Farmers protest in Khotang over crop destruction by monkeys

Farmers troubled by monkeys have surrounded the office of Jantedhunga Rural Municipality in Khotang. The farmers, whose crops meant for their annual sustenance have been destroyed by monkeys, gathered at the rural municipality office in Chisapani on Friday to protest.

Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the farmers warned of a phased protest if their demands are not met by the rural municipality. They met with Rural Municipality Chair Arunadevi Rai and Vice-Chair Khembahadur Khadka, urging them to find a long-term solution to the monkey menace.

During a discussion held after the office encirclement, local resident Surya Rai expressed his frustration, saying, “Either support the people or the monkeys. If monkeys are to be kept, then the people will have to be displaced.” He further stated, “Monkeys are making it impossible for us to survive. They destroy the crops we plant for the year. We need to decide whether people or monkeys are more important. If monkeys are to be kept, then the people’s demands must be addressed. Coexistence is not possible.”

Vice-Chair Khadka informed the farmers that the rural municipality had allocated a budget for monkey control since last year. “Monkeys have troubled many farmers. We have arranged a budget for control since last year,” he said. “However, there is no right to kill them just because they cause trouble. We have allocated a budget to deploy volunteers for control. So far, farmers have not contacted us.”

Farmers from all six wards of the rural municipality walked for hours to reach the office in Chisapani for the protest. During the subsequent discussion, the farmers demanded the right to kill the monkeys that destroy their crops and fruits, despite existing laws not permitting such action.

Chair Rai explained that while the rural municipality is not in favor of saving monkeys at the expense of farmers, the law does not allow for killing monkeys. “We are not in favor of saving monkeys while farmers suffer. However, the law does not grant the right to kill monkeys,” he said. “We are exploring alternative measures for monkey control. We have been providing a budget for this since last year, and it will be included in the upcoming policy and program.”

Recently, the monkey problem has spread across all ten local units in the district. Monkeys from the forests have been entering villages and destroying crops and fruits, leaving farmers distressed.

In the district’s main commercial center, Diktel Bazaar, the monkey menace led local farmers to protest with plows and spades on Chaitra 16. After the protest with domestic tools, the farmers staged a sit-in at the District Administration Office in Khotang, where the administration assured them that their demands would be conveyed to the relevant authorities for assistance.