On July 31, 2023, in Kathmandu, individuals who have fallen prey to usury, commonly referred to as "Meter-Byaj," organized a rally and sit-in program at Shantibatika and Maitighar. They called upon the government to address their concerns. Usury has emerged as a significant social issue, where unscrupulous lenders provide loans to economically disadvantaged individuals at exorbitant interest rates, subsequently increasing these rates over time.Recently, both Nepal's House of Representatives and National Assembly passed a bill, which the President subsequently signed into law. This legislation includes provisions for the punishment of individuals involved in usurious lending practices throughout the country.Now, usury which involves lending money with the intention of earning high interest, is considered a crime and carries a prison sentence of up to 7 years and a fine of Rs 70,000. They are determined to fight this injustice and defend their rights. They have turned the Santibatika Ratnapark into their home, setting up several tents where they sleep collectively, cook together, wash and hang their clothes on lines spread throughout the park.They have no intention of giving up and plan to continue the protests until their situation is resolved. Here are some of the key issues faced by usury victims in Nepal:1 . Moneylenders often lend money at extremely high interest rates, well above market rates. This creates an unsustainable financial burden for borrowers, leading to a spiral of debt. Victims are often exploited due to a lack of financial knowledge, causing them to agree to unfavorable loan terms. This includes crafting deceptive loan contracts and unauthorized increases in debt, creating an endless cycle of debt where they are constantly taking out additional loans to pay off previous debts.2. Additionally, some moneylenders resort to intimidation tactics, physical threats, and coercion to force borrowers to repay their debts, creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity. Before the criminalization of usury in Nepal, victims had little to no legal protection against these predatory practices. This made it difficult to seek justice or resolve disputes. Usury has a devastating impact on the lives of victims and their families, often leading to the loss of assets, properties, and even complete financial ruin, perpetuating a cycle of persistent poverty.3. The criminalization of usury in Nepal, as mentioned in the previous translation, is a positive step in the pursuit of justice and the protection of the rights of victims. However, it is important that ongoing efforts are made to educate the public about the dangers of usury and to ensure the effective enforcement of the law to prevent future victims and assist those who have already been affected by this harmful practice.
To take pictures, I had the valuable collaboration of a local journalist who took it upon themselves to communicate my presence to the people with the purpose of conducting a photographic report for the local newspapers. Due to the language barrier, direct communication was not possible, but through gestures and, in some situations, with translation assistance, they guided me to the locations to capture images, and the people showed great comfort with my presence.I photographed people in their tents, some engaged in conversations while others were asleep. I also captured moments during lunch and various daily tasks such as dishwashing, laundry, and clothes drying. As the time for the peaceful protest approached, which was surrounded by the police, more to create a protective barrier, mainly due to traffic concerns, I accompanied them and documented their protests.
For this, I shot with the Canon 5D MKIV, the 24-70mm f2.8 L lens and the 70-200mm f2.8 L lens.
