SARLAHI, Feb 19: Demanding land ownership certificates, the marginalized Musahar community of Terai-Madhes on Sunday submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal through the chief district officers of 15 districts.
The Musahars have been deprived of various government services as they don't have land ownership certificates. Although they have bought land from the landlords, the latter have not transferred the ownership of the land.
Pachulal Majhi, the joint coordinator of an empowerment campaign for the Musahar community, said “It is unfair that the Musahars cannot claim any services provided by the state.” He informed Republica that in the memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister, they have even demanded the land of Shabari Mata and Dinabhadri which has been best known as the heritage of Musahars.
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Musahars of Sarlahi, Rautahat, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha, Saptari, Sunsari, Udayapur, Sindhuli, Morang, Jhapa, Nawalparasi, Parsa, Bara and Kathmandu went to their respective District Administration Office with their complaint.
There are more than 1,200,000 Musahars in Nepal but 95% of them still don't have land ownership certificates, according to Nepal National Musahar Association. Many people have been trying to take advantage of this situation. When some people deliberately tried to displace the Musahars from their own land after learning that they don't have land revenue certificates, they were compelled to send a memorandum directly to the PM, said a local.
