| Username |
Post |
| ashu |
Posted
on 25-Oct-00 12:22 PM
What follows is from www.kantipuronline.com
************
Kaimayas threaten action
KOL Report
DHANGADI, Oct 24 - The liberated Kamaiyas have threatened street
action if nothing is done about the their rehabilitation soon.
Kamaiya Liberation Struggle Committee has issued a 12-point demand
and has given the government until November 5 to fulfill them or face street
action. Their demands include provision of a certain amount of land, the
implementation of the policies of providing minimum agricultural wage and
the distribution of identity card.
They have presented the demand to District Administration Office. The
government started the distribution of identity cards after the liberated
Kamaiyas faced difficulties in this year's monsoon. The government has
also made a promise to give a certain amount of land to the Kamaiyas
soon. (ma/rk)
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| ashu |
Posted
on 26-Oct-00 12:55 AM
A logic for this Jagga Andolan can go as follows:
Fact: There are enough pieces of undesignated
land in Kailali and Kanchanpur districts. These
pieces of undesignated land can be
distributed to per freed ex-Kamaiya family.
This means, the government need NOT encroach
upon forests or confiscate others' land to
give jagga to the ex-Kamaiyas.
But what is missing is the political will of
the government to do what is right and needed
for the ex-Kamaiyas.
Hence, this another Andolan to push the
government to do what it should.
The ex-Kamaiyas are NOT asking for too much
land.
They are asking for 10 Kattas of land
per officially identified ex-Kamaiya family.
That much land is just about enough for each
family to build its house and to engage in
some farming to take care of the family's
food needs. That's all.
The idea is: Only when each freed ex-Kamaiya's
needs for shelter and food are adequately met,
s/he can do/engage in other activities
(in agriculture or in something
else) to generate more income for himself
or herself.
This "generating more income for themselves"
phase can be helped along by the efforts of
NGOs/INGOs/human rights organizations
and other such bodies who can do the "rehab"
of the ex-Kamaiyas.
Without land, "rehab" itself will not be of
much value, just as without freedom, much
of the work on the Kamaiyas since 1900, was
not of much value.
So, first, Mukti or freedom.
This goal has been achieved.
We thought that the government, after making
its historic declaration on July 17, would then
just do its work to take care of the Kamaiyas'
problems.
It didn't.
We tried to push it, cajole it, coax it and
did everythingin between.
Didn't work.
OK.
No problem.
Dilli Chaudhary is now leading the second and
crucial phase of the Kamaiya Andolan to demand for jagga.
The goal is clear:
10 Kattha of land for each freed ex-Kamaiya
family.
But a goal with just be a sapana (dream)
if it comes without a deadline.
So, the deadline for success:
Magh 1st, or by January 15.
From now on, everything the ex-Kamaiyas do, in
Dhangadi or kathmandu or through the national
and international media, will be focussed, like
the rays of a laser gun, on one goal and one
goal alone: That is, getting 10 Kattha of land
for each freed ex-Kamaiya family.
Let's see how this Andolan now goes.
Special gratitude to Dilli for continuing
to trust Martin Chautari to assist him in
making strategies that will lead to
success.
Finally, to see an Andolan that has the
potential to change up to 200,000 lives
in Nepal and to see it up close and personal
is indeed a humbling privilege.
oohi
ashu
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| mabi |
Posted
on 26-Oct-00 10:40 AM
Hi, Ashu
My belated congratulations to all those involved in the liberation of the Kamaiyas.
If I remember the history right, Chandra Shamsher in 1981 BS, when abolished (=amalekh) the "das pratha" had managed lands and were inhabited for the ex-das(es), which later was called "Amalekhgunj".
I believe, then Rana Prime Minister, an autocrat, did not had to consider the political and social pressures like that of today. Yet, he foresaw the problems that might have arisen and tackled them in a systematic way.
In this regard, may be, the Minister Siddha Ojha was right in saying that the decision was made in the haste disregarding the possible consequences.
However, freedom matters the most, no matter what it brings to the life of common people.
I am basically a consumer of the Nepalnews.com and the impression I got was that the ex-kamaiya went through a very difficult times and ex-ka-"maiyas" are indulging into unwanted and unusual sexual behaviors to sustain their lifes. Yet, the total results of the liberation are to come and I hope they don't turn violent because of the existing pshycological trauma of "no-where-ness".
Since, the Kamaiyas are simple (in life style),uneducated and unskilled cohorts, their fate and future basically depend on the wants,actions, manipulations and tactfulness of their leaders like Dilli et. al. and others involved.
I wish success to all involved.
Regards,
Mabi
>What follows is from www.kantipuronline.com
>
>
>************
>Kaimayas threaten action
>
> KOL Report
>
> DHANGADI, Oct 24 - The
>liberated Kamaiyas have threatened street
> action if nothing is
>done about the their rehabilitation soon.
>
> Kamaiya Liberation
>Struggle Committee has issued a 12-point
>demand
> and has given the
>government until November 5 to fulfill them
>or face street
> action. Their demands
>include provision of a certain amount of
>land, the
> implementation of the
>policies of providing minimum agricultural
>wage and
> the distribution of
>identity card.
>
> They have presented the
>demand to District Administration Office.
>The
> government started the
>distribution of identity cards after the
>liberated
> Kamaiyas faced
>difficulties in this year's monsoon. The
>government has
> also made a promise to
>give a certain amount of land to the
>Kamaiyas
> soon. (ma/rk)
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