Danish high school students send thumb prints to Nepal

On January 13, MS Nepal partner organisation Backward Society Education (BASE) Bardiya handed over thumb prints of 10,000 Danish high school students to Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa to remind him of government promises to the liberated kamaiyas (bonded labourers) three and a half years ago. The then government had promised to ensure land, housing, identity cards and education for the liberated bonded labourers, but despite these pledges, thousands of ex-kamaiyas still have received none of this and are today living in temporary camps in Western Nepal.

Along with the thumb prints, BASE stated a short and concise message to the government:

By putting my thumb print on this petition, I wish to call attention to the fact that I have not forgotten the Nepalese government’s promise more than three years ago to provide identity cards, housing and ten kattha land for the ex-kamaiyas. Unfortunately, not much has happened since. I hereby request you to take immediate action to fulfil that which all liberated bonded labourers were promised then. It is shameful that 19,000 ex-kamaiyas are still living under inhuman conditions in temporary camps in the Terai.

Acknowledging the petition, S.B. Thapa promised to appoint a commission for rehabilitation of the ex-kamaiyas. Knowing that it takes more than just words to produce results, BASE will follow the development and actions of the government closely in the coming days and weeks.