Protest Held in Kathmandu Against State Oppression of Squatters

Kathmandu. A protest was held in Kathmandu against the state's oppression of squatters. 

The United Struggle Committee held a protest in Maitighar Mandala, Kathmandu on Wednesday against the oppression of squatter settlements in the Kathmandu Valley, rising inflation, and interference in national sovereignty. 

Addressing the protest, Rajkumar Hingmang, leader of the Scientific Socialist Communist Party, accused the government of oppressing squatters under the influence of foreign powers. He stated that instead of solving the problems of squatters, the state has prioritized force and oppression, and that civil society and human rights activists should unite against it. 

Hingmang claimed that the poor, landless, and helpless citizens of Nepal have been continuously oppressed since the Panchayat era, and it is unfortunate that the same trend is repeating in the current system. He said, 'The government, which is acting as a broker at the behest of foreigners today, was not going to solve the problem of squatters. It has committed barbaric oppression and is currently persecuting squatters. Against this, we political forces, the political forces affiliated with the United Struggle Committee, want to strongly oppose this step of the state in favor of the squatters. The poor and helpless citizens of Nepal have been continuously oppressed. Such oppression occurred during the Panchayat era, and it occurred during the multi-party system. And this oppression is happening even within the capitalist system called the republic. The main culprit is this state system. If we do not fight against it, our assessment is that the oppression of the poor, squatters, and the unorganized will not stop.'

The government had cleared squatter settlements in various parts of the Kathmandu Valley on April 12 and 13.