"Nowhere to Go: Forced Evictions in Nepal", 22 July 2025

Amnesty International’s Nowhere to Go: Forced Evictions in Nepal documents five emblematic cases of forced evictions across Nepal between 2020 and 2024 that disproportionately affected Dalit and Indigenous communities. Despite constitutional guarantees and protective legislation such as the Right to Housing Act (2018) and Lands Act amendments, these evictions were carried out without due process, often during ongoing verification processes led by the Land Issue Resolving Commission.

The report highlights cases in Kusum Khola (Chitwan), Chaukidanda (Kailali), Thapathali (Kathmandu), Purano Airport Area (Dhangadhi), and Bhajani (Kailali), involving destruction of homes, use of elephants and bulldozers, and lack of resettlement or compensation. In all instances, authorities—including national park staff, municipal governments, and forest divisions—failed to conduct genuine consultation, provide adequate notice, or verify land ownership claims, in violation of both national and international law.

Dalit groups, notably the Badi community, and Indigenous Peoples such as the Chepang, Majhi, and Tamang were disproportionately affected. These communities, often labelled as "landless squatters" or “unmanaged dwellers,” were left homeless and traumatised, with women, children, and persons with disabilities bearing the brunt of displacement.

The report raises urgent concerns about Nepal’s failure to harmonise its laws with human rights standards and its repeated disregard for the principle of non-discrimination. It also reveals systemic gaps in accountability, as oversight bodies such as the judiciary and the National Human Rights Commission have proven largely ineffective. Amnesty International calls for a moratorium on evictions and the fulfilment of land rights for all, especially marginalised groups.