A Case of Sako (Sankhu), a Newa Settlement

Dr. Madan Gopal Shrestha

Associate Professor, Padmakanya Multiple Campus, TU

Earthquake-induced displacement and internal migration is a recent phenomenon in Nepal after the great disaster hit in the country on April 25, 2015. Oxford dictionary (2014) refers to “disaster as a sudden accident or a natural catastrophe that causes great damage or loss of life, migration as the “movement of people to a new area or country to find work or better living conditions”. The International Organization for Migration (IOM, 2015) defines displacement as the concept of forced movement and a forced migrant is one who migrates to 'escape conflict, repression, natural and human-made disasters, ecological degradation, or other situations that endanger his lives, freedom or livelihood. The impacts of the earthquake have been multidimensional and have also induced the people's movements from the place of origin following the other secondary migration. Post Disaster Need Assessment 2015 accessed the findings of the immediate impacts of the 2015 earthquake in livelihoods means - deaths and injuries, there was huge physical loss was the primary impacts. Direct impacts on physical infrastructure showing the loss of NPR 530 million, estimated damage of NPR 5,300 million was seen leading to a total loss of NPR 5,830 million.

Limited studies were carried out after the 2015 earthquake, except for a few notes on academic research was available till the period of this research done about Sako (Sankhu). Here the researcher himself from Sankhu tried to explore the Post-earthquake Impacts of Migration a historic town in Sankhu as well as the study was made only within the well-known historical boundary of Sankhu town where overwhelming of population are Newars. This study is to make different discourses on displacement due to the earthquake. It will also create an additional opportunity for scholars interested in this issue, leaving a gap in the study. The study's overall objective was to contribute to understanding the impact of the earthquake on people's livelihoods, especially focusing on displacement. This study was based on the qualitative research methodology, and revealed, immigration started in the community that has a lot of impact on culture, economy, and infrastructure in the community. Historically, since the Panchayat regime, there was rare numbers of immigration. Outmigration to different districts and commuters towards the Kathmandu city was usual; the purpose of out-migration was for education to business. On one hand, the 2015 earthquake forced them to migrate from Sankhu and on another hand, the implication 2015 earthquake on migration forced people to change their residences and different parameters of livelihoods.

According to the Sankharapur Municipality record, during the earthquake of April and May 2015, a total of 112 people died and 179 people were injured in Sankharapur municipality. In terms of property loss, a total of 694 houses collapsed and 961 houses partially damaged. Only some of the houses which are recently built with RCC structures are safe for living. As Sankhu town is densely populated compared to other areas of the municipality, it suffered much. In Sankhu town a total of 40 people died and 52 people injured.

In Sako, except a few, majority of the individuals working in daily wages are from other districts such as from Sindhupalchok, Nuwakot, and Dolakha. The trend of in immigration from outside districts for labor works has increased after the earthquake. This scenario created a heterogeneous society in the community. On one hand, people are coming from outside to Sankhu and on another hand, Sankhu people are moving outside the Sankhu, especially upper mid-level people from the origin are moving outside either for seeking jobs or for business and most of the lower mid-level population are residing in Sankhu seeking opportunities within the Sankhu.

According to the participants of FGDs (Focus group discussion), it revealed that the affected families are moving to and from different places surrounding the Sankhu and its vicinity, and displacement occurred finally, some are planning to migrate and some are migrated outsides the Sankhu. Several displacements found as initial steps of nobilities before they decide to migrate. The volume of migration from Sankhu is towards the Kathmandu city where they are either already a place to live or planning to live there. FGD members argued that many going to Kathmandu will not return as they already have settled business or house in Kathmandu, and who has not yet might back again.

Analyzing the FGD and KII information, several reasons evolved for out-migration from Sankhu due to the earthquake. After the earthquakes, people have lost their houses and properties, people have no place to live in their place of origin home. People have to look at the alternative place for immediate living accommodations.

People have no place to live in their original home as local municipality reported that more than 90% houses damaged/collapsed in Sankhu, people have been looking for the alternative place for living, our rapid assessment at eight clusters of Sankhu have shown following statics our field survey reveals. During the survey people are still living in the area of their place of origin in Sankhu – some in tents or CGI tin trust made sheds, some in the repaired collapsed house (renovating to one story).

People who are living in a joint family, some family members left Sankhu, those who live in the house have no land certificate so they are not able to renovate the collapsed houses and have pushed them to migrate outsides the origin. Data from land Revenue official (Sankhu land Revenue office, 2073 Baisakh) reveals that 75percent of land owned by Sankhu origin has been sold. One can observe barren land here and there in the vicinity of Sankhu due to changes in land ownership, which has a huge negative impact on agriculture production. The recently emerged problem due to earthquake which fuels to push them to migrate outsides has encouraging Sankhu people to sell their agricultural land as an immediate solution, so that the fund can be used either to build house or to meet immediate essential expenses for daily livelihood.

Our interview with a headmaster of higher Secondary School says that most of the youths from Sankhu are seeking optional opportunities outsides the Sankhu and abroad too. Few youths, those who have linkage abroad have already gone to Gulf for employment, some are on pipeline and some are processing for passport and visa. Similarly, our KII explored similar issues like youth attracted for external migration for foreign employment, as their houses collapsed, the middle economic status of Sankhu engaged in small business and services have lost their house and business locations. They have been displaced internally and some moved to the surrounding communities such as at Indrayani, Jorpati, and Kathmandu city.

The results of this study conclude that volume of migration within the Sankhu is higher than the volume of migration outsides the Sankhu. The immediate impact of the 2015 earthquake was on infrastructure, occupation, education, health, and the cultures which are the means of livelihood. Analyzing the case of displacement, the first displacement can be labeled as the physical displacement and second and third displacements as the economic and social Displacement. The process continues until the victims feel they are economically and socially benefitted at the new place of residence. And finally, displacement stops when they come in a position to rebuild the house collapsed and recover the livelihood damaged facilities and the victims would end their movement and migrate to the current place. Those entire movements were the impact of the 2015 earthquake was for better livelihoods. Findings shown the types of the mobility of the displaced households like - Inter and Intra-district displacement, inter and Intra-Local Levels, as well as Inter and Intra-Ward Levels.

We observed that migration is selective; our study reveals that priority basis migration with the selection of opportunity of earning, place either at the vicinity of Sankhu or Kathmandu city. As well as the recent change of center place in Sankhu proved by members of business enterprises increasing surrounding Sankhu than inside Sankhu town which was a historic business place. The people who are staying in Sankhu have been struggling with difficulties for better livelihoods at present.

(This article is an excerpt of a research report the author submitted to TU, Padmakanya M. Collage )