News Summary
- Landless and unorganized residents will hold a national convention in Butwal on Jestha 3, followed by a major protest against the government.
- Khagendra Paudel, coordinator of the Struggle Committee, stated approximately 30,000 participants will join, with representatives from 22 districts attending.
- The Struggle Committee demands changes to land laws and issuing land ownership certificates for settlements inhabited for at least 10 years according to the Land Use Policy 2076.
30 Baisakh, Butwal – Alleging that the government led by Rastriya Swatantra Samajwadi Party (RSP) has unleashed a dozer terror in the name of public land protection, unorganized residents and squatters are intensifying their movement. After the government began evicting settlements that have existed for years by deploying dozers in Kathmandu and other parts of the country, the landless and unorganized residents have planned a national convention and a protest in Butwal on Jestha 3.
At a press conference on Tuesday, the Landless Squatters and Unorganized Residents Struggle Committee announced the national convention and a large-scale protest against the government, which will include participants from landless and unorganized settlements nationwide.
Prior to the convention, a protest march will be held from Butwal Rajmarg Chowk to Traffic Chowk, according to coordinator Khagendra Paudel. He stated that about 30,000 people would participate, with representatives attending from 22 districts. He also mentioned wide participation from 16 local units of Rupandehi district.
Following the large protest on Jestha 3, a national convention will be organized in Butwal to develop strategies for the nationwide movement, Paudel added. The Struggle Committee has already formed various subcommittees for the convention and said preparations are in the final stages.
At the press conference, advisor Virendra Bik stressed the need for intensified struggle and strategy formulation, highlighting pressure to stop government attempts to remove long-standing settlements without proper arrangements.
Bik emphasized the necessity to amend land-related laws and demanded land ownership certificates be issued for settlements inhabited for at least 10 years as per the Land Use Policy 2076. He also highlighted the importance of ensuring representation of landless and unorganized residents in policy-making and decision-making levels related to land issues. Twelve opposition parties in Rupandehi have expressed solidarity with the Struggle Committee.
