The tradition of keeping kamiyas and kamlaris as domestics was abolished by the Nepal government on July 17 and the Kamiya Prohibition Act 2001 makes it a punishable act.[break]
Rena Rana, his wife and sons Bandu, Puran, Prem and daughter Kasak and daughter in law Anita live in CA member Rana´s house without identity cards that the government distributed to Kamaiyas after they were declared free. None of Rena´s children are literate.
Malmati owns a brick kiln and 5 bigas of land on which the kamiya family works and assists the Rana household in domestic chores. Though they are not paid any salary, they are provided food and shelter. The Rana family gives Rena seven quintals of rice and one quintal of wheat in return for the work.
"We do not treat them like kamiyas. We gave them shelter when they were released by their previous landlords," clarified CA member Malmati. "We even got two of Rena´s sons married," said Bajji Rana, Malmati´s husband.
Ironically CA member Malmati herself was the head of a government team to study the situation of kamiya and kamlari in Banke, Dang and Kailali districts.
Pashupati Chaudhary of Mukta Kamiya Samaj said Malmati´s case should be probed and she should be punished. According to Kamiya Prohibition Act 2001, one can be fined between Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 and made to pay wages to the victims.
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