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Update (11
Sept. 2000)
Kamaiya
situation in Kailali and Kanchanpur
What
has transpired from the present situation of the former Kamaiyas is that
with the government announcing on July 17 the liberation of Kamaiyas from
bondage the freedom has rendered them homeless, jobless and for that
matter helpless.
About
40,000 Kamaiyas have been relieved of their debt bondage to their masters
in Kailali, Kanchanpur, Banke, Bardiya and dang. No sooner had the
government announced the abolition of the Kamaiya system and waiver of “sauki”
(debt), which had compelled the Kamaiyas to work for their masters
generation after generation, the landlords started evicting the Kamaiyas
from their houses forcefully. It is about two months since the kamaiyas
were freed. They are still languishing temporary camps set up in different
places in Kailali and Kanchanpur with very little or no food.
According
to BASE, there are a total of 13,000 freed kamaiyas (1412 families) in
Kailali district, while the number of freed Kamaiyas in Kanchanpur
district is 6,976 (1050 families). Some of the freed Kamaiyas in
Kanchanpur district have started working under the food for work programme
from Sept. 9. The government has decided to distribute 600 quintals of
rice under the programme.
This
was disclosed at a meeting of the freed Kamaiya rehabilitation district
coordination and monitoring committee on Sept. 8. The meeting also set
four criteria for the identification of the freed Kamaiyas. According to
the criteria, those who do not have land and house fall in category A,
those who are living in public land in category B, those who have less
than 2 katthas of land in category C and others in category D.
I/NGOs like
ADRA, NNSWA, CCS are making some contributions to the relief of the freed
Kamaiyas but such contributions are far too little. The freed Kamaiyas who
are taking shelter near and around the district headquarters and town
areas are receiving some relief assistance but there are many freed
Kamaiyas in places quite far from the district headquarters and towns. And
they have not received any relief materials except for some tents. They
are suffering from hand to mouth problem not to talk of health problems
brought about by a lack of adequate food and proper shelter and
sanitation.
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