A meeting of 19 RtF groups decided to form a district level network to create a strong bond among RtF groups and support each other on their RtF violation issues in their districts. The network of Bajura district, including the Dailekh RtF group, joined forces and raised their consolidated voices by leading a delegation to the central government. A team comprising 3 RtF groups from Bajura district and one RtF group from Dailekh District arrived in Kathmandu, where their plights had never been heard before. The teams from different remote parts of the country came together to knock on the door of relevant Ministries and line agencies to demand that they address their longstanding suffering.
Bajura, one of the least developed districts according to the Human Development Index, has many RtF violation issues. FIAN Nepal is working on three sample issues. A prolonged drought over the last 4 years has drastically reduced agricultural production, leading to an increase in food insecurity, especially in Rugin, Bichhya and Badhu VDCs. As a result, people completely depend on food aid and subsidized food items distributed by the Government of Nepal through the National Food Corporation. However, the absence of a permanent depot and inadequate food supply means that their right to food is not ensured. Hence, they are demanding a permanent depot at Kawadi market and a sufficient supply of food items, especially rice and salt.
HIV/AIDS disease has been a major curse in remote areas of the mid and far west regions. Due to extreme poverty and inadequate job opportunities, many men from these regions migrate to India in order to provide their families with a meal. Instead, the migrants bring back HIV/AIDS and transmit it to their wives and possibly to future children too. Innocent people living in poverty lose their remaining properties to cover the cost of treatment and finally, their lives too, leaving their families to grieve the loss. Although the government has been taking the issue seriously and has provided the ARV medicine to infected people free of cost, they have not effectively addressed the problem. Poor and infected people have to take the medicine with just a glass of water given the lack of nutritious food, their health condition thus further deteriorating. Therefore, the infected people from these remote districts demand to be provided nutritious food, ARV medicine, and lastly, access toCD4 count machines in the district.
The Bhote people, an ethnic group that lives in Bajura district are an indigenous people. Their main occupation is sheep herding and most of them are seasonally nomadic. During winter, these people travel from the high land to low land and back again for the summer season. They use their sheep as carriers of goods, which they then sell. Due to a lack of grazing land en route, these pastoralists face different problems as they try to feed their sheep. Most of the time, they enter community forests to graze their sheep. The management of community forest user groups charge them a huge amount for grazing and sometimes confiscate their sheep, which leads to conflicts. Because of such conflicts, their traditional occupation is endangered. Additionally, Bhote women suffer from severe health and nutritional problems. Because the Bhote are seasonally nomadic, pregnant women give birth en route, in places where there is no easy access to a health post. Hence the child mortality rate is very high in their community. The Bhote are demanding that the grazing charge be reduced with uniformity in all community forests in order to protect their occupation, and that their health and nutritional problems be considered.
In order to support each other regarding right to food violations, different RtF groups have joined forces as they aim to have their voice heard by the state. On the 5th and 6th of January 2017, the delegation team visited the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Supply and the Ministry of Forest as well as its line agencies, the National Centre for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC), the National Food Corporation, the National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities and the National Women’s Commission. Ministries and line agencies have reacted positively to their demands and have committed to address their problems.
Ministry of Health and National Centre for AIDS and STD Control (NCASC)
The delegation team was led by Meena BK, Amar Mahar, Jala Majhi and Nani Devi Shahi who are HIV-infected people and members of the RtF groups from Bajura and Dailekh. The Minister of Health Honorable Mr. Gagan Thapa met the delegation team late in the afternoon and listened to the community. He immediately called the director of NCASC, Dr. Tarun Poudel. Dr. Poudel briefed the Minister and the community about the latest developments on the issue as follows:
CD4 count machine has been bought for Dailekh district and will soon be delivered to the district hospital.Mina B.K.
HIV infected from Barhabis VDC, Bajura and President of Bajura Plus
“This would not be possible if FIAN Nepal had not developed our capacity on rights and the right to food. Because we are members of a Dalit community and live in poverty, our voice is often not heard by the state. We have struggled alone in the past, as we did not receive any sympathy from the government and its line agencies. Instead we faced rude behaviour and social stigma, as if we carried the disease because of our character. Our character was judged. Gradually we became aware and started to self-organise; we initiated our struggle, and we claimed our rights. Now society is changing; the way they used to treat us is changing, but it is still not enough. The government and government officials are becoming favourable towards us. But many efforts are needed for the implementation of their commitments. FIAN Nepal has been a good charioteer of our cause.”
Ministry of Supply and National Food Corporation (NFC)
The delegation team was led by Mangal Malla a
nd Bishnu Prasad Panday, members of RtF groups of Rice and Salt cases from Rugin, Bichhya and Badhu VDCs. The team visited the NFC and were received by General Manager Mr. Gokul P. Dhital and Department Head Mr. Shankar Shah., Thereafter, the Minister of Supply Honorable Mr. Deepak Bohora warmly welcomed the delegation team and listened to their problems. Minister Mr. Bohora called his secretary and discussed the possibilities of addressing the demands of the community. The discussion was as follow:
The NFC has focused on Bajura, Dolpa and Humla districts, which are still not connected with roadservices and thus face extreme food insecurity. Given the prolonged drought in Bajura district, twenty thousand quintal of rice have been sanctioned as Work-for-Food (WFF). People are urged to claim them as per the rules and regulations. If more is needed, the NFC – in coordination with the Ministry of Supply – will facilitate the supply of additional food items as WFF in Bajura.The NFC and the Ministry of Supply requested affected people and civil society organizations to play vital role in monitoring the transportation and distribution process, as the media often reports the mishandling of food items by contractors.
Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (MoFSC)
The delegation team led by Buddhi Bogati and Sirjana Gurung Aidi had a meeting with Honorable Minister Mr. Shankar Bhandari at the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation. The Bhote people of Bajura put forward their issues, challenges and struggles for gaining a livelihood. They also submitted a memorandum to the minister requesting that their problems be addressed, including the hurdles that they face on an everyday basis to make a living. Safeguards should be put in place to protect their traditional occupation, as this is part of the human rights of indigenous people, especially the Bhote of Bajura.
The Honourable Minister listened to the delegation team very carefully and admitted that the problems faced by the community are a direct violation of indigenous peoples’ human rights. He phoned the District Forest Officers (DFO) of Bajura and Acham districts and instructed them to immediately take an initiative to solve the -grazing problems faced by the community since many years. The minister also told them that he would like to receive news on the progress made in this regard and that these problems should be addressed once and for all.
National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NFDIN)
During a visit to the NFDIN, Honorable Vice-President Chandra Bahadur Gurung and Member Secretary Mr. Govinda Lal Majhi interacted with the team and discussed the livelihood and traditional occupations of the Bhote people of Bajura. The delegation team submitted a memorandum requesting the NFDIN to support them in the future.
NFDIN representatives asked the Bhote community members several questions regarding the issues around grazing land. The community described their hardships and suffering in continuing their livelihoods and accessing local resources.
Shreejana Gurung Aidi
Member of Central Bhote Committee
“The delegation has not only placed our issues with the relevant agencies, it has exposed our community members to new experiences from which they can learn several things. We had a meeting with several ministers and other high level authorities from the government and we hope that our voice will be heard”. She also expressed her words and thanks to FIAN Nepal for managing this exposure meeting in Kathmandu for people from the district.
National Women Commission (NWC)
The delegation team met the secretary of the National Planning Commission Mr. Ram Pd. Bhattarai and Joint Secretary of the Law Department Ms. Sita Sharma Adhikari. During the meeting, NWC representatives clarified the scope of their work to the team. The NWC cannot support the communities with anything material, , however, they can hold respective government agencies accountable. NWC officials assured the delegation team that they would initiate advocacy with concerned agencies. Nevertheless, the community will not lose hope and will continue to exert pressure.
Bote People Delegation to NFDIN
On the 11th of January 2017, a separate delegation team from the Bote Community of Makwanpur district also made it to the central level as they seek support from government line agencies in their struggles for a livelihood. During a meeting with NFDIN, community representatives handed over a memorandum requesting that NFDIN take the initiative to protect and promote their sources of livelihood. The Bote community is affected by the Parsa Wildlife Conservation Area (PWLCA); they are banned from accessing natural resources which is their main source of livelihood. The Bote community, who are traditionally fisher folks, are also involved in sand collection. However, the PWLCA has restricted their entry into the forest and riverside that is covered by PWLCA. After several interventions and pressure exerted at the local and district levels, the Bote people are receiving some financial support from the PWLCA to construct a fishpond, along with skill development activities for generating income.
Recently, the PWLCA and the Manahari User Committee (MUC) agreed to provide fishing licenses and 2 Kattha of land for community housing and to promote their respective cultural practices. Mr. Dil Bahadur Bote, Secretary of Nepal Bote Samaj submitted a memorandum to NFDIN requesting support to construct the community hall on the land provided by MUC.
After receiving the memorandum, Honorable Chandra Bahadur Gurung agreed to provide necessary support to the peoples of Makawanpur. He also stated that Bote people have to submit a proposal to NFDIN with a request for funding and further training on skills, which will be help them to continue gaining a a livelihood. Additionally, he said that NFDIN always respects their requests and also provides the necessary support.
Dil Bahadur Bote
Secretary of Central Committee of Nepal Bote Samaj
I visited Kathmandu 2 or3 times before but I never felt happy, but now I am feeling different and wonderful because I am working for my community and that means that I am working for myself too. This is the first step and I will not give up until we have access to resources. I would like to request FIAN Nepal to regularly support us and continue showing us solidarity on our journey.
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