Thousands of landless squatters rally in southern Nepal against eviction drive

PTI, May 17, 2026, Kathmandu : Thousands of landless squatters on Sunday organised a massive rally in Lumbini province in southern Nepal to protest the government's ongoing eviction drive that they claim has displaced millions of people across the country, including in Kathmandu.

Nepal, especially the capital, has witnessed a series of protests by people displaced during the eviction and demolition drive launched by the Prime Minister Balendra Shah-led government since April for beautification and environmental protection.

Some 25,000 landless people from 22 districts across Nepal participated in the protest rally in Lumbini province's Butawal, organised by the Landless People and Un-managed Squatters Struggle Committee, Rupandehi, a statement by the organisers said.

More than one million families have been directly or indirectly affected by the government's eviction campaign launched without proper homework and without providing alternatives, claimed Khagendra Sangraula, convener of the Struggle Committee.

“People have suffered because of the government's move,” “Respect people's right to housing,” “Stop bulldozer terror,” “Let the poor people live,” “Ensure bread, clothing and housing,” read the slogans on the placards carried by the demonstrators.

Twelve political parties, including Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Nepali Communist Party, Shram Sanskriti Party, and Rastriya Prajatantra Party, have extended their solidarity to the protest.

In Kathmandu alone, more than 20,000 people have been displaced by the government's eviction move that demolished around 4,000 structures.

Out of them, some 2,000 have been taken to different holding shelters in and around Kathmandu, while there is no record of the rest of the squatters, the protesters said.

On May 14, during a similar demonstration, protesters, who were agitating under the banner of the National Landless Squatters Front at the Maitighar Mandala area here, demanded compensation for families whose settlements were bulldozed by authorities with the deployment of armed security personnel.

On May 4, Nepal's Supreme Court issued an interim order directing the government not to remove squatters without a proper rehabilitation plan.

A joint bench of Justices Kumar Regmi and Nityananda Pandey, in their interim order, directed that any action involving the removal of squatters or informal settlers and their relocation elsewhere must strictly follow legal procedures.

It took into account the risk of irreparable harm to their constitutional rights, including education, health, and housing.

The bench also warned of a humanitarian crisis if such actions continue without proper safeguards.