Surkhet, Dec. 13: A large number of Badis living in Karnali are still landless.  As per a study report published by the task force formed for the development and upliftment of the Badi community, Badis living in Surkhet, Dailekh, Kalikot, Jumla, Jajarkot, Salyan and Rukum West districts do not own land. 

The report, prepared by contacting 2,400 people, mentions that many Badi families in these districts live on unregistered and government land. Only a few families live on land that they own but even then, they do not have any plot they can farm on. 

The Badis in Rukum West and Dailekh’s Narayan Municipality also live in the landslide-prone areas. 

As of the time of the 2011 census, there were 5,421 members of the Badi community living in Karnali.

‘One sick day away from hunger’

The Badis of Patangini, Dullu Municipality-7, Dailekh, used to make and sell the Madal, a Nepali folk musical instrument. But many have stopped doing this now. 

Local Bisna Badi shared that Madal-making was the community’s traditional occupation. “But, a lack of market demand and monetary profit has forced us to do other things,” she said. One of those ‘other things’ seems to be manual labour.

Pavitra Badi, a resident of Namuna Basti, Dailekh, works as a porter in the market loading and unloading goods from vehicles. She said that she would not be able to feed herself if she did not do that work. “If I fall sick or am not able to work any day, I will have to go hungry,” she explained the situation.

Pavitra also shared that many young people, including schoolchildren, quit education and went to India to work. “Every one of us has to take any work we can get. The situation here is too desperate.”

The study report shows that only 25 per cent of Badi population of Karnali Province gets enough to eat throughout the year. Furthermore, suicide rates have also been increasing alarmingly in the Badi community because of poverty, lack of fulfilment of basic needs and discrimination, as revealed by the report. 

Similarly, over 50 per cent of the members of the Badi community suffer from at least one ailment and over 26 per cent suffer from sexually transmitted diseases. 

Women have it worst

The report also sheds light on the plight of Badi women. Rates of domestic violence and violence against women are frighteningly high in the community as are cases of polygamy and child marriage. They are also trafficked to various countries and are pushed into prostitution for money.

Three years ago, the Badi Struggle Committee demonstrated for 18 days in the provincial capital Surkhet asking for land and employment. The demonstration led the provincial government to form the committee which published the aforementioned report.