Forceful evictions:

The Nepali Government has displaced thousands of Indigenous Peoples during BNP’s creation and expansion. In 1969, two villages were relocated occupied by the Sonaha people, and they were criminalized for conducting traditional practice.[1] Seven years later in 1976, a second round of evictions took place when BNP authorities relocated 1,500 households outside the Karnali Wildlife Reserve.[2] The third wave of evictions occurred in the 1980s where 9,500 Indigenous Peoples were resettled outside the park. Since 1983, BNP authorities have forcibly evicted at least 300 households from their land along the Geruwa river. 274 of those are Tharu peoples of Wards 4 and 6.[3] Many of these people were originally displaced due to monsoon flooding and the riverbed shifting however, Bardiya officials sent them to the buffer zone and approximately three weeks later the Nepal Army used wild elephants to chase these Indigenous Peoples away.[4] Many families have since been evicted from the buffer zone or locations where they have tried to rebuild their lives. According to Ward 4 officials, 144 households lost their land between 1983 and 1989. Of these households 96 belonged to the Tharu community and the rest belong to other Indigenous Peoples such as the Magar and Dalit.[1] According to Ward 6 officials, 151 households lost their land. Of them, 130 belong to the Tharu community and unlike in Ward 4 most of the land lost by people in Ward 6 was unregistered government land i.e., land without recognition of ownership. Only 31 households including 16 Tharu, have landownership certificates others living in Ward 6 have no documentation.[2] BNP officials claim the land falls inside the park boundary and therefore, all restrictions under national park laws apply. Meaning, people are not allowed to settle there or visit to collect their natural resources or to “occupy, clear, reclaim or cultivate any part or grow or harvest any crop.”[3] Despite not having any access to their land, the Geruwa villages have continued to pay land revenue tax. They say it is to safeguard their access and is a requirement to claim compensation for damage to crops.[4] In June 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown the BNP office arbitrarily issued a seven-day notice threatening 141 families living in the area to leave the forest or face eviction. Most of these families were Tharu Indigenous Peoples.[5] The BNP officers did so without first ensuring these families had access to alternative housing.

Arson: 

On 21 May 2017, the army stationed in Thakurdwara in the BNP set more than 100 Tharu families homes on fire who were living in an informal settlement in Jharniya, Magaradi Village Development Committee destroying 105 homes.[6] The community and human rights activities allege that the army committed this violation due to a dispute between them and the Indigenous Peoples. After mediation between the army, the District Land Rights Forum and the community, the army agreed to let the community stay in the buffer zone as long as it could be confirmed that these families were “real landless” and provided a recommendation letter from any political party.[7]

Harassment: 

Bardiya Indigenous Peoples have complained about discriminatory treatment and harassment by Nepal Army officials.[1] The Army and game scouts have threatened Sonahas at gunpoint, shot at them, and thrown stones whilst they were fishing. 

Right to food: 

Protected animals such as tiger, rhino and elephant have increased over the years however, farmers in Bardiya complained about protected wild animals frequently destroying their crops, stored grains, farm animals and structures, including houses. The state, therefore, has failed to protect their right to food. The state has also violated their right to remedy as the relief provided is nominal and it excludes relief for recurring destruction by certain types of animals i.e., monkeys.[2] 

Murders: 

On 10 March 2010, BNP soldiers killed two women and one 12-year-old girl when they were collecting tree bark within the BNP.[3] The Army and BNP officials have justified the killings by claiming that the victims were poachers killed by Army personnel in self-defense.[4] The Army and BNP officials have played an active role in obstructing criminal accountability by pressuring the families of the victims to withdraw criminal complaints. This case highlights weaknesses in the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act which permits the use of firearms in situations where there is no immediate threat to life.[5] These three murders were reported to WWF however, WWF abandoned the proposal to conduct human rights training for BNP employees because of the political context at the time.[6]

Torture: 

The Nepali Army and BNP authorities torture Indigenous Peoples for entering the park. Many Sonaha men were detained for violating park rules, some were released after paying fines however, some Sonaha have died whilst in custody.[7] As of 2018, armed guards continue to beat and verbally abuse Indigenous Peoples, seize their fishing equipment, and arbitrarily arrest and fine them if they find them conducting traditional practice inside BNP, cutting grass, or fishing.[1]