Dhangadi, July 19

Hundreds of freed kamaiyas have been left in the lurch due to lack of necessary rehabilitation in Kailali. The kamaiyas were declared free 18 years ago.

The freed kamaiya families are living a miserable life as the declaration is confined to paper only. The families have captured state-owned land, barren land and encroached forest areas for shelter. The government then had declared the kamaiyas free and had vowed to rehabilitate them within a few years, but their situation has not improved.

“We have been left in a lurch for want of employment, drinking water, electricity and other essentials,” said freed kamaiya Chamkaliya Chaudhary of Gaurilal Municipality. They have no alternative to daily wage labour while their children have been deprived of education. “Political leaders vowed to rehabilitate us, but nothing has changed and our situation has not improved a bit,” added Chaudhary. “We have been living a pathetic life for want of proper rehabilitation after we were declared free,” lamented freed kamaiya Hanuman Chaudhary of Basantatole, Dhangadi. A large number of freed kamaiyas have been taking shelter by capturing state-owned land at Basantatole. “We have been deprived of drinking water, electricity and other basic needs of everyday life,” said Hanuman Chaudhary.