Kathmandu, November 27:

The National Forum for Land Rights- Nepal, an organisation working to safeguard land rights of the underprivileged people, today padlocked the land revenue offices in three districts, threatening to lock them nationwide tomorrow.

Som Prasad Bhandari, general secretary of NFLR, told The Himalayan Times that members of the NFLR padlocked land revenue offices in Dang, Baitadi and Dadeldhura districts today to pressure the government to fulfill their demands.

He said, “We will padlock all the land revenue offices in the country starting tomorrow for an indefinite period.”

As many as 200 landless people from 42 districts have been staging a sit-in at Khula Manch for the last eleven days.

The NFLR has been demanding the formation of a High-Level Land Reform Commission with allotment of at least one-third seats in it to the representatives of the landless groups such as Kamaiyas, Haliyas, Haruwa/Charuwa, freed Kamaiyas, Chure victims, Guthi victims and Ukhada in the HLLRC.

They have also been calling for the annulment of all land-related laws, particularly Land Act 1964 that favours landlordship, and the introduction of pro-people land acts that favour the landless. They are also adamant that at least 20 per cent of budget meant for Village Development Committees be spent on land reforms.

“The visit of 200 constituent assembly members and senior leaders from different political parties, including Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam, and their words of solidarity, do not fully assure us. Therefore, we will continue with our sit-in until the government begins the process of distributing land to the landless,” Bhandari said.

He stated their protest would go on indefinitely. “Our protest will continue until the government finds us an alternative.”

A formal meeting held between NFLR members and the government on Sunday reached a consensus on some points while others are yet to be finalised.

“As many as 1.6 million people across the country are landless. The government should take an immediate initiative to ensure the rights of landless people,” he said, adding that the government led by Maoists failed to address the issues of the marginalised people.