Activists demand investigation into evictions of Kathmandu squatters under PM’s orders

Kathmandu – A demand has been made for a criminal investigation and action against those who have committed atrocities against squatters.

On Wednesday, 37 human rights activists jointly issued an urgent appeal letter making this demand. They argue that forcibly evicting people, depriving them of their livelihoods, and then leaving them hungry and pushing them towards severe food insecurity and starvation is not only a grave human rights violation but also a criminal act under Nepal’s prevailing laws.

They demand action against the officials involved in such criminal acts.

Under the direct orders of Prime Minister Balen Shah, bulldozers were deployed with military support on April 25 in squatter settlements along the riverbanks in Kathmandu. Although the government had promised permanent management within 15 days, more than two months have passed, and the squatters are still being forcibly removed from holding centers.

Human rights activists have expressed their objection to this action. “We strongly demand that the government of Nepal immediately conduct a criminal investigation into this incident, prosecute the responsible officials according to the law to ensure criminal accountability, and provide compensatory justice to the victims of violations and crimes as per Article 21 (2) of Nepal’s Constitution,” the appeal states.

This is the appeal

Urgent Appeal

(24 Ashadh 2083)

End the atrocities against displaced victims! Legal action should be taken against those responsible for depriving them of their livelihoods and pushing them into starvation! Fulfill the promises of management and resettlement!

For more than 70 days, displaced squatters have been kept in holding centers, given ultimatums to leave, threatened, and pushed into the risk of starvation. We are gravely concerned about these deplorable, inhumane, and serious human rights violations. Such actions are unacceptable in any civilized society, a country governed by the rule of law, an elected government, or among people, organizations, movements, and political parties that uphold social democracy as their ideal.

Forcibly evicting people, depriving them of their livelihoods, and then leaving them hungry and pushing them towards severe food insecurity and starvation is not only a grave human rights violation but also a criminal act under Nepal’s prevailing laws. Therefore, we strongly demand that the government of Nepal immediately conduct a criminal investigation into this incident, prosecute the responsible officials according to the law to ensure criminal accountability, and provide compensatory justice to the victims of violations and crimes as per Article 21 (2) of Nepal’s Constitution.

The Food Rights and Food Sovereignty Act, 2075, defines in Section 40 (a) the act of “depriving any person of access to essential food, causing severe harm or creating a state of starvation” as a crime, and in Section 40 (d) the act of “making any person homeless, depriving them of their means of livelihood” as a crime. Furthermore, Section 42 of the same Act stipulates that a person committing a crime under Section 40 (a) can face up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to 1 million rupees, while a person committing a crime under Section 40 (d) can face up to 5 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to 500,000 rupees. We also wish to remind that the Criminal Code, 2074, defines crimes punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment as serious crimes under Section 3 (c).

Once the state has taken displaced, homeless, and optionless citizens under its protection, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure their housing, food security, and other basic human rights. Therefore, we strongly demand that the relevant bodies of the government of Nepal immediately ensure housing, food security, and basic services for all victims in the holding centers and stop actions that tarnish the country’s human rights image.

We also earnestly call upon the National Human Rights Commission and parliamentary committees concerned with human rights and social justice, as well as federal parliamentarians with a sense of human rights and humanity, to take concrete initiatives for effective monitoring and investigation of these serious human rights violations and to ensure accountability.

Human rights defenders and civil activists:

Anita Nyaupane Thapaliya, Anupa Aryal, Asmita Sapkota, Ojaswi KC, Ojaswi Bhattarai, Kapil Aryal, Kamala Panthi, Kundan Raj Sharma, Khagendra Wali, Govinda Chhantyal, Charan Prasai, Jagat Deuja, Jagat Basnet, Jasmine Wajha, Tanuja Basnet, Nirajan Thapilaya, Barsha Sah, Vijay Gautam, Mandira Sharma, Marisa Taylor, Monisha Chaudhary, Mohana Ansari, Bhagwati Adhikari, Raju Prasad Chapagain, Rukmani Maharjan, Rupa Basnet, Reshma Thapa, Riyab Bania, Bikash Basnet, Bishwas Nepali, Bishnu Pokharel, Sushant Nepali, Sushma Nyaupane, Som Niraula, Sarita Lama, Suman Adhikari, Shanken Rai