Mutual Aid for Families of Murdered Dalits

Mutual Aid for Families of Murdered Dalits
Malara Sada, Rajesh Rishidev, Tribhuwan Ram, Roshan Ram. Say their names!


Malara Sada
Due to the pandemic lockdown, Malara Sada of Saptari lost his daily wage job. After 4 days of having no food to eat, Sada passed away from starvation and exhaustion while working in the fields. Sada’s sons are migrant laborers who have also been severely devastated by the lockdown. Because of the long history of hill brahminical cisgender nationalism, Madheshi Dalits face poverty, landlessness, unemployment, and violence. They face barriers to gaining citizenship and government relief programs, so not a single photo of Malara Sada could be found, nor was it possible for his family to open a bank account. This shows the deep-rooted caste-violence with socio-political and material implications. The abject apathy of the government towards the suffering people continues through the pandemic.


Rajesh Rishidev
On Jul 3, 2020, Rajesh Rishidev of the only Musahar family in Biratnagar-16 Chauthi Tol, was brutally murdered by his neighbors. The local political candidate, Ganga Mandal, had been harassing the Rishidev family for the last 4 years, over the land they had been living on for generations. They also barred Rishidev from establishing bamboo fencing around the small temple for his ancestral deity on this land. Rishidev spoke up in protest, announcing loudly that he would not vote for the Mandals in the upcoming local election. The Mandal family and caste-privileged supporters then entered his house, brutally beat him with iron rods, and hung him by his neck. Rajesh Rishidev passed away on the way to the hospital. Rishidev was the sole breadwinner for his family of 8, who are now facing severe financial struggles all the while living in the neighborhood that murdered him. 



Tribhuwan Ram
After a similar case of land dispute, Tribhuwan Ram of Saptari Metropolitan-3, was found lifeless by the Mutani River on Jul 13, 2020. The caste-privileged groups of his area had already threatened Ram for reporting a gang rape incident 2 years ago. The previous day, Ram had gone to the Rupani Police Station to settle the land dispute he had with Raslal Pal. When the decision was made in Ram’s favor, he was abducted on the way back home. Later that day, Ram’s body was found by the river. From the injuries he had sustained, the police concluded that Ram was murdered. Ram’s family has filed a case against the suspect Raslal Pal and 6 others involved. Ram’s grieving son, Roshan, has since received threats on his life from those involved in the murders.



Roshan Ram
27-year-old Roshan Ram of Siraha Lahan Metropolitan-1, was murdered and found dead near the Bataha River for not being able to pay back NRs. 1000 he had borrowed from Jaykumar Yadav. Ram had been arrested for drug possession and it was in prison that he met Yadav. Roshan’s family managed to get a loan from the village Mahajan moneylender and got him released. However, Yadav came to claim his money and threatened Roshan.  On Jul 11, 2020, Yadav along with Mukesh Katwal kidnapped and murdered him. Roshan Ram is survived by his wife and 5 other family members in extreme poverty and debt.


Though the cases have been filed, Madhesi Dalit victims are often denied justice by governing bodies. Nepal was declared free from caste-based discrimination on June 4, 2006, but almost 14 years since this declaration, people from so-called “lower castes” are still facing gruesome discrimination and are deprived of basic facilities and infrastructures. At least 30 Dalits have been murdered for breaking caste-based norms since 2011, and caste-violence is increasing everyday. It has proven to be an uphill battle to get media attention or public support.


Therefore, in coordination with Samyukta Dalit Sangarsa Samiti (United Dalit Struggle Committee), this mutual aid is created to assist the grieving families to attain justice. This collection is not sufficient but will help the families in whatever way they want to utilize the money. 

Here is more information on the contact persons for the families on the ground who will also reach out to the family with the collected support: 

Sona Khatik
Sona Khatik is a Madhesi Dalit woman activist and also a station manager of community radio in Kapilvastu since 2065. Issues and rights of Madhesi, Dalit women, and girl education are the focus of her radio programs and activism. She continues to raise voices against sexual harassment. Sona ji recently raised funds on behalf of the family of late Angira Pasi.




Pachu Majhi Musahar Vivek
Pachu ji is the chairperson of BHORE research-based campaign focused philanthropic organization. In his own words, "I have strong passion in bringing the long lasting change in the lives of socially excluded and marginalized population in Nepal. I am from Musahar community of Nepal. I am the only Musahar who have graduated in B.Ed. from Sarlahi district where near 7200 households of Musahar community are residing. As a Social activist, I have actively coordinated and involved and raised the loudly gathering sound for the justice”




Raj Rajak
In his own words: “I am an Ambedkarite social activist and human rights development professional. For the past 14 years, I have been associated with the Bahujan movement which is working to annihilate caste, patriarchy, gender-based hegemony, advocating for social democracy through the democratization of the existing social system. I am a regular Op-ed contributor to different national print and online media.”



हत्या गरिएका दलितको परिवारको निमित्त म्युचल एड
मलर सदा, राजेश क्रिृशिदेव, त्रिभुवन राम, रोशन राम । उनीहरुको नाम भन्नुहोस् ।


मलर सदा

कोभिड–१९ को कारण राज्यद्धारा जारी गरिएको बन्दा–बन्दि (लकडाउन)को कारण कञ्चनरुप नगरपालिका, सप्तरिको मलर सदाले ज्यालादारी गुमाए । भोकै बस्न बाध्य भए । चार दिनको भोको पेट उनी साउको खेतमा मजदुरी गर्दै–गर्दा ढले र प्राण त्यागे । मलरको छोराहरु भारतमा मजदुरीको लागि गएका छन् । प्रवासी मजदुरी पनि कोभिड–१९ को कारण प्रभावित भएका छन् । सवर्ण ब्राद्मणवादको कारण मधेशी दलितहरु जातिय प्रणालिगत विभेद, अन्याय, अत्याचार, भूमिहिनता, राज्यविहिनता, अनागरिक, जातिय तथा लैङ्गिक हिँसा, अशिक्षा, बेरोजगार आदिको सिकार हुन बाध्य छन् । भोकवाट प्राण त्यागेका मलर सादाको एउटा फोटो पनि भेटाउन सकेन । यसवाट प्रमाणित हुन्छ मलर सादा लगायत लाखौ दलितहरुको आपविति । नागरिकता नहुँदा बैँकमा खाता समेत खोल्न सकिएन । जातिवादी समाजमा जातिय हिँसा कति गहिरो छ भने कुराको ठोस नजिर मलर सादा भएको छ । कोभिड–१९ प्यान्डेमिकको आडमा श्रखलाबद्ध हत्याको सिलसिलेवार अझै जारि छ ।



राजेश क्रृषिदेव

जुलाइ ३, २०२० मा विराटनगर १६, छौठ टोलको एक्लो मुसहर परिवार राजेश क्रृषिदेवको उनकै छिमेकीले हत्या गरे । स्थानीय विगत चार वर्ष देखि राजेश क्रिृशिदेवको पुख्र्यौली जमिनलाई लिएर स्थानिय राजनैतिक नेता, गँगा मण्डलले राजेशलाई थर्काउँदै आईरहेका थिए । उनीहरुले राजेश क्रृषिदेवलाई उक्त भूमीमा बनेको मन्दिर वरिपरि बाँसको घेरा समेत बनाउन रोके । क्रृषिदेवले अब आउने निर्वाचनमा भोट माग्न आउदा जुत्ताको माला लगाई दिन्छु भन्दै विद्रोह गरे । मण्डलको परिवार र उनका समर्थकहरु क्रृषिदेवको घर भित्र छिरेर, फलमाको छडले राजेश क्रृषिदेवलाई कुट्दै उसैको घरमा झुण्ड्याई दिए । घर परिवार तथा छिमेकीले घर खोली झुण्डिएको ऋषिदेबलाई  उद्धार गरि उपचारको लागि अस्पताल लैजदा बाटोमा मृत्यू भयो । राजेश क्रृषिदेवको घरमा आठजना परिवारको एक्लो कमाउने मान्छे थियो । राजेशको हत्या पछि घरको आर्थिक स्थिति कमजोर भएको छ । कमाउने मान्छेको हत्या हुँदा परिवार विचल्लीमा छन् ।  
 
त्रिभुवन राम

त्यस्तै भूमिका कारण सप्तरीको शम्भुनाथ नगरपालिका ३ का त्रिभुवन रामको लास जुलाई ३, २०२० मा मुटानी खोलामा भेटियो । दुई वर्ष अघि मात्रै बलत्कार विरुद्ध जाहेरी दिएका रामलाई कथित उच्च जातिवाट धम्की दिएका थिए । एकदिन अघि मात्रै, जग्गाको कुरा मिलाउन राम र रसलाल पाल रुपानी प्रहरी चौकी गएका थिए । जब रामको पक्षमा निर्णय भयो, त्यहि दिन घर फर्कंदा उनको अपहरण भयो । त्यसपछि रामको लास मुटानी खोलामा फेला पर्यो । पुलिसको सनाखत पछि र शरिरमा भेटिएको चोटबाट रामको शंकास्पद हत्या भएको निस्कर्ष निकालियो । रामको परिवारले रसलाल पाल र अरु ६ जना विरुद्ध पुलिस चौकीमा उजुरी दर्ता गरेका छन् । हत्यामा संलग्न भएका समुहहरुले रामको छोरा, रोशनलाई समेत धम्की दिंदै आएका छन् ।  


 रोशन राम

सिराहा लाहान नगरपालिका १ मठियरबाको २७ वर्षिय  रोशन रामको हत्या पछि लास बताहा खोलामा भेटिए । जय कुमार यादवबाट रु एक हजारको सापटी तिर्न नसक्दा उसको हत्या भयो । लागुऔषदको केसमा रामलाई थुनामा थियो । थुनामा हुँदा रामले यादवलाई भेटेको थियो । परिवारले गाऊको साउमहाजनवाट ऋण लिएर रोशनलाई थुना मूक्त गरेको थियो । ११ जुलाइ, २०२० मा मुकेश यादवले अपहरण गरेर रामको हत्या गरे । रोशन रामको पाँच जनाको परिवार छन् । चरम गरिबी, अभावको जीवन जिउन बाध्य छन् । परिवारको ऋणमा डुबेका छन् ।

न्यायको लागि उजुरी दर्ता गराए पनि सवर्ण राज्य सत्तावाट न्याय पाउला भने आश कमै छ । ४ जुन २००६ मा जातिय भेदवावको उन्मुलनको घोषणा केवल कागमा सिमित छ । १४ बर्षको अन्तरालमा हजारौ दलितको हत्या, हिँसा, बलत्कार, जातिय विभेदको शिकार हुँदै आईरहेका छन् । अधारभुत अधिकारवाट बञ्चित हुनु परेका छन् । राज्यविहिनताको जीवन जिउन बाध्य छन् ।

तथापि, संयुक्त दलित संघर्ष समितिको समन्वयमा यो म्युचल ऐडले सामाजिक न्यायतर्फ अग्रसर पिडीत परिवारहरुको पक्षमा एक्यबद्धता दिन यो अभियान संचालन गरिएको छ । यो सानो सहयोगले परिवारलाई आधारभुत जीवनमा महत्वपूर्ण योगदान गर्छ भने विश्वास लिएका छौँ ।

To donate from WITHIN NEPAL:
Please record your donation on this google sheet: NEPAL DONATION SHEET (Important!)

Malara Sada:
Due to being barred from gaining citizenship, the Sada family do not have access
to a bank account.


Rajesh Rishidev
(in process of getting details)


Tribhuvan Ram's wife:
Ghurni Devi Ram, 
A/C 01301006590999000001
Nepal Bank Limited, Rajbiraj. 


Rosan Ram’s father:
Siphait Lal Mochi 
A/C 07421600477271000001
Muktinath Bikas Bank, Lahan


News in reference to the murders:

"Dalits in Nepal amid lockdown" by KIOS Foundation 

"The Lockdown is Killing Poor and Marginalized" by Kathmandu Post 

Tribhuwan Ram murdered for reporting gang rape by Naya Patrika in Nepali 

Report on Tribhuwan Ram's murder by Madhesh Live in Nepali