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

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.   

Joint submission on the human rights situation of indigenous Newar communities made to the UN for the 3rd Universal Periodic Review of Nepal

Community Empowerment and Social Justice Network (CEMSOJ), Himalayan Human Rights Monitors (HimRights) and Save Nepa Valley movement today made a joint submission for the 3rd Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Nepal. The UPR is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States and is held under the auspices of the UN Human Rights Council. The submission presents key human rights challenges faced by indigenous Newar communities, particularly in the context of “development” projects in Nepal and examines the compliance of the Government of Nepal with seven recommendations received during the 2nd UPR cycle of Nepal related to the rights of Newar and other indigenous nationalities.

The groups making the submission have expressed concern that Nepal’s legislative processes and development policies and projects as well as private investments in the country violate the rights of indigenous Newar and other communities and their overall well-being. While those affected indigenous groups, particularly indigenous women, have limited participation in decision-making processes in Nepal’s State structures, they are further alarmed by restrictions on freedom of assembly in Nepal manifested through the use of excessive security force to supress protests, which makes it further difficult for those groups to demand remedies for the harms they suffer.

While discussing the human rights challenges faced by indigenous Newar communities, the assessment in the submission demonstrates that the Government has failed to effectively or fully implement the recommendations related to the rights of indigenous peoples and freedom of assembly as well as redress for discrimination in post-earthquake reconstruction, among others. Accordingly, following recommendations are made in the submission to address to ensure sustainable development with respect for the rights of individuals and communities.

  1. The Government should recognize the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain and develop their own customary systems and institutions such as Guthi of Newars with separate legal arrangement and autonomy for Guthis, including full ownership and control of their lands and resources and management of their internal and local affairs.
  2. The Government, in conjunction with the concerned indigenous communities and their customary and representative institutions such as the Guthis of Newars, should undertake appropriate measures to identify, demarcate and title their traditional lands and resources as well to return such lands and resources lost by the communities to State, business or other actors, where feasible, or provide effective remedy for such loss if return is not possible.
  3. In the context of “development” projects such as Kathmandu Valley Road Improvement Project, Kathmandu – Terai/Madhesh Fast Track Project, Kathmandu Outer Ring Road, Smart Cities, Bagmati River Basin Improvement Project, Thankot – Bhaktapur Transmission Line Project and Chobhar Dry Port affecting indigenous Newar communities, the Government, in line with the recommendations of the UN’s Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) and the Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, should
    • adopt appropriate measures to ensure that the concerned indigenous communities are meaningfully consulted, through their own representative institutions, and to obtain their Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) before launching any development project as well as in the planning and undertaking of such project that affects their traditional land or resources.
    • provide redress to the communities or affected families for their loss of land or access to natural resources (such as fair and adequate compensation for those forcibly evicted or whose houses were demolished for road expansion or return of land already seized for Fast Track highway) incurred without their free, prior and informed consent when that loss has occurred by the establishment of development projects’.
  4. With regards to private and communal lands and resources of Newars and other indigenous communities acquired in the past for various State such as in relation to the Chobhar dry port, business or other projects, the Government should return them to the original landowners if those lands and resources are not used in their original purpose or the concerned landowners or communities do not agree with the changed purpose of the land or resource use in line with national and international legal obligations of Nepal.
  5. The Government should, in conjunction with representative institutions of indigenous peoples, undertake a comprehensive program for amendments to the constitution and existing laws or formulation of necessary new laws, policies and plans for implementation of Nepal’s commitments under the ILO Convention 169 and the UNDRIP. Such program should particularly ensure the rights of indigenous peoples to their lands, territories and resources, to development and to self-determination, including for indigenous women, in line with the recommendation of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
  6. The Government should halt reversal of affirmative measures such as existing legal provisions for reservation/quota for indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups and should strengthen implementation of those provisions to ensure access by members of marginalized indigenous communities, particularly indigenous women, to employment in civil service and public institutions.
  7. The Government should immediately adopt multilingual policy for its official languages at federal, provincial and local governments with provision of necessary resources to promote use local indigenous languages in its works.
  8. The Government should invest more resources to promote mother-tongue based multilingual education in public/community schools as well as to support indigenous communities or their representative institutions to set up their own educational institutions and systems.
  9. The Government should undertake targeted measures with provision of adequate resources to support marginalized groups such as indigenous peoples in post-earthquake reconstruction of their private and communal properties with meaningful consultation with the concerned communities to obtain their consent on the reconstruction policies.

Click here to download the full submission

UNESCO, ILO and UN Nepal office called to take actions against displacement of Newars in Khokana and Bungamati due to Fast Track highway and other projects

Save Nepa Valley movement and Nepal Sanskritik Punarjagaran Abhiyan have called for urgent attention of UNESCO, ILO and UN country offices in Nepal to the serious threats of displacement of indigenous Newar communities, violations of their land and resource rights, destruction of cultural heritage and other impacts on them in the historical settlements of Khokana and Bungamati due to the ill-planned Kathmandu – Terai/Madhesh Fast Track (Expressway) and other infrastructure construction projects in the area. more “UNESCO, ILO and UN Nepal office called to take actions against displacement of Newars in Khokana and Bungamati due to Fast Track highway and other projects”

The Struggle to Save Khokana and Bungmati

Translated from the original report by Sapana Maharjan published in the Annapurna Post at the link http://annapurnapost.com/news/147833 

12 Feb 2020

Kathmandu: “We don’t need Outer Ring Road in Bunga and Khona. Protect agricultural lands, Stop importing food grains. Protect cultural heritage.” – such were the slogans of Khokana and Bungamati locals, who gheraoed Maitighar Mandala on Tuesday adorned in traditional costumes with a rally. The locals protested that the government was building the Fast Track by displacing the indigenous communities of Khokana and Bungamati.

Agricultural lands of Khokana and Bungamati have been under encroachment of the government to transform the Kathmandu valley into an ultra-modern city. One of the locals, Nepalman Dangol says that eight mega national projects such as Kathmandu-Terai Expressway (Fast Track) and Smart City are going to be constructed by destroying  heritage settlements of Khokana and Bungamati. “Fast Track will eliminate not only the agricultural land of the areas but also the cultural heritage, Jatras (traditional fairs) and festivals. more “The Struggle to Save Khokana and Bungmati”

खोकना–बुङमती बचाउन संघर्ष

खोकना–बुङमती बचाउन संघर्ष
खोकना बुङमती बचाऊ अभियानमा माइतीघर मण्डल घेर्न पुगेका स्थानीय। तस्बिर : दिपेन श्रेष्ठ

सपना महर्जन
समाज

२९ माघ २०७६ ०७:३९:००

 

काठमाडौं : ‘बोङा खोनामा वाह्य चक्रपथ चाहिँदैन। कृषि भूमि संरक्षण गर, खाद्यान्न आयात बन्द गर। सांस्कृतिक सम्पदा संरक्षण गर,’ पारम्परिक वेशभूषा र झाँकीसहित यस्तै नारा लगाउँदै मंगलबार खोकना र बुङमतीका स्थानीय माइतीघर मण्डला घेर्न पुगे। सरकारले खोकना र बुङमतीका आदिवासी जनताको उठीबास गरी फास्ट ट्र्याक बनाउन लागेको भन्दै स्थानीयले विरोध जनाए।

उपत्यकालाई अत्याधुनिक सहरमा परिणत गर्न खोकना र बुङमतीको कृषि भूमि सरकारी अतिक्रमणमा परेको हो। काठमाडौं तराई–मधेस दु्रतमार्ग (फास्ट ट्र्याक) देखि स्मार्ट सिटीजस्ता ८ ठूला राष्ट्रिय परियोजना यस्तै सम्पदा बस्ती मासेर बन्न लागेको स्थानीय नेपालमान डंगोल बताउँछन्। ‘फास्ट ट्र्याकले यी क्षेत्रको कृषि भूमि मात्र होइन सांस्कृतिक सम्पदा, जात्रापर्व नै समाप्त पार्नेछ।’

संस्कृति र परम्परा मासेर बन्न लागेको यस्तो परियोजनाबाट स्थानीय त्रसित छन्। मूर्त तथा अमूर्त सम्पदाको धनी भएकै कारण यी क्षेत्रलाई सम्पदा बस्ती घोषणा गरिएको थियो। ठूला परियोजनाले खोकना र बुङमतीको आदिम सभ्यता समाप्त पार्ने भन्दै गत मंगलबार स्थानीयले सर्वोच्च अदालतमा रिटसमेत दायर गरेका छन्। ५२ सांस्कृतिक गुठी समूहका मच्छेनारायण श्रेष्ठ लगायतले प्राचीन बस्ती बचाउन अदालत गुहारेका हु्न्। सम्बन्धित निकायमा बारम्बार निवेदन दिँदासमेत जवाफ नआएपछि न्यायको लागि अदालत पुगेको डंगोल बताउँछन्। उपत्यकाका अन्य गुठी समूहले पनि मुद्दामा ऐक्यबद्धता जनाउन थालेको उनले बताए।

वरिष्ठ अधिवक्ता तथा पूर्वमहान्यायादिवक्ता मुक्ति प्रधानले भने, ‘विकासको नाममा सम्पदा बस्तीको विनाश नगरियोस् भन्दै स्थानीयले रिट दायर गरेका छन्।’ गत बुधबार सर्वोच्चका न्यायाधीश पुरुषोत्तम भण्डारीको एकल इजालसले उक्त प्रकरणमा सरकारसँग लिखित कारण माग गर्दै बुधबार अन्तरिम आदेशमा छलफलका लागि डाकेका छन्।

सरकारले काठमाडौंको साँखु, ललितपुरको खोकना तथा बुङमती, गोरखा दरबार क्षेत्र, नुवाकोट दरबार क्षेत्र र दोलखाको भीमेश्वर मन्दिर वरिपरिको गाउँलाई सम्पदा बस्ती घोषणा गरेको थियो। मल्लकालीन सभ्यतामा ०७२ को भूकम्पले क्षति पुर्‍याएपछि बस्ती पुरानै शैलीमा पुनर्निर्माण गर्ने निर्णय भयो। तर सरकारको ‘सुखी नेपाली समृद्ध नेपाल’को अवधारणाभित्र प्राचीन संस्कृति र सम्पदा अट्न नसकेको स्थानीयको आरोप छ।फास्ट ट्र्याक बनाउन सेनाले पुसदेखि नै जग्गा सीमांकन गर्न थालेको छ। स्थानीयले भोगचलन गर्दै आएको जग्गामा सरकारले उचित मुआब्जा वितरण नगरेको उपत्यका सडक विस्तारपीडित संघर्ष समितिका सुमन सयामी बताउँछन्। ‘सांस्कृतिक नगरी मास्ने र यहाँ (उपत्यका) का आदिवासीलाई उठीबास लगाउने सरकारको नीति छ,’ उनले भने, ‘सरकारको यस्तो दमन हामीलाई स्वीकार्य छैन।’ सरकारको निर्णयले पुस्तौंदेखि कृषि पेसामा निर्भर स्थानीय मर्कामा परेको उनले बताए।

खोकना (खोनाः) सिकाली जात्राको लागि प्रसिद्ध छ। करिब १ हजार ३ सय ३८ वर्ष अगाडिको कोःदेशको सभ्यता बोकेको खोकना नेपालको जीवन्त इतिहास हो। तेलग्रामको रुपमा परिचित यो बस्ती प्राचीन सांस्कृतिक, वेशभूषा र परम्परामा निकै धनी छ। उपत्यकामा प्रारम्भिक मानव बस्ती यहींबाट सुरु भएको हो। सम्पदा बस्ती बुङमती (बुङः) को पनि आफ्नै मौलिक पहिचान छ। रातो मछिन्द्रनाथ (बुंगद्यः) जात्रा हुने यो स्थान राजा अंशुवर्माले विकसित गरेका थिए। खोकना र बुङमती तान्त्रिक विधिअनुसार स्वस्तिक आकारमा बनेका छन्।

सांस्कृतिक सम्पदाको विनाश

बाटो विस्तारपछि ललितपुर डुकुछापमा रहेको रातो मछिन्द्रनाथका लागि स्नान जल ल्याउने कटुवाल दह पुरिनेछ। रातो मछिन्द्रनाथ कलिगत सम्वत् ३६०० मा नेपालमा ल्याइएको थियो। मछिन्द्रनाथलाई कटुवाल दहबाट तान्त्रिक विधिले भमराको रूप दिई कलशमा राखि बुङमती प्रवेश गराइएको थियो। विश्वमै सबैभन्दा लामो रथयात्रा भनेर चिनिने मछिन्द्रनाथको रथयात्रा द्रुतमार्ग विस्तारपछि नष्ट हुनेछ। बाटोभरिका अन्य सांस्कृतिक ठाउँहरू नामेट हुने छन्।

निर्माणाधीन फास्ट ट्र्याकले बुङमतीमा रहेको कुमारी चौर (कुमारी ख्यः) पूरै अतिक्रमणमा पर्नेछ। बर्सेनि दसैंमा नवमीको रात भवानी देवीको विजय उत्सव सोही चौरमा मनाइन्छ। सो स्थानलाई जीवित देवी कुमारीको प्रांगण मानिन्छ। बुङमतीका २२ वडाका ऐतिहासिक, धार्मिक तथा सांस्कृतिक जात्रापर्वमध्ये भावी पीठको जात्रा पाहाँचह्रे अर्थात् घोडेयात्राको अघिल्लो दिन मनाइन्छ। द्रुतमार्गले जात्रा लैजाने मूलमार्ग नै समाप्त हुनेछ।

त्यहीं रहेको पर्जाखलः, बोसी खान्गी गुठी, पानेजो गुठी र भैरव गुठी विस्थापित हुने छन्। बुङमती र खोकनामा रहेका घाट तथा चिहान पुरिने छन्। खानेपानी तथा सिँचाइका मुहान, गुठीको कृषि भूमि नष्ट भई गुठी परम्परा नै समाप्त हुनेछ।

साभार: अन्नपुर्ण पोस्ट