National Free Haliya Society Federation on Monday submitted an 11-point memorandum to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai through the District Administration Office (DAO) of Dadeldhura, to press the government for implementing all the agreements reached with the Haliyas in the past.[break]
“None of the deals that we struck with the government has been implemented yet,” said Dambar BK, president of the federation. He said the federation will call for agitation if the government ignored their demands. They have demanded that the government form a commission to address their demands at the earliest.
The federation has also accused the government of not counting the Haliyas properly which has left a majority of Haliyas without identity cards. Of the total 19,059 former Haliyas in nine districts of mid- and far-west regions, only 1,853 have got identity cards so far, according to the federation.
The government had declared all the Haliyas free from the bondage of local landlords four years ago. Before their emancipation, Haliyas were forced to work for their landlords to pay off the interests on the loans taken by their fathers and grandfathers.
Although Haliyas do not have to pay off the loans now, they complain that the government hasn´t done much for their long-term rehabilitation.
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