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 four UN mechanisms in Geneva to take follow up actions for safeguarding their rights against the continued 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 emailed today to the UN Special Rapporteurs on the rights of indigenous peoples, on the right to adequate housing and on the situation of human rights defenders as well as the Working Group on business and human rights, two local groups (Janasarokar Samiti of Khokana and Bungamati) representing the affected communities have urged the UN mechanisms to jointly examine the information submitted and undertake follow up correspondence with the Government of Nepal to protect and promote the rights of the indigenous communities 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 Campaign to restore archaeological Kamal Pokhari in Thamel has condemned the “inadequate, irresponsible and false” reply provided by the Government of Nepal in response to the joint letter sent by four UN mechanisms to the Government concerning violations of the rights of indigenous Newars, including to their lands and resources and culture, due to construction of mega business complex Chhaya Center in Kathmandu.
As per the Campaign, the violations have occurred because a private Nepali company Chhaya Devi Complex Pvt. Ltd has constructed Chhaya Center, “the biggest business complex in Nepal’s history” after unlawfully acquiring the communal trust lands – traditionally holding a holy pond and its surroundings structures and areas – of the indigenous Pradhan Newar community in Kathmandu’s tourist district of Thamel. Despite local opposition and protests, including by human rights and cultural activists, the business complex officially opened in 2018 currently houses 200 retail stores, including high-end brand outlets, multiplex theatres, corporate offices, banquet and conference halls, casino, discotheque, etc., as well as a five-star hotel Aloft Kathmandu Thamel of the Marriott International, Inc.
Indigenous Majhi communities of Ramechhap and Sindhuli districts in eastern Nepal have demanded cancellation of Sunkoshi-2 Hydropower Project stating that the Project will result in large scale displacement of the Majhi communities and other locals and even wipe out the identity and existence of the Majhi people from their ancestral lands.
On Thursday (30 September), hundreds of Majhis from various villages of Ramechhap and Sindhuli districts clad in their indigenous attire took out a protest rally playing their traditional drums and musical instruments in Manthali – the district headquarter of Ramechhap. They carried boat- and fish-shaped placards and chanted slogans calling for, among others, annulment of the Sunkoshi-2 Hydropower Project, respect for their Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and creation of an autonomous Majhi protected region. The Majhis led by the Sunkoshi-2 Hydropower Project Joint Struggle Committee also submitted their letter demanding cancellation of the Project to the Chief District Officer of Ramechhap, Dipak Kumar Pahadi, and the Mayor of Manthali Municipality, Ramesh Kumar Basnet. They assured the Majhi representatives that the local authorities were serious about their demand and that it will be conveyed to the concerned national authorities. Following submission of the demand letter, the rally converged into a corner assembly in Manthali town center, whereby the Majhi communities’ representatives and Committee officials relayed their concerns and demand.
On 30 March 2021, UN experts sent a letter to the Government of Nepal regarding alleged violations of the rights of indigenous Newar peoples over their lands, resources and over the loss of religious and cultural sites in the context of the construction of the Terai/Madhesh FastTrack Expressway and the construction of the Chhaya Center business complex in the tourist district of Thamel in Kathmandu.
The Working Group on the issue of human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises; and three Special Rapporteurs on adequate housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, on the situation of human rights defenders and on the rights of indigenous peoples of the UN had sent the letter requesting a response from the government. However, the government has disgracefully ignored the letter and not sent any reply even within the period of 60 days as provided in the letter.
१८ जनवरी २०२१ (वि. सं. ५ माघ २०७७), मन्थली, रामेछाप
सुनकोशी मरिन डाइभर्सन बहुउद्देश्यीय आयोजनाबाट रामेछापका आदिवासी माझी र अन्य स्थानीय बासिन्दाले आयोजना सम्बन्धि प्रभावितलाई पर्याप्त जानकारी नदिइएको, अर्थपूर्ण परामर्श नगरिएको र जग्गा अधिग्रहणलगायत आयोजनाका निर्णयमा प्रभावितसँग सहमति नभएको भन्दै जिल्ला प्रशासन लगायतका स्थानीय निकायहरुमा १३ बुँदे मागसहित ज्ञापनपत्र बुझाएका छन्।
रामेछाप जिल्लामा पर्ने आयोजनाको डुबान क्षेत्रका ६ गाउँबस्तीका ३०० भन्दा बढी प्रभावितहरुको हस्ताक्षरसहित सुनकोशी मरिन डाइभरसन बहुउद्देश्यीय परियोजना प्रभावित समितिले आइतबार जिल्ला प्रशासन कार्यालय, मन्थली नगरपालिका, खाँडादेवी गाउँपालिका, मालपोत कार्यालय लगायत जिल्लाका प्रतिनिधि सभा र प्रदेश सभा सदस्यहरुलाई पनि ज्ञापनपत्र बुझाएको हो। साथै, जिल्ला प्रशासन कार्यालयमार्फत उर्जा, जलस्रोत तथा सिँचाई मन्त्रालय र प्रधानमन्त्री तथा मन्त्रीपरिषद्को कार्यालयमा पनि ज्ञापनपत्र पठाइएको छ।
सुनकोशी नदीको पानी मरिन खोलामा झारी बागमती नदीको सिंचाई मार्फत् तराईका ५ जिल्लाका १,२२,००० हेक्टर जमिनमा सिंचाई सुविधा पु¥याउन राष्ट्रिय गौरवको परियोजनाको रुपमा निर्माणाधीन सुनकोशी मरिन डाइभर्सन बहुउद्देश्यीय आयोजनाबाट आदिवासी माझी र अन्य स्थानीय समुदायले परम्परादेखि भोगचलन गर्दै आएको पुख्र्यौली जग्गा जमिन, नदी खोला र बगरक्षेत्र, घाट, आदि डुबानमा पार्ने र त्यसबाट माझी र अन्य स्थानीय विस्थापित हुने, कृषि गर्ने, माछा मार्ने, डुंगा चलाउनेलगायतका तिनको जिविकोपार्जनबाट वञ्चित हुने र तिनको धार्मिक, साँस्कृतिक र सामाजिक जीवनमा प्रतिकुल असर पर्ने ज्ञापनपत्रमा भनिएको छ।
डुबान क्षेत्रमा बसोवास गर्ने मध्ये करिब ९० प्रतिशत अति सिमान्तकृत माझी समुदायका छन् । तर माझी समुदायको प्रभावकारी प्रतिनिधित्वबिना निर्धारण गरिएको डुबान क्षेत्र र नेपाल सरकारबाट २०७७/५/२८ गते प्रकाशित जग्गा प्राप्ति सम्बन्धी सूचनाबारे प्रभावित समुदायमा अन्यौल रहेको र तिनको प्रतिनिधित्वबिना मुआब्जा निर्धारण समितिबाट तय गरिएको मुआब्जाको दररेटमा पनि तिनको असहमति रहेको ज्ञापनपत्रमा उल्लेख छ।
प्रभावित समुदायका निम्नानुसारका १३–बुँदे माग रहेको भन्दै ती मागहरुको सम्बोधन गर्न १५ दिनभित्र ठोस कदम नचालिएको खण्डमा प्रभावित समुदायले चरणबद्ध आन्दोलन गर्ने जनाएको छ।
१. सुनकोशी मरिन दाइभर्सन बहुउद्देश्यीय आयोजना सम्बन्धि वातावरणीय प्रभाव मूल्यांकन प्रतिवेदन लगायतका जानकारी प्रभावित समुदायले बुझ्ने भाषा र रुपमा उपलब्ध गर्नुपर्ने ।
२. प्रभावित आदिवासी माझी र अन्य समुदायसँग अर्थपूर्ण परामर्श गरी आयोजनाबाट समुदायलाई असर पर्ने निर्णयहरुमा प्रभावित समुदायको स्वतन्त्र, अग्रिम र सुचित मन्जुरी (Free, Prior and Informed Consent – FPIC) लिनुपर्ने ।
३. आयोजनाबाट लालपुर्जा भएको वा नभएको घरजग्गासहित नदी बगर र समुदायको अन्य भूमि र श्रोतसाधनमा पर्ने असर र जग्गा अधिग्रहणको विषयमा प्रभावित समुदायमा अन्यौल र असहमति रहेको हुँदा आयोजनाले असर गर्ने वा अधिग्रहण गरिने घरजग्गा र जमिनको बारेमा सम्बन्धित समुदायको सहभागितामा पुनः फिल्ड सर्भे (field survey) गरी उचित मुवाब्जा तथा क्षतिपूर्ति निर्धारण गर्नुपर्ने । विशेषतः मुआब्जा निर्धारण समितिमा प्रभावित प्रभावित समुदायकै प्रतिनिधित्व हुनुपर्ने ।
४. घरजग्गा अधिग्रहण गर्नै पर्ने भए प्रभावित परिवारको इच्छाअनुरुप अधिग्रहण गरिने घरजग्गाको मुआब्जाको लागि समान प्रकृति र मूल्यको घरजग्गा सट्टामा दिने व्यवस्था गर्नुपर्ने । त्यसरी नै प्रभावित आदिवासी माझी समुदायले परम्परादेखि भोगचलन गरि आएको लालपुर्जा नभएको घरजग्गा, गोठ, जमिन र श्रोतसाधनको पनि उचित व्यवस्था हुनुपर्ने ।
५. अध्रिग्रहण गरिने घरजग्गा, जमिन डुबानमा नपरेसम्म प्रभावित समुदायले प्रयोग गर्न पाउनुपर्ने र डुबानबाट प्रभावित हुने बाली, रुखबिरुवाको पनि उचित क्षतिपूर्ति दिइनुपर्ने ।
६. प्रभावित क्षेत्रको प्रत्येक घरपरिवारलाई आयोजनामा सिप र क्षमताको आधारमा एक घर एक रोजगारीको व्यवस्था गर्नुपर्ने । ती प्रभावितको क्षमता बढाउन आयोजनाबाट निशुल्क तालिम व्यवस्था हुनुपर्ने ।
७. आयोजनालाई कम्पनीमा लगी प्रभावित आदिवासी माझी र प्रभावित स्थानीय बासिन्दालाई निशुल्क आयोजनाको शेयर र त्यसबाट उत्पादन हुने बिजुली वितरण गरिनुपर्ने ।
८. आयोजनाको सामुदायिक विकास कार्यक्रम अन्तर्गत प्रभावित क्षेत्रका स्थानीय सरकारलाई दिइने रकम बिशेष गरी प्रभावित आदिवासी माझी र स्थानीय समुदायको हित हुने कार्यक्रममा ती समुदायकै सहभागितामा प्रयोग गर्नुपर्ने । विशेषतः डुबान क्षेत्रमा शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य, यातायात, विद्युत्, खानेपानी, संचारलगायतका विकासका पूर्वाधार निर्माण गरिने नमुना वस्ती विकास गरिनुपर्ने । साथै डुवानक्षेत्र वरिपरि रहेका गाउँबस्ती, जग्गाजमिन, विद्यालय लगायतका भौतिक पुर्वाधारको सुरक्षाको लागि आवश्यक सर्वेक्षण गरी पक्की पर्खाल निर्माण गरी संरक्षण गरिनुपर्ने ।
९. आयोजनाबाट स्थानीय र प्रदेश सरकारलाई प्राप्त हुने २५/२५ प्रतिशत राजस्व प्रभावित आदिवासी जनजाति माझी र स्थानीय समुदायको हितको लागि प्रभावित समुदायकै सहभागितामा प्रयोग गरिनुपर्ने ।
१०. आयोजनाबाट बन्ने जलाशयमा प्रभावित आदिवासी माझी समुदायको परम्परागत सिप र जीविकोपार्जनको संरक्षण हुने गरी प्रभावित माझीहरुकै स्थानीय समितिमार्फत पर्यटकीय र डुंगा चलाउने कार्यक्रमहरु संचालन गर्नुपर्ने र त्यसको लागि सरकारले आवश्यक सहयोग गर्नुपर्ने ।
११. आयोजनाबाट प्रभावित आदिवासी माझी समुदायका घाटहरु (डुंगा तार्ने र जात्रा गर्ने स्थान) डुवानमा पर्ने लगायत तिनको संस्कृतिमा गम्भीर नकारात्मक असर पर्ने कुराको मूल्यांकन नभएको हुँदा प्रभावित समुदायकै सहभागितामा सांस्कृतिक प्रभाव मूल्यांकन गरिनुपर्ने । आयोजनाबाट समुदायकै सहभागितामा माझी जातिको संस्कृति, भाषा र भेषको जगेर्ना गर्न कार्यक्रम कार्यान्वयन पर्ने । विशेषतः माझीहरुको पितृ चढाउने स्थल, माछा मार्ने ठाउंको व्यवस्था गरिनुपर्ने । साथै मठमन्दिर, धार्मिकस्थल, पाटीपौवा लगायत सार्वजनिक स्थलको उचित संरक्षण र विकास गरिनुपर्ने ।
१२. आयोजनाबाट प्रभावित क्षेत्रका महिला, बालबालिका, ज्येष्ठ नागरिकको संरक्षण र विकासको लागि विशेष कार्यक्रम ल्याउनुपर्ने ।
१३. आयोजनाको कार्यन्वयनको क्रममा आदिवासी अधिकार सम्बन्धि अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय श्रम संगठनको महासन्धि १६९ लगायत अन्य अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय कानुन बमोजिम आदिवासी माझी र स्थानीय समुदायको अधिकार सुनिश्चित गरिनुपर्ने । विशेषतः स्थानीय श्रोतसाधनमा प्रभावित आदिवासी माझीको विशेष अधिकार कायम हुनुपर्ने ।
रामेछाप जिल्ला प्रशासन कार्यालयमा बुझाइएको ज्ञापनपत्र पूरा पढ्न यहाँ क्लिक गर्नुहोस्।
Indigenous Majhi and other communities affected by the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Multipurpose project in Ramechhap district in eastern Nepal have submitted a 13-point memorandum to the local authorities on Sunday expressing their discontent with the project. They have alleged that they have not been adequately informed and meaningfully consulted about the project and that there has not been an agreement on the decision making of the project, including in relation to land acquisition.
Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project Affected Committee submitted the memorandum with signatures of more than 300 affected persons of six villages that lie within the inundation area of the project in Ramechhap district to the District Administration Office, Manthali municipality, Khadedevi rural municipality, Land Revenue Office as well as representatives to the federal and provincial parliaments from the district. The memorandum was also submitted to the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation and the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet of Minister through the District Administration Office.
Aimed to provide irrigation facilities to 122,00 hectares of land in five districts in southern Nepal by diverting water from Sunkoshi river to Marin Khola, the Sunkoshi-Marin Multipurpose Diversion Project – termed as project of national pride – will also generate 28.62 MW of hydroelectricity. As stated in the memorandum, the under-construction project will inundate ancestral lands, riverbanks and sacred sites of indigenous Majhi and other local communities that they have traditionally used or acquired. That will displace the communities, deprive them of agriculture, fishing, boating and other livelihoods and negatively impact their religious, cultural and social lives.
Around 90 percent of the people living in the inundation area belong to highly marginalized Majhi community. However, as per the memorandum, the inundation area determined without effective representation of the Majhi community and the land acquisition notice published by Nepal government in September 2020 have caused uncertainties among the affected communities while they also do not agree with the rate of compensation fixed by the official Compensation Determination Committee without their representation.
The Committee representing the affected communities has warned of series of protests if the authorities do not take concrete steps to address their following 13-point demands within fifteen days.
Information related to the Sunkoshi Marine Diversion Multipurpose Project, including the Environmental Impact Assessment Report, should be made available in language and form understandable to the affected communities.
Affected indigenous Majhi and other communities should be meaningfully consulted and their Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) must be obtained on the decisions of the project impacting the communities.
As there is uncertainty and disagreement among the affected communities about land acquisition and other impacts of the project on the properties (houses, lands, sheds, etc.) as well as the riverbanks and other lands and resources of the communities with or without their legal titles, a field survey should be redone with participation of the concerned communities to ascertain the impacts of the project or acquisition of properties and lands and to determine fair compensation. In particular, there should be representation of the affected communities in the Compensation Determination Committee.
If the land and properties must be acquired, arrangement should be made for land for land and house for house compensation of the same quality and value for the land or house acquired as per the desire of the affected household. Similarly, proper arrangements should also be made for the houses, cowshed, lands and resources of the affected indigenous Majhi communities that they have traditionally used or occupied but do not hold legal ownership titles to.
Affected communities should be allowed to use the lands and properties that will be acquired until inundation and the crops and trees affected by the inundation should also be provided fair compensation.
Each family in the affected area should be provided an employment per household in the project based on skills and capacities. There should be a free training from the project to increase the capacities of those affected.
The project should be transformed into a company and the affected indigenous Majhi and locals should be provided free shares of the project and free electricity generated from it.
The money that will be provided to the local government of the affected areas under the Community Development Program of the project should be used especially for the benefit of the affected Indigenous Majhi and local communities in participation of the communities. In particular, model settlements should be developed in the inundation area through the development of education, health, transportation, electricity, drinking water, communication and other infrastructures. In addition, necessary survey should be undertaken, and concrete walls should be constructed for the protection of the villages around the inundation area, including lands, schools, and physical infrastructure therein.
The revenue received from the project by the local and state governments (25% each) should be used for the benefit of the affected Indigenous Majhi and local communities with the participation of the affected communities.
In the reservoir formed by the project, tourism and boating programs should be conducted through local committees of the affected Majhi communities to preserve their traditional skills and livelihoods, and the government should provide necessary assistance for such programs.
As no assessment has been made of the serious negative impacts on the culture of the Indigenous Majhi affected by the project, including the inundation of the ghats (sites for boat landing/crossing and holding fairs), cultural impact assessment for the project should be undertaken with participation of the affected communities. The project should implement programs to preserve the culture, language, and costumes of the Majhi tribe with the participation of the communities. In particular, funeral sites (sites for making offerings to the departed) and places for fishing of the Majhis should be managed. In addition, public properties including temples, religious sits and rest houses should be properly protected and developed.
Special programs should be put in place for the protection and development of women, children and senior citizens of the project affected areas.
The rights of indigenous Majhi and local communities should be ensured in course of the implementation of the project in accordance with Convention No. 169 of the International Labor Organization (ILO C169) and other international laws. In particular, the specific rights of the affected indigenous Majhi to the local resources should be guaranteed.
Click here to read this website post in Nepali and the original memorandum in Nepali.
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,
Translated from news report in Nepali published on the Diyopost at the link https://www.diyopost.com/12/84466/?fbclid=IwAR05ojzQPLH2wO5ga5g8JDM6ZHBO6U8hrYysZoyFPwiraGsjw9KHRQOxdyY
