Squatters protest in Butwal against eviction without proper alternatives

Butwal – Squatters from across the country staged a massive protest in Butwal, demanding that landless and unorganized settlers not be evicted without proper alternatives and long-term arrangements.

The protest, organized by the Nepal Landless Squatters and Unorganized Settlers Struggle Committee Rupandehi, began at Rajmarg Chauraha in Butwal.

The rally, which started at Rajmarg Chauraha, passed through Milan Chowk, Bus Park, and Pushpalal Park before culminating in a corner meeting at Traffic Chowk. According to the organizers, thousands of squatters, primarily from 22 districts of the Terai, participated in the protest.

Khagendra Paudel, coordinator of the struggle committee, stated that the protest was held against the government’s actions of bulldozing the homes of poor squatters and unorganized settlers without providing any alternatives.

According to him, nearly 5 million citizens from around 1.2 million families across the country have been affected as the government began removing settlements without a clear long-term management plan.

Struggle committee leader Birendra Bik informed that a conference would be organized in Butwal on Monday following the protest. He mentioned that the conference would include experts and discuss just solutions to the problems faced by landless and unorganized settlers to reach concrete conclusions.