Over 100 former kamaiyas arrested
Police on Wednesday have taken into custody over 100 former ‘kamaiyas’ (former bonded labourers) as they were heading towards Singha Durbar from Maitighar on Wednesday morning.
Former `kamaiyas,’ including women—mainly belonging to the ethnic Tharu community—chanted slogans demanding land and employment opportunities and denounced police repression.
Police say they took into custody the demonstrators as they were trying to enter towards the “restricted zone.” Police on Tuesday had also taken into custody over one hundred former “kamaiyas” as they disrupted traffic after police prevented them from marching towards Singha Durbar. They were freed later.
Rights groups say there are nearly 200,000 former ‘kamaiyas’ in the country mostly concentrated in Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali and Kanchanpur districts in mid- and far-western region.
The Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government had declared abolition of the ‘kamaiya system’ six years ago and promised free land and collateral free loan to help them launch their own enterprises. Former kamaiyas, however, say majority of them are still landless and have no means to sustain their families. nepalnews.com by July 19 06
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