Nepal: Right to food of Kamaiya families threatened in Tikapur, eastern Kailali

Around 848 Kamaiya (bonded labourers) families in Tikapur, eastern Kailali, have captured local airport land on the 17th of July 2004 in order to pressurize the government of Nepal to provide them with proper rehabilitation and land allocation. Kamaiyas belonged to the Kamaiya system of bonded labour from which they were liberated by the government in July 2000. During liberation the Kamaiyas were promised rehabilitation including land for their livelihood. But these promises were never kept and the Kamaiyas have been leading a life of destitution with threat of hunger and malnutrition.       

International action is needed to urge the government of Nepal to provide rehabilitation and land to the Kamaiyas.  It is the state obligation to rehabilitate the freed Kamaiyas and fulfil their right to feed themselves. Please write polite letters to the Minister of Land reforms with a copy to the His Majesty King of Nepal requesting them to undertake effective and systematic rehabilitation of the Kamaiya families.