December 17: Sugarcane farmers, who have been protesting in Kathmandu since four days to recover their due payment from sugar mills, have now warned to go on a hunger strike if they do not receive their payment. According to Hari Shyam Raya, secretary of the Sugarcane Farmers' Struggle Committee, Sarlahi, the government should have fulfilled its five-point commitment made with the farmers last year. However, he said that the government was not serious about it and was taking a different path.

He further says that they are not hopeful of getting money by arresting the operators of the sugar mills. “If we don’t get the money within a week, we will go on a relay hunger strike,” he said. Last year on January 3, the sugar mill owners had made a five-point agreement with the farmers in the presence of the government and agreed to pay the entire amount by January 21, 2020. This time, the farmers are thinking of returning only after receiving their money. Farmers from other districts are increasingly coming to Kathmandu to support the protest.

When the sugarcane farmers of Sarlahi started protesting at Maitighar on Sunday, only about 100 people had participated. Sugarcane farmers from Nawalparasi, Bara, Parsa, Rautahat and Saptari have also arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday. As of Wednesday, the number of protesting farmers has reached 500. The committee stated that they will gather 1,000 farmers within a week.

Even though the government has invited the sugarcane farmers for talks, they refused to sit for talks until they receive their money. Ram Raya, president of the committee said that as their main demand is to receive their due money, they will not return until they get the payment. Furthermore, he urged the government not to consider their protest as weak, as the locals of Kathmandu are also supporting their demonstration.