Dhanusha, July 10: Victims of predatory lending, locally known as meter byaj, have begun a week-long “Justice March” to Kathmandu to pressure the government to fulfil its promises and address their long-standing grievances.
Organized by the Farmers and Workers Movement Against Loan Sharking Nepal, the foot march started from Janakpurdham, the capital of Madhesh Province, and is aimed at drawing the government’s attention to the exploitation faced by victims of usurious moneylenders.
After launching the campaign at Tirhutiyagachhi in Janakpurdham at around 5 pm on Thursday, the marchers reached Dhalkebar in Dhanusha early on the second day of their journey.
The protesters are now heading through Mahendranagar in Dhanusha toward Bardibas in Mahottari. Organizers expect the group to reach the federal capital within about a week.
The victims say they were forced to take to the streets again because the government has failed to implement four separate written agreements reached with loan shark victims in the past.
According to the protesters, the commitments made by the state have remained confined to paper, leaving thousands of farmers and labourers trapped in cycles of debt and exploitation.
They say the march is intended to remind the government of its unfulfilled promises and to intensify pressure for meaningful action. The demonstrators have vowed to continue their movement until justice is delivered and effective measures are taken against predatory lending practices.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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