SLAVERY IN NEPAL

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1925, Page 3

SLAVERY IN NEPAL

SCHEME FOR ABOLITION,

COMPENSATION OF OAVNERS

An impassioned and moving appeal for the co-operation of his people in the abolition of slavery has been made by the .Maharajah of Nepal. The .Maharajah, who has given 1,400.000 rupees (nominally £140,000) towards carrying out the measures of abolition, declares that the only point for discussion is procedure, and how long the process will take. There are 51,14!) slaves in the State, and it is proposed that the 15,719 owners shall he compensated. The question' whether the liberated slaves shall lie apprenticed to their former owners for a term of years is to he discussed. After a touching description of the horrors of slavery, the Maharajah concludes: ‘'if you are still agreeable, as f ardently hope you will I <*. let there

he a total abolition of this institution; an institution so abominable in its very nature that it should not he allowed to continue in any country, and, as yon all must feel, it is contrary to every sentiment that ought to inspire the breast of man. In order that the masters may not he losers, and to prevent

any possible dislocation in the social economy, the following proposals are placed before you for careful consideration and opinion, with suggestions to ensure practical success and to avoid

any difficulty or distress to either master or slaves, it is proposed that: — 1. —On and from a certain date, to lie fixed as early as possible in cousin-ain-e with general opinion, the legal status of slavery do cense and terminate throughout the Kingdom ol Nepal. 2. —'f'he owners he given the statutory price for every slave held by them according to the register, over whom claim lias been fully established. 3. The slaves freed from the fixed date, are to he apprenticed to their former owners for a period ol seven years: that is, the slaves should he bound to labour for their masters, the latter in return providing them, with food and clothing a.s at present. “The point for consideraion now is whether the system of apprenticing freed slaves for a period ol seven years would he preferable or whether you would prefer a wholesale and immedi-

ate emancipation to come into loroe on a predetermined date. ‘‘So let us stop purchase and sale of slaves and separation ol members of (lie family from each other; let the law providing an opportunity of emancipation for any slave when about to he sold he made more effective anil comprehensive by tin* Government itself taking place ol the kith and kill when nolle comes lorward. Ihe Government will he ready to buy any slave, or slaves, whenever the master is inclined to part with them, anil to liberate such iftcr the purchase.

Nepal, which has an area of 5-1,000 square miles and a population of 5, (i'lO.OOi), lies on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, and includes .Mount Everest. It exports rice and other grains, oils, seeds, jute anil so on. By a treaty between the British and Nepalese Governments in December, 1923, the internal and external independence of the State was recognised . The Maharajah, who is 92, and has been Prime Minister of Nepal since |PC|_ visited England in I‘JOH. During the war he nreseuted -'ll machine-guns, the first gift of munitions, to the King, and placed the whole of the military resources of the State at the King s disposal. Although Nepal is nominally under a sovereign, all power is in the hands of the Prime Minister.