by burning motor tyres, according to Nepalkhabar online newsportal. Likewise, in Butawal, hundreds of landless squatters organised anti-government demonstrations shouting slogans like ''Stop terrorising people with dozer,'' ''Down with Balen Government,'' and ''Don't evict landless people,'' reported Setopati online news portal.