‘Where do we go now?’ Thapathali squatters ask as eviction looms

The Thapathali squatters face a grim reality as eviction orders loom, threatening to displace hundreds of families who have called this riverside settlement home. For years, these residents have endured hardships, including monsoon floods, but always found a way to persevere. Now, under the directive of Prime Minister Balendra Shah, the government is moving forward with permanent eviction, leaving individuals like Urmila Rai and Junga Bahadur Magar in a state of despair.

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We don’t know where to put our belongings or where to go. We don’t have anyone we can rely on.

Urmila Rai, a 58-year-old resident, tearfully described her struggle to pack her belongings, questioning where she and her family will go. "We don’t know where to put our belongings or where to go. We don’t have anyone we can rely on," she lamented. The fear of bulldozers and the uncertainty of the future weigh heavily on her. Junga Bahadur Magar echoed these sentiments, highlighting the impossible task of finding affordable housing in Kathmandu, with rents exceeding Rs10,000 per month.

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The bulldozers are coming now. I don’t even have the strength left to protest.

The memory of past evictions, which led to clashes and injuries in 2022, still haunts the community. With Prime Minister Shah, who was mayor during that time, now leading the government, the residents feel a renewed sense of fear. Despite repeated loudspeaker announcements urging them to leave, many, especially the elderly and those with families, are overwhelmed and exhausted, feeling too tired to protest further. The lack of viable alternatives and the government's seemingly unsympathetic approach underscore the deep distress felt by these vulnerable citizens.

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We are going to Bhaktapur, we will lease land and start over.