The "Gen-Z Movement Alliance" has condemned the Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s reported intention to use bulldozers to evict people from squatter settlements, unless a home is found for them.
In a statement released on Sunday, the alliance called on the city to engage in problem-solving rather than create conflict by evicting people from their homes and communities.
The alliance condemned the ongoing targeting of landless and informal settlers, calling the situation “deeply disturbing,” akin to targeting internal migrants struggling to produce livelihoods under oppressive conditions.
“We are deeply concerned about reports that access to housing by squatter communities may soon be manipulated by bulldozers to displace people from their homes without study or alternative housing,” the statement noted.
While laws and clear processes exist to address the removal of settlements, the alliance expressed its feelings of regret that these legal processes are being bypassed, fostering an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
The alliance reported that because of long-standing land access issues, political power and the power of powerful mafias have historically acted to block fair solutions.
Tensions escalated recently after the metropolitan city issued a one-week ultimatum to clear settlements along the Dhobikhola and Bagmati riverbanks, sparking unrest in squatter communities.
The alliance asked leaders in Kathmandu to prioritize engagement instead of eviction and action instead of removal for people living in an unstable situation of housing to be replaced by sustainable solutions, as they regard human rights and human dignity as a priority concerning actions affecting vulnerable residents.