Indian SSB displacing Nepalis from their own land

Indian SSB displacing Nepalis from their own land

BY DURGALAL KC

DANG, June 2 - Number of displaced Nepalis continues to rise with border security force of India, Seema Surakshya Bal (SSB), driving the villagers out of their own land in Dang district.

On Tuesday itself, 200 more people left their homes and arrived Deukhuri while hundreds have been stranded on the way, leader of the displaced Roshan Pun said.

The number stood at over 1,800 on Monday. They had walked two days to reach Satbariya-2.

The SSB has been moving border pillars towards Nepali land and displacing residents of some 22 villages near the Nepal-India border area claiming the land to be India’s.

The Indian border force has already encroached Bhousahi, Sunpathri, Khangra of Rajpur VDC and Baruwa, Patauli, Siriya, Sukouli, Gurung, Koilabas of Bela VDC.

More than 6,000 have been dispelled from Dang-Kapilvastu border area to Dang-Banke point.

The displaced are now taking shelter at a community forest in Banghushri, Deukhuri.

As if being driven out from their own homes was not enough, they are now being asked to move by the community forest consumers’ group.

Chief District Officer Rishiram Dhakal says efforts are being made to take further steps after inspecting the border sites.

The Indian side is learnt to encroach hundreds of hectares of land every year in Susta, Nawalparasi as well.

Posted on: 2009-06-02 03:52:29 (Server Time)

source:

http://www.ekantipur.com/kolnews.php?&nid=197215

SSB drives out Nepali families

SSB drives out Nepali families

The Indian border security force, Seema Surakshya Bal (SSB) has driven out hundreds of Nepali families living along Nepal-India border in west Nepal, reports say.

More than 1800 families have taken refuge at the Satbariya community forest of Deukhuri, Dang after SSB encroached Nepali land and torched their homes, Kantipur daily reported.

“They torched our houses saying you can’t live here," said Purna Kumari Bista, 70, of Rajpur, Dang. “We had to leave with the family to protect our lives.”

She also claimed the SSB shifted border pillars some 35 metres inside Nepali land.

Villagers from some 22 entry points bordering Dang district on the Nepali side and Balarampur, Shravasti and Gonda districts on the Indian side have fled from their homes.

The displaced said the SSB assaulted and raped women. “We are forced to become mute spectators when they rape our ladies,” said Begaram Pun of Siriya. “More than 15 girls have already gone missing.”

Even though the villagers had been facing atrocities since years, they were forced to flee when the atrocities became intolerable, the report says.

They were forced to flee after the SSB did not allow them to buy essentials in the Indian market and took away theirs, according to Cham Kumari Gharti of Khangra.

“They (used to) come to our houses brandishing guns and take away our ration and live stocks,” said Gharti. “They beat us up if we try to oppose. Probably there is no body that has not been beaten up at least once.”

The displaced have been living in make-shift tents at Karri community forest in Satbariaya.

Chief District Officer of Dang Rishi Ram Dhakal said an all-party meeting would be called soon to resolve the issue. 

nepalnews.com Jun 02 09

source:

http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2009/jun/jun02/news01.php