Sukumbasi - Landless but not Homeless

At least 20.000 people in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, are living an uncertain existence in small slum-like settlements around town. Locally known as Sukumbasi's they are squatters who have settled down and constructed very simple houses on land that doesn't belong to them. Hence the often used designation, 'landless'. Since they never bought the land nor got any kind of permission to settle down there, they live in constant fear of being evicted whenever the government, who owns the land, decides to 'develop' it or to sell it off to private investors. And if that happens, they will loose their homes and everything they have ever invested in them.
Image Ref. no: Np07IIX087