14 years of Haliya freedom: Situation remains same

By Dil Bahadur Singh, Doti, Sept. 7: Fourteen years have passed since the liberation of Haliya system, but the living conditions of the freed Haliyas have not yet improved.

Over a decade has passed since the declaration of Haliya's freedom, rights activists said that they still have to fight for their rights. 

Gorakh Bahadur Sarki, a rights activist, said, "Despite the declaration of liberation, the living standards of the freed Haliyas have not improved. They still have to struggle to make ends meet.

The government announced the release of Haliyas, who remained as bonded labourers in 12 different districts of the previous Far and Mid-western Development regions on  September 6, 2008. The living standards of freed Haliyas have not yet been improved because issues such as their livelihood have not been prioritised by the government and non-governmental organisations.

Nari Chanara, a member of the National Freed Haliya Samaj, complained that despite the declaration of liberation, some of the freed Haliyas still could not get their Haliya identity cards. Chanara said, "Due to various reasons, some people who were serving as Haliyas have been missing from the government record during the collection of the data of free Haliyas.”

Those who do not have an identity card have not been able to benefit from the freed Haliya rehabilitation programme conducted by the government.

According to the Federation of National Haliya Liberation Society, so far only 14,242 families out of a total of 16,953 freed Haliya families in 12 districts of Sudurpaschim Province and Karnali Province have received the identity card. It is said that 1,499 families are yet to be verified and 441 families are yet to receive identity cards despite being verified.

Altogether 2,711 families are yet to be rehabilitated and 1104 families have not been able to receive the second instalment under the Mukt Haliya Rehabilitation Programme.

Ram Bahadur Damai of Shikhar Municipality-8 of the district complained that some of the freed Haliya had to live as Haliya again because the rehabilitation of freed Haliyas was not taken seriously as promised by the government.

Although the end of the Haliya system, a remnant of slavery, has been announced, they are still facing problems in their daily lives and are again forced to live as Haliyas again.