Newa

Complaint filed against VFS Global regarding its involvement with Chhaya Center in Kathmandu with the Swiss government

August 30, 2024

On 25 August 2024, two anonymous Nepalese organisations filed a complaint against Visa Facilitation Services (VFS) Global with the National Contact Point (NCP) for Responsible Business Conduct within the State Secretariat of Economic Affairs of the Government of Switzerland. The complaint concerns the activities of VFS Global in Kathmandu, Nepal, related to its involvement with the Chhaya Center business complex (also known as Chhaya Devi Complex) in violation of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

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NEWS RELEASE – Nepal: Retaliations against human rights defenders over Chhaya Center business complex ‘deplorable’, say UN experts

May 14, 2024

GENEVA (14 May 2024) – UN experts* today expressed concern over reports of ongoing retaliations against human rights defenders because of their opposition to the development of the Chhaya Center retail and entertainment complex in Nepal.

Retaliatory acts against human rights defenders are “deplorable and unacceptable”, the experts said. “The targeting of human rights defenders for the sole exercise of their right to freedom of opinion and expression violates international human rights norms.”

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Case Study: Tourism and Indigenous Peoples’ Rights in Nepal

November 1, 2023

Tourism industry plays and can further play a significant role for Nepal’s economy and prosperity, including in terms of environmental conservation. However, the industry has often entrenched marginalization of Indigenous Peoples in the country and resulted in violations of their rights, including in the context of establishment of protected areas, tourism establishments and businesses as well as representation of Indigenous image.

On many occasions, Indigenous Peoples have suffered loss of traditional lands and other violations of their rights in favor of tourism projects, which directly affects their lives and livelihoods. Particularly relevant is the establishment of protected areas, which have been mostly created by displacing Indigenous communities from their lands and resources. Concerningly, Indigenous communities have even been subjected to wide range of abuses, including killings, torture, arbitrary detentions, mistreatment, harassment as well as sexual violence against women at the hands of army, forest rangers and others in the context protected areas set up for environmental conservation and tourism.

Tourism establishments and business have also encroached upon lands and sacred sites of Indigenous communities in various parts of Nepal. Indigenous defenders and activists have faced retaliations and reprisals for raising their voices against violations of their rights and those of their communities in the context of such tourism undertakings, including at the hands of businesses.

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Complaint filed against Marriott International regarding its involvement with Chhaya Center in Kathmandu with the United States government

August 21, 2023

The Campaign to Restore Archaeological Kamalpokhari of Thamel on Monday filed a complaint against Marriott International regarding its involvement with Chhaya Center in Kathmandu with the US National Contact Point (NCP) for the OECD Guidelines within the US Department of State. The Campaign, in the complaint, denounced the abuses to which Marriott International, a leader in the tourism and accommodation sector worldwide, is connected in violation of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises through its franchise Aloft Kathmandu Thamel located in the Chhaya Center (also known as Chhaya Devi Complex). The Complex is constructed on communal Guthi (trust) lands – traditionally holding a holy pond and its surrounding structures and lands – of the local indigenous Pradhan Newars following decades of encroachment and unlawful acquisition of those lands.

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CEMSOJ’s comments for the update of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

February 10, 2023

Read below the CEMSOJ’s submission during the public consultation for the targeted update of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The submission is based on CEMSOJ’s experience of using, or challenges thereto, the Guidelines while supporting a land rights advocacy campaign struggle to restore a historical pond and surrounding indigenous lands encroached by a recently built mega business complex called Chhaya Center that houses a local franchise of Marriott International in the tourist district of Kathmandu in Nepal. For more information about the campaign, see https://cemsoj.wordpress.com/tag/chhaya-center/.

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Indigenous Newar communities in Khokana and Bungamati call for follow-up actions from UN experts in Geneva to protect their rights threatened by the construction of Fast Track Expressway and other infrastructure projects

July 10, 2022

10 July 2022, 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 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.

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Campaign to restore archaeological Kamal Pokhari in Thamel condemns Nepal government’s “irresponsible and false” reply to the UN mechanisms regarding rights infringed due to construction of Chhaya Center

October 11, 2021

Kathmandu, 11 October 2021

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.

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Nepal’s govt ignores UN experts’ letters concerning alleged violations of indigenous Newar rights in the construction of the Kathmandu-Terai/Madhesh Fast Track Expressway and of the Chhaya Center business complex

May 30, 2021

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.

The allegation letter is available at the link https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=26282.

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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।