Kathmandu, January 3:

Slum dwellers’ society today announced a series of protest programmes, including transport strikes from January 6, demanding their representation in Scientific Land Reform Commission.

Appreciating government’s decision to set up a commission to control land holding, feudalist land ownership and illegal activities of land mafias, the Society for Preservation of Shelters and Habitations in Nepal, however, condemned the government for not including independent slum dwellers in the commission.

The society will submit its memorandums to 75 District Administration Offices tomorrow, demanding that its representative be appointed in the commission.

They will stage a two-day relay hunger strike in all the 75 districts starting tomorrow and will also organise one-hour transport strike on January 6 on the main thoroughfares of all the 75 districts by holding activities on the streets. To pressure the government, the society will also stage nation-wide transport strike on January 7.

“If the government failed to address our demands despite all these protest programmes, we will be compelled to call an indefinite transport strike from January 8,” said Laddu Khadka, central region coordinator of the society said.

Saying that the senior leaders of the political parties have assured landless people to address the rights, Khadka hoped that the government would address their demands on time.

Earlier, the members of the society had held a meeting with former UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Maoist leader Dina Nath Sharma and general secretary of Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum and had submitted their memoranda to their respective party offices.

But no efforts have been made from any side on the society’s demand. Instead, the government is moving ahead to give a full shape to the commission.