Government Evicts Squatter Settlements Amidst Controversy

Key Points

• The Nepali government launched a forceful campaign to evict squatter settlements following a cabinet decision under Prime Minister Balen Shah.
• This campaign has demolished thousands of houses, impacting vulnerable families and raising concerns about authoritarianism and insensitivity.
• Historical land ownership issues and socio-economic inequalities have driven landlessness and squatting in Nepal over decades.
• Critics argue for scientific resettlement and social justice rather than demolition to manage squatters and urban development.