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Kathmandu Tuesday June 26, 2001 Ashadh 12, 2058.
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Ex-Kamaiyas to receive land in Ramechhap
Post Report
MANTHALI, June 25 - The Kamaiyas who have been living in
the remote district of Ramechhap for generations will receive land from the commission set
up to resolve the problems of the landless squatters.
Fifteen Kamaiya families have been working in the fields of
Birtatar in Sukajor VDC-1 belonging to the residents of Bahangeri. As there is no land
registered in the names of these Kamaiyas, the District Committee of the Commission has
decided to give land not exceeding four ropanis to each family.
The Kamaiyas are tilling the land belonging to the
residents of Bhangeri for generations. No one knows how long they have been living there.
"We don’t know where we have come from and who our ancestors are," Buddhi
Man Hayu, a Kamaiya, said. The owners of the land have given them house to live in.
They get wages for their labour in the field of the land
owners. The Hayu and Bhujel carry the foodgrain, fruit, fish and meat on their back and
hand over to their masters at Bhangeri and get wages for this labour. However, it is
difficult for them to get wages from their sahu ( masters) for their works done on other
occasions, they say.
Realising the miserable condition of the Kamaiyas, the
commission wanted to give them land last year. However, despite the fact they were living
so close to the district headquarters, they had not received citizenship certificates.
Therefore, there was a hurdle in the process of giving them land.
Moreover, during the field visit of the commission member,
the Kamaiyas said they also needed houses in addition to land."If we received only
four ropanis of land from the commission our sahu will expel us from the house we are
living now. In that case, where can we go along with our family members and how can we
support them? Lal Bahadur Sunuwar, a Kamaiya, said.
When the commission said it was not possible to give them
houses, they hesitated to receive the land last year.
With the recommendation of the VDC, citizenship
certificates of all but one Kamaiya (whose father is not identified) are ready for
distribution.
According to the commission, as the Kamaiyas are likely to
be expelled from their sheds, they are given four ropanis of land to cultivate it and
support their families.
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