Hunger and Uncertainty grip displaced families in Kirtipur holding centre

Kathmandu-Landless Dalits, squatters and unplanned settlers displaced from various parts of the Kathmandu Valley have submitted a memorandum to the government, demanding permanent rehabilitation and ownership rights to land.

The affected families, currently housed at the Radhaswami Satsang Holding Centre in Kirtipur, addressed the memorandum to the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and the Minister for Land Management. They accused the state of forcibly evicting them without providing viable alternatives, following due legal procedures, or ensuring compensation.

In the memorandum, the displaced families highlighted severe shortages of basic healthcare services, medicines and nutritious food at the holding centre. They also expressed concerns over inadequate security and lack of privacy, warning that women and children are particularly vulnerable to safety risks.

The victims have given the government a one-week ultimatum to decide on their rehabilitation with land ownership rights and other appropriate arrangements. They warned that failure to act within the stipulated period would force them to return and resettle in the places from which they had been evicted.

The families were left without food on Tuesday morning after the team that had been providing meals departed the previous night. According to the residents, they did not even have access to drinking water for several hours and eventually collected money among themselves to buy beaten rice and snack mix to ease their hunger. They said several children were unable to attend school because they had not received breakfast.