December 2020

Chaya center’s workers become owners’ ‘thugs’, threaten heritage rights activist (with letter)

December 31, 2020

Kathmandu, 31 December 2020

Workers have a history of taking to the streets and carrying out struggles when their employers do injustice and exploit labor. However, it has been found that today’s workers have started to engage in various unwanted activities to protect their employers instead of protesting against the black acts committed by their employers and investors.

It has been found that the so-called leaders of the workers working at the Chhaya Devi Complex built by occupying Kamalpokhari in Thamel have threatened the rights activist fighting for heritage conservation. Banker and billionaire businessmen Prithvi Bahadur Pandey, Suman Pandey and owner of Hotel Aloft and Chhaya center, Suhrid Ghimire have been found to have used their employees like local thugs to threaten the activist.

Bhagwat Pradhan, a heritage rights activist, has been threatened by the workers of the Chhaya Devi Complex built on the land of Kamalpokhari, which was grabbed by 43 land mafia. Alleged labor leaders came to his house to threaten him. “My wife was threatened at home. I was threatened by Ram Bahadur Shrestha, the secretary of GEFONT (General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions),” Bhagwat told the Diyopost.

On behalf of the 1,200 workers employed at the Chhaya center, the three leaders threatened him with a three-day ultimatum. Their letter reads as follows:

27 Dec 2021

Mr. Bhagwat Narsingh Pradhan

Currently Sitapaila, Kathmandu.

Subject: Regarding anti- labor activities

Concerning the above subject, this letter is written with regards to the concerns of the workers related to the Aloft Hotel and Chhaya Devi Complex located at Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Ward No. 26 Thamel and Casino Waldo, night club, travel, trekking restaurant and other businesses operating therein.

It has been reported that unethical and unwanted attacks are being carried out at your initiative against the Chhaya Center and other businesses including the Aloft Hotel [therein] that have come in operation after recent completion of construction as there was no order from the esteemed courts to stop the construction of the Chhaya Devi Complex as per your demand in frequent petitions filed by you.

Against the constitutional right of operating business activities of the Chhaya Devi Complex and the businesses operating therein, you and others regularly intervene to provoke the customers, put pressure on the guests, special guests and prominent guests not to participate in any event at the Chhaya Devi Complex or Chhaya Center as well as pressurize international headquarters of Marriott International, VFS Global (International Visa Facilitation Office) and various national and international relations and spread false messages through social media channels to undertake systematic attacks on promotion of business partnership and reputation [of the Chhaya Center]. Due to these attacks, even the livelihoods of around 1200 labor and self employed businesses in the Chhaya Center have been risked. Thus, you are requested to stop above-mentioned unwanted activities and misinformation and attacks on the business and express loyal commitment to the order of the esteemed court on the petition filed by you yourself within 3 days at the Central committees of the Nepal Independent Hotel, Casino and Restaurant Workers Union and the Union of Trekking Travels Rafting Workers Nepal (UNITRAV). Otherwise, it is informed that the workers will be forced to fight for their rights, including their livelihoods, against your unwanted activity.

Signed

Surya Bahadur Kunwar

Chairman, Nepal Independent Hotel, Casino and restaurant Workers Union,

Central Committee

Signed

Suman Parajuli

Chairman,UNITRAV Central Committee

Copied:

Mr. Maheshor Prakash Shrestha

Executive Director, Chhaya Devi Complex, Thamel Kathmandu.

Translated from news report in Nepali published on the Diyopost at the link https://www.diyopost.com/12/84466/?fbclid=IwAR05ojzQPLH2wO5ga5g8JDM6ZHBO6U8hrYysZoyFPwiraGsjw9KHRQOxdyY

खोकना र बुंगमतीका आदिवासी नेवार समुदायद्वारा काठमाडौं-तराई/मधेस द्रुतमार्ग र अन्य परियोजनाका कारण जोखिममा परेका आफ्ना अधिकार संरक्षण गरिदिन आग्रह गर्दै जेनेभास्थित संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघीय संयन्त्रलाई पत्र

December 8, 2020

१ डिसेम्बर २०२०, काठमाडौँ

काठमाडौं- तराई/मधेस द्रुतमार्ग (फास्ट ट्र्याक) लगायत खोकना र बुंगमतिमा निर्माणाधीन वा प्रस्तावित विभिन्न पूर्वाधार विकास तथा सहरीकरणका परियोजनाबाट प्रभावित ती ऐतिहासिक बस्तीका आदिवासी नेवार समुदायले जेनेभास्थित संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघका दुई विज्ञहरूलाई ती परियोजनाले समुदाय विस्थापित हुने गम्भीर खतरा रहेको, तिनको भुमि र स्रोतसाधन माथिको अधिकार र सांस्कृतिक अधिकार उल्लङ्घन भएको र अन्य प्रतिकूल असर पार्ने भएकोले प्रभावित समुदायका अधिकार रक्षा गर्न तुरुन्त कदम चाल्न आग्रह गरेका छन्।

प्रभावित समुदायको दुई प्रतिनिधि समूहहरु (जनसरोकार समिति खोकना र बुंगमती) ले आदिवासी जनजातिका अधिकार र सांस्कृतिक अधिकारको क्षेत्रका संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघका विशेष समाधिक्षक (Special Rapporteurs) हरुलाई आज पठाइएका पत्रमा ती समाधिक्षकहरुलाई फास्ट ट्र्याकलगायतका परियोजनाबाट प्रभावित आदिवासी जनजातिका भुमि, स्रोतसाधन, पवित्रस्थल र संस्कृतिको अधिकार संरक्षण र प्रवर्द्धन गर्न नेपाल सरकारलाई संयुक्तरुपमा पत्राचार गर्न अनुरोध गरिएको छ। फास्ट ट्र्याकबाहेक बागमती कोरीडोर, बाहिरी चक्रपथ, थानकोट-भक्तपुर प्रसारण लाइन, काठमाडौं उपत्यकामा प्रस्तावित चारवटामध्येको एक ‘स्मार्ट सिटी’ लगायत लगायतका परियोजनाले आदिवासी नेवार समुदायका पूरै ऐतिहासिक बस्ती विस्थापित हुने पत्रमा भनिएको छ। तीमध्ये विभिन्न परियोजनालाई एशियाली विकास बैंकले प्रत्यक्ष वा अप्रत्यक्ष रूपमा सहयोग गरेको छ।

जनसरोकार समिति खोकना र बुंगमतीले विशेष समाधिक्षकहरुलाई सरकारलाई निम्न कदम चाल्न पत्राचार गर्न अनुरोध गरेका छन् :

निर्माणाधीन फास्ट ट्र्याक द्रुतमार्गको निर्माणकार्य तुरुन्त रोकी खोकना र बुंगमतीको कृषियोग्य र गुठी जग्गाको साथै ऐतिहासिक र सांस्कृतिक स्थलहरूको संरक्षण हुने तरिकाले द्रुतमार्गको रुट (alignment) परिमार्जन गर्नुपर्ने,
खोकनामा द्रुतमार्गको निर्माणको लागि बनाइएको नेपाली सेनाको शिविर (camp) र अन्य संरचनाहरू हटाई कब्जा गरिएका जग्गाहरू सम्बन्धित जमिन जग्गाधनीलाई फिर्ता गर्नुपर्ने,
द्रुतमार्ग लगायतका परियोजनाको सन्दर्भमा आफ्नो सरोकार र विरोधका आवाज उठाउन प्रभावित समुदायको शान्तिपूर्ण भेला हुने र अभिव्यक्ति स्वतन्त्रताको अधिकार सुनिश्चित गर्दै उनीहरूको सरोकारका विषयहरुमा सार्थक वार्ताको लागि वातावरण सिर्जना गर्नुपर्ने, र
प्रभावित समुदायहरूको जमिन र स्रोतसाधन माथि असर पार्ने फास्ट ट्र्याक द्रुतमार्ग र अन्य परियोजनाहरूको लागि समुदायको स्वतन्त्र, पूर्व र सूचित सहमति लिनुपर्ने।

यसअघि प्रभावित समुदायहरूले काठमाडौंमा रहेका अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय श्रम संगठन (आईएलओ), युनेस्को र संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघका कार्यालयहरूलाई पनि यस्तै पत्र पठाएका थिए। ती कार्यालयका प्रतिनिधिहरूले समुदायका सरोकार र मागहरु बुझ्न खोकना र बुंगमतीको स्थलगत भ्रमण पनि गरेका थिए। यद्यपि सरकारले प्रभावित समुदायहरूसँग अर्थपूर्ण वार्ता गर्न ती कार्यालयहरूले सहजीकरण गरिदिन सक्ने भनी गरेको पत्राचारको सरकारले सकारात्मक प्रतिक्रिया दिएको छैन।

वर्षौंदेखि, खोकाना र बुंगामतीका स्थानीयहरूले ती विभिन्न परियोजनाहरूको विरोधमा विभिन्न भेला, जुलुस, प्रदर्शन लगायतका कार्यक्रमहरु आयोजना गर्दै आएका छन्। ती प्रदर्शनहरुको प्रतिक्रियामा प्रहरी प्राय क्रूर दमनको साथ प्रस्तुत भएका छन्। असारमा फास्ट ट्र्याकको प्रस्तावित जिरो प्वाइन्ट खोकनाको खुदोलमा आयोजित “धान रोपाई” विरोध कार्यक्रममा प्रहरीले हस्तक्षेप गर्दा प्रदर्शनकारी र प्रहरीबीच झडप भएको थियो। प्रहरीले अश्रुग्याँस प्रहार गरी लाठीचार्ज गर्दा एक दर्जनभन्दा बढी प्रदर्शनकारीहरू र चार प्रहरी पनि घाइते भएका थिए। हालसालै, लगभग दैनिकजसो स्थानीयहरूलाई कोभिड-१९ को महामारीमा सर्वसाधारणलाई घरभित्रै बस्न प्रतिबन्धात्मक आदेश दिई प्रभावित समुदायको निजी तथा गुठी जग्गाहरूमा फास्ट ट्र्याक निर्माण गर्न खटाइएका ठेकेदारहरूसँग निर्माणस्थलमा चर्को विवाद बहस गरिरहनु परेको छ।

माघमा, खोकना र बुंगमतीका पचास भन्दा बढी प्रभावित स्थानीय र समुदायका प्रतिनिधिहरूले तिनका ऐतिहासिक बस्ती र त्यहाँका समुदायहरूको संरक्षणको लागि फास्ट ट्र्याक लगायतका विभिन्न “विकास” परियोजनाहरूको बिरूद्ध नेपालको सर्वोच्च अदालतमा रिट निवेदन दिएका थिए। तर, फास्ट ट्र्याकको निर्माण निरन्तर प्रगति भइरहेको छ भने अदालतले उक्त निवेदनमा सुनुवाई पटक-पटक स्थगित गरिरहेको छ। विशेष समाधिक्षकहरूलाई पठाइएका पत्रमा प्रभावित समुदायले नेपाल पक्ष राष्ट्र रहेको अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय श्रम संगठनको आदिवासी जनजाती सम्बन्धि महासन्धि १६९ (ILO C169) तथा आदिवासी जनजातिको अधिकार सम्बन्धी संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघीय घोषणापत्रलगायत विभिन्न अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय र राष्ट्रिय कानुनमा प्रत्याभूत उनीहरूको अधिकारको हनन भएको जानकारी गराएका छन्।

थप जानकारीको लागि विशेष समाधिक्षकहरूलाई बुझाइएका पत्रहरुको अनुसूची (अंग्रेजीमा) पढ्न यहाँ क्लिक गर्नुहोस्।

थप विवरण वा सोधपुछका लागि जनसरोकार समिति खोकनालाई khokanajanasarokarsamiti@gmail.com मा सम्पर्क गर्नुहोस्।

Indigenous Newar communities in Khokana and Bungamati call on UN mechanisms in Geneva for immediate actions to protect their rights threatened by the construction of Fast Track Expressway and other infrastructure projects

December 1, 2020

1 December 2020, Kathmandu

Indigenous Newar communities – affected by the Kathmandu-Terai/Madhesh Fast Track (Expressway) Project and other ongoing or planned infrastructure and urbanization projects in historical settlements of Khokana and Bungamati in the south of Nepal’s capital city, Kathmandu – have called on two UN experts in Geneva to take prompt actions for safeguarding their rights against the serious threats of displacement of the communities, violations of their land and resource rights as well as cultural rights and other impacts on them due to the ill-planned projects.

In separate letters sent today to the UN Special Rapporteurs on the rights of indigenous peoples and in the field of cultural rights, two local groups (Janasarokar Samiti of Khokana and Bungamati) representing the affected communities have urged the Rapporteurs to jointly examine the information submitted and correspond with the Government of Nepal to protect and promote the rights of the indigenous communities to their lands, resources, sacred places and culture in the context of those projects. As stated in the letters, besides the Fast Track Expressway, other ongoing or planned projects, including Bagmati River Basin Improvement Project (Bagmati Corridor), Kathmandu Outer Ring Road and Thankot-Bhaktapur Transmission Line Project and one of the four “Smart Cities” proposed in Kathmandu valley, will entirely displace the indigenous communities from the historical settlements. Asian Development Bank has directly or indirectly supported many of those projects.

The groups have requested that the Special Rapporteurs write to the Government to

immediately halt the ongoing construction of the Fast Track Expressway and revise its alignment to preserve the arable and communal (Guthi) lands as well as historical and cultural sites in Khokana and Bungamati,
remove the camp and other structures of the Nepal Army, which is assigned to construct the Expressway, installed in Khokana and return the occupied lands to the concerned landowners,
ensure the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression of the affected communities to voice their concerns against the Fast Track Expressway and other projects and create an amicable space for meaningful dialogue on their concerns, and
obtain the free, prior and informed consent of the affected communities for the Fast Track Expressway and other projects affecting their lands and resources.

Earlier, the groups had sent similar letters to the country offices of the International Labour Organization (ILO), UNESCO and the UN in Kathmandu. The representative of those offices had also undertaken field visits to Khokana and Bungamati to understand the concerns of the communities. However, the Government has not responded positively to the correspondence from those offices to facilitate a meaningful dialogue with the affected communities.

Over the years, the Khokana and Bungamati locals have organized various gatherings, protests and demonstrations to express their opposition to the various projects Those protests and demonstrations have often been responded with brutal police repression. In July, a clash erupted between protestors and police when the authorities intervened in a “paddy transplantation protest” organized in Khokana at the proposed zero point of the Fast Track. Over a dozen protestors were injured when police lobbed tear gas shells and charged batons while four police personnel were also injured. Recently, on an almost daily basis, the locals engage in heated arguments with the sub-contractors of the Fast Track Expressway who seek to undertake construction in private & communal lands of the communities amidst prohibitory orders for the general public to stay indoors due to Covid-19 pandemic.

In February, more than fifty affected locals and communities’ representatives of Khokana and Bungamati had filed a writ petition at Nepal’s Supreme Court calling for the protection of the historical settlements and the communities therein against the multiple “development” projects. However, the Court has repeatedly postponed hearings on the petition while the construction of the Fast Track Project progresses continuously. In their letters to the Special Rapporteurs, the groups have alleged violations of their rights guaranteed in national and international laws, including the ILO Convention 169 and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples that apply to Nepal.

Click here to read the annex to the letters submitted to the Special Rapporteurs for more information.

For further details or inquiries, contact Janasarokar Samiti, Khokana at khokanajanasarokarsamiti@gmail.com.