In Safebagar–4 of Sanfebagar Municipality in Achham district, Tara Aauji is still living as a Haliya (bonded agricultural laborer). Due to an ancestral debt taken by his forefathers from a landlord, which could not be repaid, he has continued working as a bonded laborer to pay off the interest. However, he does not even possess an identity card recognizing him as a freed Haliya. During the government’s data collection for rehabilitation, Aauji was excluded. In the same ward, around 20–25 households like his were left out of the census. Similarly, Dinesh Lohar, who has been working for years as a Haliya in the house of Jhapat Kunwar of Mastamadau, also does not have an identity card.
Surendra Bhul is another Haliya. For generations, he has been working in the household of local landlord Dhrub Kunwar under an arrangement of receiving seven to eight sacks of paddy and three to four sacks of wheat annually. Yet, he too does not have an identity card. Likewise, Jogi Nepali of Thalara–3 in Bajhang district has been working as a Haliya for the past 20 years after borrowing Rs. 12,000 from a local landlord, Harisingh Rawal, due to poverty.
Madhura Kami, a local resident, says, “I have neither a house nor land. I am a freed Haliya, but there is no support for me.” The Dalit community in this settlement continues to live under the same old system of bonded labor. These are only a few examples. In Karnali Province, covering districts such as Rukum (West), Salyan, Dolpa, Jumla, Mugu, Kalikot, and Dailekh, and in Sudurpaschim Province, covering Bajura, Bajhang, Doti, Achham, Darchula, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Kanchanpur, and Kailali, around 19,000 Haliyas were excluded from the government’s data collection.
Despite the government’s declaration of Haliya liberation, many in Sudurpaschim and Karnali are still forced to work as bonded laborers. They continue to work as agricultural bonded laborers, plowing landlords’ fields for generations as repayment for ancestral debts. They have not been able to enjoy basic human rights and social justice. Landless laborers remain dependent on landlords for their survival. Debt and land ownership continue to bind them to landlords’ property. Even today, landlords freely use their labor for farming and domestic work without proper wages. They are forced to work in the hope of clearing debts, paying rent, or securing food. Due to their landlessness, they remain completely tied to landlords and cannot work elsewhere without permission.
Nepal is now a federal democratic republic, yet a section of its population continues to live in bondage. The Haliya system, essentially a feudal bonded labor practice, still exists. It stands as a stain on the face of democracy. It undermines the core principles of socialism, including social justice, equitable development, and inclusion. The system is also deeply linked to caste hierarchy, where so-called upper-caste landlords avoid manual labor and rely on Dalit communities for agricultural and domestic work.
Similar feudal systems in Europe were abolished by the mid-19th century. In China, land reforms following the 1949 revolution ended such practices, and in Russia, Tsar Alexander II initiated the abolition of serfdom in 1861.
However, in Nepal, such a system still persists in the 21st century. Even 18 years after the government declared Haliya liberation, the issue remains unresolved. Following a long struggle, the government declared Haliya freedom on Bhadra 21, 2065 (2008). It identified 16,322 Haliya families. Rehabilitation and livelihood programs began in fiscal year 2010/11, but a formal framework was only approved in 2013.
According to government data, even after years of rehabilitation efforts, 2,367 certified Haliya families have not received identity cards. Among those who have, 1,135 families have not received rehabilitation packages. Overall, only 85 percent (13,955 families) have received identity cards, and only 78 percent have received rehabilitation support. According to the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation, 12 percent received ‘A’ category ID cards, 27 percent ‘B’, 5 percent ‘C’, and 56 percent ‘D’.
Between 2013 and 2019, the government reports that land was purchased for 1,601 families, 2,203 houses were built, and 8,427 houses were repaired. However, the National Freed Haliya Society Federation Nepal disputes these figures. The federation states that despite commitments, full implementation of rehabilitation, including economic, social, cultural, and educational rights, has not occurred. Vice-chairperson Parbat Sunar says that while some land has been distributed, there are no sustainable programs for employment, education, or health.
According to the federation, even basic rehabilitation of freed Haliyas in Sudurpaschim and Karnali has not been completed. A 2021 government study committee also concluded that the classification of Haliyas was unscientific and flawed.
Political commitments have largely remained unfulfilled. Various parties, including CPN-UML, Nepali Congress, and CPN (Maoist Centre), have promised housing, land access, and rehabilitation for landless and marginalized communities, including Haliyas, but implementation has been weak.
The Constitution of Nepal guarantees the right to live with dignity, prohibits forced labor, and ensures protection against caste-based discrimination and exploitation. It also mandates land and housing provisions for landless Dalits. However, in practice, many Haliyas continue to face exploitation, discrimination, and deprivation.
According to the National Dalit Network, 97 percent of Haliyas belong to the Dalit community, 89 percent are landless, and 36 percent are homeless.
Although the Constitution clearly mandates rehabilitation, implementation remains inadequate. Activists and leaders stress the need for a long-term, practical solution. The government must first conduct a comprehensive census of excluded Haliyas. Debt cancellation, land distribution, access to education, healthcare, employment, and sustainable livelihoods are essential.
Ensuring human rights and social justice for Haliyas is crucial to realizing the promises of democracy, republicanism, and sustainable development.
National News Agency