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Conflicts in the Kumal, Bote and Magar communities

Shreedhar Khanal

Sex, liquor and girls are what trigger major conflicts in the backward Kumal, Bote and Magar communities of Palpa district in western Nepal. Other conflicts may be due to the encroachment of the land by the neighbour, borrowing and payment of loan and over the issue of cutting others’ fodder. The traditional occupation of the Kumal is making clay pots and of the Botes or Majhis is fishing and boating. But with the use of clay pots falling, the Kumals have been forced to take to other occupations. Similarly the Botes have been forced to quit their occupation or seek other ways of living because bridges have been constructed over the rivers and the right to fish in the local rivers and lakes has been given away by the local bodies in contracts that has made the lives of the Majhis harder and more precarious. Usually a senior man called ‘Mukhia’ helps settle disputes in the Kumal community. Now it is the local elected representatives who do so. One of the major causes of conflicts in the Kumal community is due to alcohol. Kumals, who now are hired as farm labours and porters, finish up the day’s earning by drinking. The first conflict begins at home over whether to buy the food or alcohol. With the setting of the sun comes night and every night there is a fight. Be it festivals or usual days drinking is so much part of the Kumals.

Superstition is another cause leading to conflicts. Kumals have a strong belief in witchcraft. When a buffalo does not give milk or somebody falls ill, a certain woman is accused of using the spell and a conflict is broken between an accused and an accuser. And local people always help to solve such conflicts.

Another phenomenon for the Kumals to get into conflicts is over eloping someone’s wife. The conflict is usually between the former and the new husband of the eloped woman. If the woman has willingly eloped with the man of her choice, it is accepted as a marriage. If the elope is a forced one, the man is asked to sign papers stating that he would full responsibility of the woman as his wife. Celebration with alcohol goes once the dispute is settled.

Likewise, alcohol is vital for all the occasions for Botes, be it the birth of a child or the death of a member of their community. They settle the disputes that emanate after the consumption of alcohol. Recurring of the same incidents means the wrongdoer will be asked to sign a paper calling for the need to take tougher action.
While solving the conflict, no Bote is asked to pay the price for his fault in cash because of their abject poverty. Poverty leading to misery triggers disputes now and then but they are solved within the group. They never go to the court or to the police to seek justice because that is not practicable and economically viable for them.

Palpa is a Magar populated district. The status of the Magars is comparatively better in comparison to other backward communities. The causes of conflicts among them are usually related to the encroachment of the land, failing to pay the debt and marriage. It is the local representatives who help solve the conflicts. In case it is a personnel dispute the wrongdoer is asked to pay the fine that is used for carrying out social service activities.

Magars don’t hesitate to go to the court or the police station to solve their disputes. The trend is now slowly on the rise with the people of other communities.

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