Sukumvasi Settlement in Kathmandu Alarmed Following Police Raids Under Balen’s Directive; Leaders of Raswap Prepare to Meet Residents

Police conducted a nighttime raid in the Sukumvasi settlement located in Thapathali, Kathmandu. The government has instructed security chiefs to clear the illegally occupied Sukumvasi settlements on Saturday and Sunday. Residents of the settlement have expressed that their lives are at risk and have demanded that the issues be classified properly before any resolution is sought. (April 23, Kathmandu)

At around 10:30 pm on Wednesday, Geeta Lama was preparing to cook food at the Sukumvasi settlement in Thapathali. Children in the neighborhood were getting ready to sleep, while others were cooking. Suddenly, the sound of boots echoed through the narrow lanes of the settlement. “One after another…” the voices came in groups, leaving everyone surprised. Soon, a police team led by a DSP entered the settlement simultaneously from two sides. The beam of flashlights began to sweep over the walls of the houses. Doors were knocked on, flashlights illuminated the interiors, and searches were conducted room by room.

The police stated that the search was conducted based on information that a criminal was hiding within the settlement. However, the residents were skeptical of the police explanation, as they believed the raid was conducted with officers carrying firearms. The directive to clear the illegally occupied settlements was issued by Prime Minister Balen Shah on Wednesday evening, tasked for implementation by security chiefs on Saturday and Sunday.

Meenakumar Rana Magar, chairman of the Sukumvasi Committee, referenced the government’s 100-day action plan, specifically item 91, in response to news regarding the settlement’s eviction. He remarked, “The Prime Minister has openly written about it, but where is the implementation? Not a single government official has visited the door of even one of the 146 families. Hearing about sudden eviction is a wrong path for this government.” Leaders of the Sukumvasi community have also engaged in discussions with leaders of the Citizen Movement on Thursday.