Landless, homeless, and unmanaged settlers staged a protest in Butwal, accusing the government of using bulldozers to demolish settlements where people had been living for years without providing alternative arrangements.
The protest was organized by the Nepal Landless, Squatters, and Unmanaged Settlers Struggle Committee, Rupandehi, on May 17. The demonstration began from Rajmarg Chauraha in Butwal and passed through Milan Chowk, Bus Park, and Hospital Line before concluding in a gathering at Traffic Chowk.
Struggle Committee coordinator Khagendra Paudel said the protest was organized against the government’s actions of demolishing the homes and shelters of poor, landless, and unmanaged settlers with bulldozers without providing alternative arrangements. According to him, the committee is set to organize a conference in Butwal on May 18.
A large number of participants from 22 districts with significant populations of landless, squatters, and unmanaged settlers took part in the protest. During the demonstration, participants chanted slogans against the government, while the administration deployed a large number of security personnel to maintain order.
According to the Struggle Committee, preparations were made during the gathering held after the protest to strengthen the movement with representation from all seven provinces. The organizers stated that more than 30,000 landless and unmanaged settlers participated in the demonstration.
Struggle Committee advisor Birendra BK accused the government of unleashing “bulldozer terror” across the country without providing reliable alternative arrangements, resulting in human rights violations against around five million citizens from more than 1.2 million households.
Geeta Thapa, who participated in the protest, said that thousands of families have suffered mental distress as bulldozers were used to demolish the homes of citizens who had been living there for years, adding that they were compelled to take to the streets to pressure the government.
According to Struggle Committee secretary Ram Chandra Bhattarai, the conference scheduled for May 18, will hold discussions with experts on finding a just solution to the problems faced by landless and unmanaged settlers and will draw concrete conclusions.
He further informed that a national-level struggle committee with representation from all seven provinces will also be formed, and programs will be set to submit memorandums to the government and major political parties.
Secretary Bhattarai said that 12 political parties in Rupandehi, including the Nepal Communist Party, CPN-UML, Nepali Congress, Labour Culture Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, and Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), have expressed solidarity with the committee’s movement.
