A Voice For the Voiceless

MISSION

The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

Rehabilitation of Displaced Dalits by Maoists

Aug 15, 2005
Jagaran Media Center
Federation of Nepalese Journalists

Dalits, displaced from the Bungadobhan Syaula village of Baglung and forced to move to the district HQ have been rehabilitated and returned to their village on Aug 7 after walking for three days from the HQ. The district Maoist leadership has said action has been taken against local party workers involved. It has also expressed its commitment not to repeat such mistakes in the future. The initiative for rehabilitation was taken after the Maoists conceded before human rights activists and journalists that they committed a mistake by displacing them. They have also started process of returning property of Dalits they had captured. And, 50 Dalits are now leading a normal life in areas in which they have struck their roots for generations.

In order to rehabilitate them, human rights activists and journalists had held several rounds of discussions with the Maoist district leadership. In an Aug-10 discussion at Syaula inhabited by Dalits, the Dalits had fearlessly narrated their harrowing tale of excesses they underwent in front of the Maoist district secretary Anil and member Mukti. The discussion lasted for close to four hours. The Dalits had, without any fear, described how they were beaten up when they refused to go with them. At the end of the discussion, Anil gave assurances to the victims that their property will be returned, action will be taken against the workers who commit excesses, no one will be forcibly made Maoists and such incidents will not repeat in the future.

The local Maoist workers had accused the Dalits of not sending their children to war and escaping from their control. The Dalits were beaten up also to settle the old scores. And, this led to the displacement. After 12 Dalits were severely beaten up at different times on different charges, they had escaped to the district HQ overnight. The Dalits who reached the district HQ in groups had said their houses will be bombed by the Maoist workers in case they leaked out the news of the beating they were subjected to to their leaders.

The Dalits were forced to leave their property and possessions back in the village. Later, they were able to receive some assistance from the Nepal Red Cross Society, Baglung, Jagaran Media Center and DDC had provided them some relief, where they began working as wage laborers. Many were forced to live in cramped conditions, with as many as 10 people sharing one small room and paying rents that they could not afford. As a result, the Dalits were seeking ways to return to their homes.

The Jagaran Media Center, Federation of Nepalese Journalists and Common Campaign for Peace have made joint efforts to rehabilitate the Dalits. A team comprising the chairman of the Center Subhas Kumar Darnal, district reporter Poorna Bahadur Bishwokarma and member of FNJ Poorna Basnet had reached Syaula of Bungadobhan along with the displaced people. Reporter Poorna Bahadur Bishwokarma will, at the request of the displaced, remain in the village so long as they do not feel secure. Even after this, the village will continue to be monitored.

Though belatedly, the Maoists have taken a positive initiative by creating an atmosphere to rehabilitate the displaced Dalits. Taking a cue from this incident, the Maoists should immediately stop beating and displacing people and bringing them forcibly on their side. They should respect basic human rights and control their extremist party workers. The act of rehabilitating thousands of members of general public and political party workers should be launched as a campaign. This will help test their commitment in practice.

Purna Basnet                                                       Suvash Darnal
Central member                                                   Chairperson
Federation of Nepalese Journalists                   Jagaran Media Center