Kamaiya and Kamlari (also called Kamalari) were two traditional systems of bonded labour practised in the western Terai of Nepal.[1] Both were abolished after protests, in 2000 and 2006 respectively.[2]
The system of bonded labour existed in Nepal since the 18th century; following the unification of Nepal, members of the ruling elite received land grants in the Terai and were entitled to collect revenue from those who cultivated the land.[3]
The Kamaiya system bonds males to labour, and the Kamlari system bonds females.
Kamaiya system
Kamaiya history
Traditionally, people without land or work could get loans from landowners allowing them to sustain a minimum livelihood. In exchange for this, they had to live and work on the landowner's land as quasi slaves. Exorbitant debts were charged, and whole families were forced to slave labour for years and even generations, bonded by indebtedness to the landowner and bonded by unequal social relations to sell labour in lieu of the loan taken.[4]
Following the eradication of malaria in the Terai region in the 1950–1960s, the large influx of hill migrants marginalized traditionally landowning Tharu people by occupying their lands. While the Tharus had no records of the land they were cultivating, the settlers registered the land in their name, forcing the Tharus to work as agricultural labourers. The customary practice of obtaining a "helping hand for family business" was gradually replaced by the forced labour system called Kamaiya, which in Tharu parlance is tantamount to hardworking hired farm labour.[4] The Kamaiya system existed in particular in western Nepal and affects especially the Tharu people and Dalits.[citation needed]
Kamaiya abolition
Increasing protests against the kamaiya system, organized by the "Kamaiya movement", led to its abolition in 2000. On 17 July that year, the Government of Nepal announced the Kamaiya system be banned, all Kamaiyas be freed and their debts be cancelled.[4] Although most Kamaiya families were freed, the system has persisted. Many Kamaiyas were evicted by their former landlords and released into poverty without support. Others received unproductive land.[5]
To alleviate the poverty of the affected people – the main cause of the system – rehabilitation and distribution of land were promised to ex-Kamaiya families. To put action behind the attempts to discuss the land issue with the government, the ex-Kamaiyas started occupying land in Kailali and Bardiya districts in the winter of 2005–06.[5] But a decade after being liberated, the freed Kamaiyas are forced to live a very difficult life as the government has still not fulfilled its promises of providing a proper rehabilitation and relief package.[6]
Kamlari system
Practice
In its modern form, girls and young women are sold by their parents into indentured servitude under contract for periods of one year with richer, higher-caste buyers, generally from outside their villages.[7]
Campaigns for kamlari abolition
Several activist groups including the Nepal Youth Foundation (NYF) and the Friends of Needy Children (FNC) have campaigned for abolition of the system since 2000, and worked to free kamlaris by paying off their parents' debts.[8] On 10 September 2006,[8] the Supreme Court of Nepal affirmed that this practice known as kamlari was illegal,[9] and that former kamlaris were entitled to governmental compensation, education and rehabilitation.[8] However, the interim-government of Nepal (formed during the last stage of the Nepalese Civil War following the successful April 2006 revolution against the autocratic monarchy) failed to comply with the Supreme Court's ruling, and the practice continued to exist.[8]
Anti-kamlari organisations launched new campaigns and protests to demand the government to comply, which in 2009 resulted in financial compensation for freed kamlaris.[8] The system was still not abolished, however, and thousands of girls served forcefully for several more years.[8] Various charitable organizations have mitigated the kamlari practice by offering grants larger than prospective masters to families who promise not to sell their daughters, as well as funds for the girls' education.[7]
The next year the Freed Kamlari Development Forum (FKDF) was formed by former slave girls with the help of NYF and FNC.[8] The suspicious death 12-year-old kamlari Srijana Chaudhary in March 2013 revived the movement and saw mass protests taking place to demand the practice's immediate end.[10] After images of police hitting the protesting girls were seen in national and international media, outrage against the Nepalese government soared.[10] In June 2013, the government finally gave in and officially abolished the kamlari system[10] and agreed to a 10-point plan involving compensation, rehabilitation and justice for victims of abuse.[8]
Post-abolition practice
Despite the 2013 official prohibition on putting girls into indentured servitude, the NYF estimated in October 2017 that hundreds of girls were still living in slave-like conditions, many in the homes of prominent politicians and businessmen.[11]
^Fujikura, T. (2001). "Emancipation of Kamaiyas: Development, Social Movement, and Youth Activism in Post-Jana Andolan Nepal". Himalaya, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies. 21 (1): 29–35.
^Pyakuryal, K.N. (2011). "Emerging from Landlessness, Poverty, and Food Insecurity Circles in Nepal: The Legislative Approach" (PDF). Nepalese Journal of Agricultural Economics 1 (1): 26−36.
^Regmi, R. R. (1994). "Deforestation and rural society in the Nepalese Terai" (PDF). Occasional Papers in Sociology and Anthropology (4): 72–89.
^ abcWorld Organization Against Torture (2006). "The Kamaiya System of Bonded Labour in Nepal" (PDF). A study prepared by the World Organization Against Torture for the International Conference Poverty, Inequality and Violence: is there a human rights response? Geneva, 4–6 October 2005.
^ ab. MS Nepal. Archived from the original on 4 September 2006.
^. nepalnews.com. 18 July 2010. Archived from the original on 23 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
^ abMeredith May (8 February 2009). "Olga's Girls". San Francisco Chronicle.
^ abcdefgh"NYF celebrates Kamlari Freedom Day – 27th June". Nepal Youth Foundation. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
^Pradhan, S. (2006). "Nepal: Land Reforms, Key to Social Harmony". IPS.
^ abcMottin, Monica (2018). Rehearsing for Life: Theatre for Social Change in Nepal. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 166. ISBN9781108641036. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
^Kate Hodal (18 October 2017). "'My dream is coming true': the Nepalese woman who rose from slavery to politics". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
Giri, B.R. (2012) "The Bonded Labour System in Nepal: Musahar and Tharu Communities' Assessments of the Haliya and Kamaiya Labour Contracts," Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences, 4(2): 518–551.
Giri, B.R. (2011) "The Bonded Labor System in Nepal: Exploring Haliya and Kamaiya Children's Lifeworlds," in: A. Guneratne (ed.) , pp. 101–110, Lalitpur, Nepal: Himal Books.
Giri, B.R. (2010) The Haliya and Kamaiya Bonded Child Labourers in Nepal, in G. Craig (ed.), , pp. 227–241, Bristol (UK): Policy Press.
Giri, B.R. (2010) "The Bonded Labour Practice in Nepal: "The Promise of Education" as a Magnet of Child Bondedness?" South Asia Research, 30(2): 145-64
Giri, B.R. (2009) "The Bonded Labour System in Nepal: Perspectives of Haliya and Kamaiya Child Workers," Journal of Asian and African Studies, 44(6): 599–623.
Giri, B.R. (2007) "Modern Slavery," in: R. Ennals (ed.) From Slavery to Citizenship, West Sussex, UK: John Wiley and Sons, pp. 257–261.
Peter Lowe, Vinaya Kasajoo (2001) Kamaiya: Slavery and Freedom in Nepal. Mandala Book Point, in association with Danish Association for International Co-operation (MS Nepal), Kathmandu ISBN99933-1-011-5, ISBN978-99933-1-011-2
External links
United Nations UN urges end to Nepalese practice of using young girls as domestic workers
BBC: Desperate plight of Nepal "slave girls"
August 21, 2023
kamaiya, kamlari, kamaiya, kamlari, also, called, kamalari, were, traditional, systems, bonded, labour, practised, western, terai, nepal, both, were, abolished, after, protests, 2000, 2006, respectively, contents, origins, kamaiya, system, kamaiya, history, ka. Kamaiya and Kamlari also called Kamalari were two traditional systems of bonded labour practised in the western Terai of Nepal 1 Both were abolished after protests in 2000 and 2006 respectively 2 Contents 1 Origins 2 Kamaiya system 2 1 Kamaiya history 2 2 Kamaiya abolition 3 Kamlari system 3 1 Practice 3 2 Campaigns for kamlari abolition 3 3 Post abolition practice 4 See also 5 References 6 Literature 7 External linksOrigins EditThe system of bonded labour existed in Nepal since the 18th century following the unification of Nepal members of the ruling elite received land grants in the Terai and were entitled to collect revenue from those who cultivated the land 3 The Kamaiya system bonds males to labour and the Kamlari system bonds females Kamaiya system EditKamaiya history Edit Traditionally people without land or work could get loans from landowners allowing them to sustain a minimum livelihood In exchange for this they had to live and work on the landowner s land as quasi slaves Exorbitant debts were charged and whole families were forced to slave labour for years and even generations bonded by indebtedness to the landowner and bonded by unequal social relations to sell labour in lieu of the loan taken 4 Following the eradication of malaria in the Terai region in the 1950 1960s the large influx of hill migrants marginalized traditionally landowning Tharu people by occupying their lands While the Tharus had no records of the land they were cultivating the settlers registered the land in their name forcing the Tharus to work as agricultural labourers The customary practice of obtaining a helping hand for family business was gradually replaced by the forced labour system called Kamaiya which in Tharu parlance is tantamount to hardworking hired farm labour 4 The Kamaiya system existed in particular in western Nepal and affects especially the Tharu people and Dalits citation needed Kamaiya abolition Edit Increasing protests against the kamaiya system organized by the Kamaiya movement led to its abolition in 2000 On 17 July that year the Government of Nepal announced the Kamaiya system be banned all Kamaiyas be freed and their debts be cancelled 4 Although most Kamaiya families were freed the system has persisted Many Kamaiyas were evicted by their former landlords and released into poverty without support Others received unproductive land 5 To alleviate the poverty of the affected people the main cause of the system rehabilitation and distribution of land were promised to ex Kamaiya families To put action behind the attempts to discuss the land issue with the government the ex Kamaiyas started occupying land in Kailali and Bardiya districts in the winter of 2005 06 5 But a decade after being liberated the freed Kamaiyas are forced to live a very difficult life as the government has still not fulfilled its promises of providing a proper rehabilitation and relief package 6 Kamlari system EditPractice Edit In its modern form girls and young women are sold by their parents into indentured servitude under contract for periods of one year with richer higher caste buyers generally from outside their villages 7 Campaigns for kamlari abolition Edit Several activist groups including the Nepal Youth Foundation NYF and the Friends of Needy Children FNC have campaigned for abolition of the system since 2000 and worked to free kamlaris by paying off their parents debts 8 On 10 September 2006 8 the Supreme Court of Nepal affirmed that this practice known as kamlari was illegal 9 and that former kamlaris were entitled to governmental compensation education and rehabilitation 8 However the interim government of Nepal formed during the last stage of the Nepalese Civil War following the successful April 2006 revolution against the autocratic monarchy failed to comply with the Supreme Court s ruling and the practice continued to exist 8 Anti kamlari organisations launched new campaigns and protests to demand the government to comply which in 2009 resulted in financial compensation for freed kamlaris 8 The system was still not abolished however and thousands of girls served forcefully for several more years 8 Various charitable organizations have mitigated the kamlari practice by offering grants larger than prospective masters to families who promise not to sell their daughters as well as funds for the girls education 7 The next year the Freed Kamlari Development Forum FKDF was formed by former slave girls with the help of NYF and FNC 8 The suspicious death 12 year old kamlari Srijana Chaudhary in March 2013 revived the movement and saw mass protests taking place to demand the practice s immediate end 10 After images of police hitting the protesting girls were seen in national and international media outrage against the Nepalese government soared 10 In June 2013 the government finally gave in and officially abolished the kamlari system 10 and agreed to a 10 point plan involving compensation rehabilitation and justice for victims of abuse 8 Post abolition practice Edit Despite the 2013 official prohibition on putting girls into indentured servitude the NYF estimated in October 2017 that hundreds of girls were still living in slave like conditions many in the homes of prominent politicians and businessmen 11 See also EditHaliyaReferences Edit Fujikura T 2001 Emancipation of Kamaiyas Development Social Movement and Youth Activism in Post Jana Andolan Nepal Himalaya the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies 21 1 29 35 Pyakuryal K N 2011 Emerging from Landlessness Poverty and Food Insecurity Circles in Nepal The Legislative Approach PDF Nepalese Journal of Agricultural Economics 1 1 26 36 Regmi R R 1994 Deforestation and rural society in the Nepalese Terai PDF Occasional Papers in Sociology and Anthropology 4 72 89 a b c World Organization Against Torture 2006 The Kamaiya System of Bonded Labour in Nepal PDF A study prepared by the World Organization Against Torture for the International Conference Poverty Inequality and Violence is there a human rights response Geneva 4 6 October 2005 a b Kamaiya Slavery and Freedom in Nepal MS Nepal Archived from the original on 4 September 2006 Freed Kamaiyas still live difficult lives a decade after being liberated nepalnews com 18 July 2010 Archived from the original on 23 February 2017 Retrieved 23 February 2016 a b Meredith May 8 February 2009 Olga s Girls San Francisco Chronicle a b c d e f g h NYF celebrates Kamlari Freedom Day 27th June Nepal Youth Foundation 30 June 2016 Retrieved 2 November 2018 Pradhan S 2006 Nepal Land Reforms Key to Social Harmony IPS a b c Mottin Monica 2018 Rehearsing for Life Theatre for Social Change in Nepal Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 166 ISBN 9781108641036 Retrieved 2 November 2018 Kate Hodal 18 October 2017 My dream is coming true the Nepalese woman who rose from slavery to politics The Guardian Retrieved 2 November 2018 Literature EditAnita Cheria 2005 Liberation is not enough the kamaiya movement in Nepal ActionAid Nepal Kathmandu 2005 ISBN 99946 800 2 1 ISBN 978 99946 800 2 3 Giri B R 2012 The Bonded Labour System in Nepal Musahar and Tharu Communities Assessments of the Haliya and Kamaiya Labour Contracts Journal of Alternative Perspectives in the Social Sciences 4 2 518 551 Giri B R 2011 The Bonded Labor System in Nepal Exploring Haliya and Kamaiya Children s Lifeworlds in A Guneratne ed The Tarai History Society Environment pp 101 110 Lalitpur Nepal Himal Books Giri B R 2010 The Haliya and Kamaiya Bonded Child Labourers in Nepal in G Craig ed Child Slavery Now pp 227 241 Bristol UK Policy Press Giri B R 2010 The Bonded Labour Practice in Nepal The Promise of Education as a Magnet of Child Bondedness South Asia Research 30 2 145 64 Giri B R 2009 The Bonded Labour System in Nepal Perspectives of Haliya and Kamaiya Child Workers Journal of Asian and African Studies 44 6 599 623 Giri B R 2007 Modern Slavery in R Ennals ed From Slavery to Citizenship West Sussex UK John Wiley and Sons pp 257 261 Peter Lowe Vinaya Kasajoo 2001 Kamaiya Slavery and Freedom in Nepal Mandala Book Point in association with Danish Association for International Co operation MS Nepal Kathmandu ISBN 99933 1 011 5 ISBN 978 99933 1 011 2 Mandala Book Point About the bookExternal links EditMS Nepal Kamaiya Slavery and Freedom in Nepal FIAN International Nepal Right to food of Kamaiya families threatened in Tikapur United Nations UN urges end to Nepalese practice of using young girls as domestic workers BBC Desperate plight of Nepal slave girls Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kamaiya and kamlari amp oldid 1165081892, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
