The Law, Justice, and Human Rights Committee of the House of Representatives is scheduled to conduct a monitoring visit on Thursday to observe how the squatters displaced from the riverbanks of Kathmandu are being kept in holding centres and to assess the condition of their residence and meals.
After the government operated bulldozers in squatter settlements across Kathmandu, including Thapathali, Manohara, Gairigaun, Balkhu, and Balaju, holding centres were established for the temporary accommodation of the displaced. These centres are located at the Radha Soami Satsang in Kirtipur, the Nepal Electricity Authority Training Centre in Kharipati, Bhaktapur, and the Agricultural Development Bank Training Centre in Bhaktapur.
The agenda to go for a monitoring visit entered the discussion after lawmakers of the committee raised questions regarding the human rights situation of the displaced squatters residing in the holding centres. Subsequently, the committee is proceeding with the monitoring according to the lawmakers’ demands.
According to a lawmaker on the committee, the committee’s secretariat had prepared to take journalists along during the monitoring.
Previously, parliamentary committees used to take journalists along when going on monitoring visits. In the past, parliamentary committees have included journalists while inspecting roads, juvenile correction homes, and other areas.
However, this time, the committee has hesitated after the government itself stated that it would not grant permission to take journalists into the holding centres.
“Initially, there was a plan to take journalists. Preparations were made to transport them in the parliament secretariat’s own vehicles,” an employee of the parliament secretariat told Setopati. “But the government stated it would not grant permission to journalists at the holding centres. Therefore, there is a dilemma over whether to take journalists or not.”
