Kathmandu, April 18:

The Nepal National Dalit Social Welfare Organisation (NNDSWO) today demanded the implementation of the Supreme Court (SC) verdict on Haliyas. Issuing a verdict yesterday, the SC had called on the government to form a committee to look into the status of freed Haliyas and rehabilitate them.

In a writ petition filed at the apex court on November 6 against the Prime Minister, 15 other ministries and offices under the council of ministers, advocates Trilok Chand Biswas BK, Dharmananda Joshi and the NNDSWO had asked the apex court to issue mandamus and other orders against the government authorities.

Though the government freed Kamaiyas in 2001 and made a law banning the Kamaiya system, the law was biased against some 175,000 Haliyas as the law has only talked of Tharu Kamaiyas. The law is against human rights principles, the petitioners said.

Bhakta Biswokarma, president of the NNDSWO, said, “Like Kamaiyas, the verdict has liberated Haliyas. Now, committees will be formed to look into the status of the Haliyas living mainly in the far-west.”

“The SC has directed the NPC, Freed Kamaiyas Rehabilitation and Inspection Committee and other ministries to form committees at all districts of far-western region where the Haliyas have been living.”