Dollars are pouring in but positive changes are yet to be felt by the Badi Community

Ms. Maya Singh Badi Nepali hails from the district of Dang and represents the country’s one of the most backward community- the Badi Community.

Ms. Nepali is currently undertaking an Intermediate of Science Degree in the field of Biology being based in Kathmandu. A hectic study hour does not stop her from attending various programs in Kathmandu and outside, where she could tell the people about the plight of her community.

Maya recently spoke at a seminar sponsored by this paper last December and made the attending participants to remain spell bound. The way she represented her community and the plight that she made public there was simply touching. She could not control her tears at time when she was speaking from the dais during the inaugural session of the seminar. To recall, the Danish Ambassador was the chief guest of the Seminar.

Maya apart from being engaged in social activities, serves at Katuwal Radio Patrika, and Jagran media center. This modest girl also is a researcher.

She appeals the international donor community to seriously look into the continued plight of the Badi community. Maya wants a primary school being constructed in her area which would allow the Badi kids to see the world through their own eyes. The Telegraph would thus politely encourage the donor community to be kind enough towards the plight of the Badi community as expressed by Maya Singh Badi.

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TGQ1: As a member of the “Badi Community” Ms. Maya, please first introduce your society? And also let us know the plight of your community?

Ms. Maya: Shortly, this society is the most backward in the entire country and also within the domain of the Dalit community itself. Thus the community is still living in the Dark Age.

If we have to talk about the history of this community, it is said that the community migrated from Vaishali of India about three centuries back. Since then, they started living in Nepal but still they do not have any particular stationary living place as such. This society has always remained as a mobile community. Currently, the people of Badi community make their homes in almost 23 districts of this country. And the profession this community is primarily involved in is the “flesh trade” which has been putting their heads down. And the reason behind adopting this profession is nothing but the rampant poverty that this community is living since time immemorial. The poverty factor is what is forcing this community to engage itself in the most heinous flesh trade. But this is the hard reality.

In brief one can also say that this society mainly comprise of those people who do not have any approach in the country’s politics and the economic activities.

About the present status, the people of this society are still living at the banks of the river. Neither they own lands nor do they have place to live in that they could call their private homes. To add insult to injury, the educational level is too low. If I am correct, there is no formal educational degree holder in this community. 

Of late, there have been major changes taking place in their mind set though. The number of people taking into the profession of prostitution is decreasing at a faster pace. This is good news. Still there are many involved in this profession and I repeat again it is not their choice but a compulsion.

TGQ2: Maya Jee, how do you justify the recent Badi revolution- as you call it, and what changes you think this could incorporate at the national level?

Ms. Maya: Obviously, revolution is meant for changes and it also directs the overall society for what future course it is to take.  

Similarly, Badi revolution which we witnessed some two months back has certainly paved a new path for the entire nation; this is what I have felt. In other words, it also means that an individual’s rights must also be preserved and guaranteed by the State no matter what community he or she belongs to or from which economic strata they belong to. There are norms- that are internationally accepted and that an individual has his/her right to live peacefully, to say what he or she wants and also to contribute in the country’s overall development, this is how the Badi Revolution should be taken. If such norms are every individual’s rights then how come people from Badi Community remain aloof? To add, the saddest part of the Badi Revolution is that still in the 21st century people have to fight for their basic rights.

Further, without addressing to the plight of this community, it would mean that such internationally acclaimed norms and principles are being grossly violated. We are here talking about an individual’s rights that’s all and that the people of this community too being a human being must also experience such rights if they exist at all. Our demands are thus just and valid.

And I am optimistic that the Badi community’s fight for their rights must have opened the eyes of the ruling elites of late.  Finally, I hope that no marginalized community in Nepal will have to fight for their rights repeatedly.

TGQ3: What majors the government of Nepal has adopted to address the plight of your community?

Ms. Maya: As yet and also to my knowledge I am yet to witness if such policies have been devised by the government to address the plight of this community. I am sure there is nothing as such...though we have been told by the government that our problems will be addressed soon. I warn the government that if our demands are not met with on time, we will too join the streets.  Of what nature and dimension our protests would be is very difficult to predict to say. All that I can say is that the protest would some how or the other shake the entire establishment.

TGQ4: As a youth representing the Badi community, what you prescribe for the problems faced by this community?

Ms. Maya: I certainly have some ideas as to how to uplift the community. As a member of the community what the whole community is facing I am also facing the same thing. For me education is the fore most. Providing scholarships to our backward community is necessary. To eradicate the rampant poverty creating job opportunities on the basis of reservation is also necessary. Last but not the least, Health facility is necessary as well. For this the government should provide all types of facilities which are directly or indirectly related to health. For example, pure drinking water, sanitation, heath awareness programs, family planning, electricity etc. There is no health posts as such in my area in Dang.

And the common voice of this society is the citizenship and our ownership to land. This should also be included in the priority list. Government’s attention in this regard is what is demanded now.

TGQ5: How do you relate poverty and the problems faced by this community?

Ms. Maya: I am happy that you asked me this question. Not many people in this country would like to listen to or read as to what problems of our community is facing since centuries. I cannot say that efforts were not made to raise this society. Yet I have to say that corruption is the major cause for the sorry state of the community. There are NGOs and other agencies working towards uplifting the community. Yet there are some who have been misusing the funds they have received from the government or from the international donors. I can also say that green Dollars are pouring in but no positive change as yet have been felt by the Badi Community. This is unfortunate.

Posted on : 2008-01-08 20:28:47

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