Thousands displaced as Indian forces drive Nepali families out of their villages

The Indian border security force, Seema Surakshya Bal (SSB), has driven out hundreds of Nepali families living along Nepal-India border in west Nepal.

More than 6,000 have been displaced as SSB personnel drove Nepali families out from various bordering villages of Dang district along Nepal-India border.

Of them, 1,800 have taken refuge at the Satbariya community forest of Deukhuri, Dang after SSB encroached Nepali land and torched their homes, Kantipur daily reported.

"They torched our houses saying you can’t live here," Purna Kumari Bista, 70, of Rajpur, Dang told the daily. "We had to leave with the family to protect our lives."

She also claimed the SSB shifted border pillars some 35 metres inside Nepali land.

Villagers from some 22 entry points bordering Dang district on the Nepali side and Balarampur, Shravasti and Gonda districts on the Indian side have fled their homes.

The displaced said the SSB assaulted and raped women. "We are forced to become mute spectators when they rape our ladies," said Begaram Pun of Siriya. "More than 15 girls have already gone missing."

Even though the villagers had been facing atrocities since years, they were forced to flee when the atrocities became intolerable, the report says.

They were forced to flee after the SSB did not allow them to buy essentials in the Indian market and took away theirs, according to Cham Kumari Gharti of Khangra.

"They (used to) come to our houses brandishing guns and take away our ration and live stocks," said Gharti. "They beat us up if we tried to oppose. Probably there is nobody that has not been beaten up at least once."

The displaced have been living in make-shift tents at Karri community forest in Satbariaya.

Chief District Officer of Dang Rishi Ram Dhakal said an all-party meeting would be called soon to resolve the issue. nepalnews.com Jun 02 09

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