This is an independent blog run by a student of Trinity University
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Armed groups of Madhesh, whose side are you on?
How hypocritical is the claim of Madhesi armed groups that they are fighting for the rights of the repressed Madhesis. Shame on those groups. You burn your own people and this is how you justify it? Loot the passengers, mostly Madhesis. Money and cell-phones of passengers, is that what you are fighting for? Spread terror among madhesis and ask for "reasonable" charities which in your definition are few hundred thousands, is this what you intend to accomplish? Bandits of madhesh. Stop calling yourselves the saviours of Madhesh.
45 hours of load-shedding every week? Holy......
There is just no end to complaining even though I don't want to. And this is how the government expects support from people. Imagine the situation. Industries, they are the hardest hit. And everyone is banged. The NEA justifies it by citing the receding water-flow. But, that is not the solution. Think of Nepalese government's ambitious policy of 10000MW by 2010, is it? The climatologists warn the glacier is receding and will continue to recede at an alarming rate. The evidence is right here, 45 hours of load-shedding due to receding water-flow which is obviously due to receding glaciers and yet the government is stressing on it.
The government should think again of its long-term policy. Potential does not necessarily mean you should exploit it. It should devise some plan to at least provide the immediate needs by alternative resources. Nuclear power is not a viable option considering the technological backwardness but solar and wind, though not cheap can obviously be used to fulfill the needs when the water-supply is low. Why is noone concerned?
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Transition to USA
So much needs to be said and written about the transition to a new society, a dreamland for many. In short, a mental revoultion seems to be unfolding. I can feel it, experience it.
It has added a new perspective to my thinking and perception.
We, being in the Milky Way galaxy can never see our own galaxy. To see, it we would have to come out of it, literally. The point here is that we can see other galaxies, measure their distance in light years and estimate their size, number of stars and so on. But it is hard to see our own galaxy clearly and assess it. The parallel here is that, when I was in Nepal, it was hard to imagine Nepal not being the center of the world just as it is almost impossible for us to imagine universe in any other way in which Earth is not at the center of the universe. From this standpoint, it is easier to see Nepal and assess it, observe and learn how it looks from others' eyes and know for sure what it actually is, without having a biasedness.
It has added a new perspective to my thinking and perception.
We, being in the Milky Way galaxy can never see our own galaxy. To see, it we would have to come out of it, literally. The point here is that we can see other galaxies, measure their distance in light years and estimate their size, number of stars and so on. But it is hard to see our own galaxy clearly and assess it. The parallel here is that, when I was in Nepal, it was hard to imagine Nepal not being the center of the world just as it is almost impossible for us to imagine universe in any other way in which Earth is not at the center of the universe. From this standpoint, it is easier to see Nepal and assess it, observe and learn how it looks from others' eyes and know for sure what it actually is, without having a biasedness.
Budding hope
I was really filled with euphoria when I came across a blog of one of the current ministers of Nepal. It was totally unexpected. Moreover, I also learnt that he has a background in engineering and has practiced so for more than 20 years. My dissatisfaction over the appoinments of the most responsible positions such as ministeries to illiterate and half-witted politicians without any background in the related field let alone sound knowledge was appeased to a great exent.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
brain drain in Nepal
If you walk around putalisadak area of kathmandu and just strech your head little then you will be able to see myriad of huge boards that make it seem as if you have come to a different city, or even a different country. The boards are full of ads for visa preparation, SAT, TOEFL,GRE, GMAT and other test preparations that many of us might not have even heard. What would be the reaction of a normal Nepali youth who has to pass along them as many educational institutes are also in that area. Day after day, the youth might be filled with desire to give a try and also might think that his dreams lies in one of those buildings.
The consultancies are mushrooming like new parties in nepal and this is an evidence for the trend of Nepalese youths going abroad for higher education which is on a all time high.
It seems more youths want to study abroad than in this country even though they might have to sell their properties and work like a dog in a foreign country, why?
Where does the fault lie?
Nepal is being drained of its skilled manpower every year. The cream of nepal, i mean the most talented ones are leaving Nepal for a higher education abraod and many of them vow not to return unless they make quite a hefty sum or till the situation here is favourable which is nowhere near. They are happy to work for others while the country needs them most...
Those who are abroad, they are making a living very well but what about handful of those who return? They are hardly finding the environment conducive here for anything. if they start business, they would not make profits as such due to frequent strikes and TAXES paid voluntarily to different groups of nepal. Also, obtaining license for a business is fraught with man hurdles and when the political situtation is so fragile, the processing could take few months to few years. Even to work as well,the atmosphere is hostile, the remote areas are still insecure and are ruled by local groups who extort certain percentages as their commission before any developmental works can be done. If the government works too are impeded by them, then the hurdles for private sectors are discernably immense. Many of them thus generally return back after few years or months seeing that nothing has improved and might not improve since the country is being played for quenching their individaul political interests.
Centralization is another big hurlde in the deveoplment of our nation. All of the ministeries are concentrated in the capital. Even for smaller governmental works, people have to come to the capital valley. You see, during my holiday, I went to Janakpur and I had a big trouble finding a good cyber for communicating with my college officers. The internet connection was really very very slow and also intermittent. I missed one of my college interview since I did not get to check my emails. It was then I realized being able to use quite fast internet in Kathmandu was indeed a liberty. I wanted to call my college admission officer but then I realized unlike Kathmandu where you see call abroad at Rs 2 per minute in every alternate street, Janakpur had none of those internet call system. Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?
But this is the real situation outside the capital. Janakpus is quite a big town and yet it has none of the communication facilities that are so common yet so necessary . GPRS service provided my Spice Nepal really came in handy when I was in Kathmandu. I could check my emails at night,in the morning, in the bus, anywhere. But in Janakpur, the service was temporarily unavailable. Areas outside the capital cannot be developed unless the government decides to extend the facilities outside the capital. Everything should not be controlled from the capital.
so what can be done?
Government is mum on these issues of brain drain.... why?
I am really worried that it might soon be a really grave problem for the Nepalese nation. A month ago, while I was in Janakpur, I saw that my father's business did not have a single person to work. There were initially three staffs but one of them went to Malaysia, the other one started his small business and the third one came once in a blue moon since his brother had left for Arab and since his brother sent him money,he had stopped working........What a thinking?????
He continued to look for another staff but he could not find any even after continuously asking people of diferent village to see if there's someone unemployed in their village.......No one showed up till I came back to Kathmandu. I remember, 4-5 years back, youths from my villagers would come and request my father to employ them in our business even for meagre income and that they could do all kind of physcial labour. Still, since he had sufficient manpower, he would tell them that he could not do so at that time maybe sometime later, it might be possible. The situation is a lot different now. I am sure it's not because unemployment problem has been solved. It still looms large. We have already started seeing signs of lack of labours and workers and soon, it might become so severe that they might be paid more here than in the Middle-East countries.......who knows?
P.S. The internet service in Janakpur is quite good these days and the internet phone call service too has been introduced. Some positive developments to cheer me up. I hope the same is the trend in other towns too.
The consultancies are mushrooming like new parties in nepal and this is an evidence for the trend of Nepalese youths going abroad for higher education which is on a all time high.
It seems more youths want to study abroad than in this country even though they might have to sell their properties and work like a dog in a foreign country, why?
Where does the fault lie?
Nepal is being drained of its skilled manpower every year. The cream of nepal, i mean the most talented ones are leaving Nepal for a higher education abraod and many of them vow not to return unless they make quite a hefty sum or till the situation here is favourable which is nowhere near. They are happy to work for others while the country needs them most...
Those who are abroad, they are making a living very well but what about handful of those who return? They are hardly finding the environment conducive here for anything. if they start business, they would not make profits as such due to frequent strikes and TAXES paid voluntarily to different groups of nepal. Also, obtaining license for a business is fraught with man hurdles and when the political situtation is so fragile, the processing could take few months to few years. Even to work as well,the atmosphere is hostile, the remote areas are still insecure and are ruled by local groups who extort certain percentages as their commission before any developmental works can be done. If the government works too are impeded by them, then the hurdles for private sectors are discernably immense. Many of them thus generally return back after few years or months seeing that nothing has improved and might not improve since the country is being played for quenching their individaul political interests.
Centralization is another big hurlde in the deveoplment of our nation. All of the ministeries are concentrated in the capital. Even for smaller governmental works, people have to come to the capital valley. You see, during my holiday, I went to Janakpur and I had a big trouble finding a good cyber for communicating with my college officers. The internet connection was really very very slow and also intermittent. I missed one of my college interview since I did not get to check my emails. It was then I realized being able to use quite fast internet in Kathmandu was indeed a liberty. I wanted to call my college admission officer but then I realized unlike Kathmandu where you see call abroad at Rs 2 per minute in every alternate street, Janakpur had none of those internet call system. Sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?
But this is the real situation outside the capital. Janakpus is quite a big town and yet it has none of the communication facilities that are so common yet so necessary . GPRS service provided my Spice Nepal really came in handy when I was in Kathmandu. I could check my emails at night,in the morning, in the bus, anywhere. But in Janakpur, the service was temporarily unavailable. Areas outside the capital cannot be developed unless the government decides to extend the facilities outside the capital. Everything should not be controlled from the capital.
so what can be done?
Government is mum on these issues of brain drain.... why?
I am really worried that it might soon be a really grave problem for the Nepalese nation. A month ago, while I was in Janakpur, I saw that my father's business did not have a single person to work. There were initially three staffs but one of them went to Malaysia, the other one started his small business and the third one came once in a blue moon since his brother had left for Arab and since his brother sent him money,he had stopped working........What a thinking?????
He continued to look for another staff but he could not find any even after continuously asking people of diferent village to see if there's someone unemployed in their village.......No one showed up till I came back to Kathmandu. I remember, 4-5 years back, youths from my villagers would come and request my father to employ them in our business even for meagre income and that they could do all kind of physcial labour. Still, since he had sufficient manpower, he would tell them that he could not do so at that time maybe sometime later, it might be possible. The situation is a lot different now. I am sure it's not because unemployment problem has been solved. It still looms large. We have already started seeing signs of lack of labours and workers and soon, it might become so severe that they might be paid more here than in the Middle-East countries.......who knows?
P.S. The internet service in Janakpur is quite good these days and the internet phone call service too has been introduced. Some positive developments to cheer me up. I hope the same is the trend in other towns too.
Is madhes problem solved?
it was a historic event re......
the same thing was said when the govt had struck a deal with the madhesi janadhikar forum
but happened eventualy, everyone knows
who is going to believe them this time
As a madhesi, i believe these leaders are not fighting for us madhesis
no one fights for others.......they fought for power and money which they might have got during those talks
see the maoists, they say they have fought a peoples' war......have they?.......who was it who suffered the most?.......people of Rolpa had it worst in my view
similarly, in the madhes andolan, it was the people of madhes who suffered the most.......all businesses closed......no transportation.......no income nothing......nothing to eat except for the lathis of the police
and while people were getting beaten and bullets fired through them, the madhesi leaders were having a 'chiyapan karyakram' in Baluwatar.
how can madhesi people be so dumb?
the same thing was said when the govt had struck a deal with the madhesi janadhikar forum
but happened eventualy, everyone knows
who is going to believe them this time
As a madhesi, i believe these leaders are not fighting for us madhesis
no one fights for others.......they fought for power and money which they might have got during those talks
see the maoists, they say they have fought a peoples' war......have they?.......who was it who suffered the most?.......people of Rolpa had it worst in my view
similarly, in the madhes andolan, it was the people of madhes who suffered the most.......all businesses closed......no transportation.......no income nothing......nothing to eat except for the lathis of the police
and while people were getting beaten and bullets fired through them, the madhesi leaders were having a 'chiyapan karyakram' in Baluwatar.
how can madhesi people be so dumb?
Friday, February 22, 2008
madhesi leaders' hidden motives
it ails to read the news about scores being hurt in tarai in the demos.
i think the terai leaders are waging this revolution for their own benefits
they want promotion and ministerial posts with a good bungalow and cars with few servants there. i am sure once these leaders would be promised of them, they would say this is the victory of madhesi people and the people have got their rights.
but who is here to believe them?
i would kick them hard if i could
they are the greatest enemies of the terai
when they could direct the budget and resources for the construction purposes in tarai, they didn't
they were only interested in directing them in their warm pockets.
go to the terai and you'd see that those leaders own several acres of land
here they are just pretending to be with the madhesi people , in fact they are not
leaders are those who take benefits out of peoples' revolution
see prachanda for eg. he's enjoying a good stay and life in ktm and his sons study abroad
he is havng all luxuries but his poor cadres.........
i think the terai leaders are waging this revolution for their own benefits
they want promotion and ministerial posts with a good bungalow and cars with few servants there. i am sure once these leaders would be promised of them, they would say this is the victory of madhesi people and the people have got their rights.
but who is here to believe them?
i would kick them hard if i could
they are the greatest enemies of the terai
when they could direct the budget and resources for the construction purposes in tarai, they didn't
they were only interested in directing them in their warm pockets.
go to the terai and you'd see that those leaders own several acres of land
here they are just pretending to be with the madhesi people , in fact they are not
leaders are those who take benefits out of peoples' revolution
see prachanda for eg. he's enjoying a good stay and life in ktm and his sons study abroad
he is havng all luxuries but his poor cadres.........
Thursday, February 21, 2008
V day's hype
Valentine's Day's Hype
Nepalese youths may not remember when children's day or education day is but they would definitely know when Friendship or Valentine's Day is. And even those who have grave difficulty in spelling Physics can spell Valentine with ease. I have been sad lately due to the unnecessary hype created in the nameof V-day. This day has caused much attention of the children, teens and the youths alike . School and college students had been waiting for this day more than the Nepalese people are awaiting constitution Assembly polls. I flip across the newspapers and magazines and I see advertisements, parties, special offerings and comments by famous celebrities. I even got a SMS from a local operator with its special offer for the day. After all, is this day worth this much attention?
I am proud to admit that I am single. I do have female friends but am not emotionally attached nor have been on a date with any of them. I am contended hanging out with my friends and do not long for a special one. But the numerous advertisements in newspapers about V Day are driving many young minds in the wrong direction by creating false images. A forced impression is being imposed on their delicate and gullible minds by creating stereotypes by spreading the message that normal people give flowers, gifts, go on a date on this day with their special ones. Those who do so are normal and the rest of course, abnormal beings bereft of a lovable heart.I laugh when I see people desperately searching for love. In my view, love is not something to be found through intensive search, it's ineffable and a feeling that is unforced that comes from deep down the heart. On numerous occasions, I have been lucky enough to find people busy in their msn or yahoo chats and trying their luck for this big day in order to find someone as desperate as them to prove that they too are normal and not someone outside the crowd. Media is playing a major role in exaggerating about this day, its significance and the impression that if you do not have someone to spend this day with, you better find one before you are termed an abnormal or a loser.
I wonder why foreign culture appeals so much to our Nepalese youths. If you look at our culture, "Karwa Chauth" is probably a similar occasion if not better. The only difference between them is that ours is more religious type and requires fasting while the foreign one is more "cool" and allows hanging out with a hunk devouring yummy pizzas in some good restaurants. Moral values are depleting in our youths so probably they find V Day more appealing as it gives license to spend time people of opposite sex and indulge in socially unapproved activities.The bottom line is, "Am I normal"? I do not have some one to spend my day with on V Day. Or to prove myself normal should I succumb and start to look for one for the next year's V Day. I now understand why search engines like Google and Yahoo are continuing to make fortunes. It's because there are countless in the endless process of searching and being searched to redeem themselves as normal, lovable beings. The hunt begins.
Nepalese youths may not remember when children's day or education day is but they would definitely know when Friendship or Valentine's Day is. And even those who have grave difficulty in spelling Physics can spell Valentine with ease. I have been sad lately due to the unnecessary hype created in the nameof V-day. This day has caused much attention of the children, teens and the youths alike . School and college students had been waiting for this day more than the Nepalese people are awaiting constitution Assembly polls. I flip across the newspapers and magazines and I see advertisements, parties, special offerings and comments by famous celebrities. I even got a SMS from a local operator with its special offer for the day. After all, is this day worth this much attention?
I am proud to admit that I am single. I do have female friends but am not emotionally attached nor have been on a date with any of them. I am contended hanging out with my friends and do not long for a special one. But the numerous advertisements in newspapers about V Day are driving many young minds in the wrong direction by creating false images. A forced impression is being imposed on their delicate and gullible minds by creating stereotypes by spreading the message that normal people give flowers, gifts, go on a date on this day with their special ones. Those who do so are normal and the rest of course, abnormal beings bereft of a lovable heart.I laugh when I see people desperately searching for love. In my view, love is not something to be found through intensive search, it's ineffable and a feeling that is unforced that comes from deep down the heart. On numerous occasions, I have been lucky enough to find people busy in their msn or yahoo chats and trying their luck for this big day in order to find someone as desperate as them to prove that they too are normal and not someone outside the crowd. Media is playing a major role in exaggerating about this day, its significance and the impression that if you do not have someone to spend this day with, you better find one before you are termed an abnormal or a loser.
I wonder why foreign culture appeals so much to our Nepalese youths. If you look at our culture, "Karwa Chauth" is probably a similar occasion if not better. The only difference between them is that ours is more religious type and requires fasting while the foreign one is more "cool" and allows hanging out with a hunk devouring yummy pizzas in some good restaurants. Moral values are depleting in our youths so probably they find V Day more appealing as it gives license to spend time people of opposite sex and indulge in socially unapproved activities.The bottom line is, "Am I normal"? I do not have some one to spend my day with on V Day. Or to prove myself normal should I succumb and start to look for one for the next year's V Day. I now understand why search engines like Google and Yahoo are continuing to make fortunes. It's because there are countless in the endless process of searching and being searched to redeem themselves as normal, lovable beings. The hunt begins.
attitude of state and security officials in tarai through my eyes
the madhes crisis still looms large and the leaders they are seemed to just have meaningless talks days after days while the whole tarai is burning. the government should be held responsible for this because the govt does not listen to the demands without any pressure or any bandhs or violent actions.
while i was in Terai, my home, during the revolution, few armed police came chasing the protestors and entered their houses chasing them.
even after the doors were closed, they kicked opened the doors with the strong boots given by the govt for such purposes and severely beat all male members that they saw.
many of my neighbours who were sitting in their homes listening to their FM sets were also severly injured due to their beatings despite the fact that they were innocent.
this incident really has painted a bad picture of the security condition of tarai, the attitude of the security personnels and also the attitude of the govt.
i believe that the security personnels would not act like untamed beasts without such harsh orders from the state.
while i was in Terai, my home, during the revolution, few armed police came chasing the protestors and entered their houses chasing them.
even after the doors were closed, they kicked opened the doors with the strong boots given by the govt for such purposes and severely beat all male members that they saw.
many of my neighbours who were sitting in their homes listening to their FM sets were also severly injured due to their beatings despite the fact that they were innocent.
this incident really has painted a bad picture of the security condition of tarai, the attitude of the security personnels and also the attitude of the govt.
i believe that the security personnels would not act like untamed beasts without such harsh orders from the state.
no fuel = no milk = no water
i have not received milk for few days........as a milk lover this has upset me. so i called the milkman asking him why he did not deliver the milk.
i found his answers really funny though it was the truth
he said that he could not come to my place due to shortage of petrol for his bike.
Amazing i thought.
government does not give him petrol and he does not give me milk.
this is so unfair i thought
this is nepal and everything goes like this.
you just have to be strong to live in Nepal
there was another incident few days ago while i was in thamel
people were really angry that the water was not supplied there
a hub for tourists, the place really needs a lot of clean drinking water
the government officials and the hotel owners were entangled in a dispute
the govt officials complained that though they had plenty supply of clean water they had run short of diesel to run the tankers
again so ironic and hilarious NO Diesel = No Water
No Petrol = No millk
this is how life is going on in Nepal
NO gas, no water, no milk, no power and above all no fuel.
i found his answers really funny though it was the truth
he said that he could not come to my place due to shortage of petrol for his bike.
Amazing i thought.
government does not give him petrol and he does not give me milk.
this is so unfair i thought
this is nepal and everything goes like this.
you just have to be strong to live in Nepal
there was another incident few days ago while i was in thamel
people were really angry that the water was not supplied there
a hub for tourists, the place really needs a lot of clean drinking water
the government officials and the hotel owners were entangled in a dispute
the govt officials complained that though they had plenty supply of clean water they had run short of diesel to run the tankers
again so ironic and hilarious NO Diesel = No Water
No Petrol = No millk
this is how life is going on in Nepal
NO gas, no water, no milk, no power and above all no fuel.
Monday, February 18, 2008
who am i?
i remember reading the poem of the famous poet who asked us to ask ourselves
Who am I?
Where am I?
What is my purpose?
I have the answer to the second one while the third one is too spiritual. I thought i knew the answer for the former but lately i have been confused. I knew i am a Nepali boy. Now, still i am a boy but am i a Nepali?
follow the revolution in the tarai, Madhes, the southern part of Nepal and you would know what i am trying to say. I am a nepali, alright.
but the definition now has become that those who live in tarai (madhes) are "madhesis" and the rest are "pahadis" or nepalis.
well, about me, i was born in "madhes" and spent my childhood there,my father too was born there so i am a "madhesi". But i have spent my youth and almost the same number of years in the hills (pahads) that i have in the tarai (madhes). i like to call myself both a pahadi and a madhesi. because my appearance is like a madhesi while my behaviour,lifestyle and attitude is that of a pahadi because i have spent my youth in the hills among the "pahadis". i get along well with my friends of the hilly origin. i even speak Nepali better than Maithili. I do not know how to write even a statement properly in maithili.
when i go to my home in the tarai, i feel that the revolution that is going on is justifiable. the majority of the people vehemently support the revolution and many of them are ready to even sacrifice their life for the revolution. once, even i was tempted to join an angry mob of "madhesi youths" who were demanding equality and justice but i didn't as my father didn't allow me. thanks to my father because the same mob clashed with the police deployed at a chowk to control them. several rounds of bullets were fired and scores of them sustained bullet injuries, few of their condition was critical.
but when i return to my school in kathmandu (in the hills), i hear people looking at the revolution with scorn and remorse. "madhesis have already got more than they actually deserve. the revolution is meaningless. it is the king's conspiracy to thwart the constituent assembly polls." i feel bad when they say so because in the tarai, it is the common people who are involved in the revolution. King could hire few hundreds or thousands. but see on the streets, there are much more than that the king can hire even with all his treasures. Peoples' sentiments can not be bought with money.
Bu again, political analysts calculate in the public shows on leading television networks that Madhesis have got more than that they are demanding. so what is this uproar for? I am convinced by their analysis too. In the headlines too, it is said that even after the government's repeated calls for dialogue, the revolutionary factions are just ignoring them. I feel the madhesi groups are not being responsible too.
I am saddened by the activities of various armed groups of the tarai who kidnap people and then shoot them to leave their dead bodies around some rivers. most of the people killed are of the hill origin. they ask people of hill origin to leave the tera. this is ridiculous. how is that possible? if so is the case then one day, another revolution could break out in the hills too asking people of tarais of leave or be ready to face the consequences.
what would be the results? disastrous.
country would be divided and each region homogenous
this would lead to a civil war probably and more riots in the future, racial riots similar to the religious riots that happen time and again between hindu and muslims of India.
in fact, we had already begun to see some similar signs but people of hills were probably more responsible and avoided it.
the country could be pushed into depression and life might become very difficult. the leaders of both the regions should act responsibly before it's too late
Who am I?
Where am I?
What is my purpose?
I have the answer to the second one while the third one is too spiritual. I thought i knew the answer for the former but lately i have been confused. I knew i am a Nepali boy. Now, still i am a boy but am i a Nepali?
follow the revolution in the tarai, Madhes, the southern part of Nepal and you would know what i am trying to say. I am a nepali, alright.
but the definition now has become that those who live in tarai (madhes) are "madhesis" and the rest are "pahadis" or nepalis.
well, about me, i was born in "madhes" and spent my childhood there,my father too was born there so i am a "madhesi". But i have spent my youth and almost the same number of years in the hills (pahads) that i have in the tarai (madhes). i like to call myself both a pahadi and a madhesi. because my appearance is like a madhesi while my behaviour,lifestyle and attitude is that of a pahadi because i have spent my youth in the hills among the "pahadis". i get along well with my friends of the hilly origin. i even speak Nepali better than Maithili. I do not know how to write even a statement properly in maithili.
when i go to my home in the tarai, i feel that the revolution that is going on is justifiable. the majority of the people vehemently support the revolution and many of them are ready to even sacrifice their life for the revolution. once, even i was tempted to join an angry mob of "madhesi youths" who were demanding equality and justice but i didn't as my father didn't allow me. thanks to my father because the same mob clashed with the police deployed at a chowk to control them. several rounds of bullets were fired and scores of them sustained bullet injuries, few of their condition was critical.
but when i return to my school in kathmandu (in the hills), i hear people looking at the revolution with scorn and remorse. "madhesis have already got more than they actually deserve. the revolution is meaningless. it is the king's conspiracy to thwart the constituent assembly polls." i feel bad when they say so because in the tarai, it is the common people who are involved in the revolution. King could hire few hundreds or thousands. but see on the streets, there are much more than that the king can hire even with all his treasures. Peoples' sentiments can not be bought with money.
Bu again, political analysts calculate in the public shows on leading television networks that Madhesis have got more than that they are demanding. so what is this uproar for? I am convinced by their analysis too. In the headlines too, it is said that even after the government's repeated calls for dialogue, the revolutionary factions are just ignoring them. I feel the madhesi groups are not being responsible too.
I am saddened by the activities of various armed groups of the tarai who kidnap people and then shoot them to leave their dead bodies around some rivers. most of the people killed are of the hill origin. they ask people of hill origin to leave the tera. this is ridiculous. how is that possible? if so is the case then one day, another revolution could break out in the hills too asking people of tarais of leave or be ready to face the consequences.
what would be the results? disastrous.
country would be divided and each region homogenous
this would lead to a civil war probably and more riots in the future, racial riots similar to the religious riots that happen time and again between hindu and muslims of India.
in fact, we had already begun to see some similar signs but people of hills were probably more responsible and avoided it.
the country could be pushed into depression and life might become very difficult. the leaders of both the regions should act responsibly before it's too late
A nepali's woes
Nepalese hearts are being filled with sheer frustration. Walk on the roads and you see the frustrations emanating from their expressions. it could be either waiting in the traffic jams to clear out as soon as possible or it could be waiting in the endless queues for petrols or diesels or it could be waiting for the electricity in their homes or office so that they can watch their favourite programs on TV or complete their projects or reports.
i just returned from a place about 2 km from my home. but see the condition of public vehicles, they are filled with people , literally crammed in there with no space to even place your feet properly. the conductor keeps on yelling "Ali uta sarnus na" (please make some more space) while even a fool would know no more space can be created without asking someone to step out, probably someone huge so that space can be made for more than one person. the reason- the scarcity of petroleum. motorcycle owners not used to travelling by micros or buses were finding it especially difficult and were venting their anger at our leaders. i overheard one of them "these all are same. jun jogi aye pani kanai chireka". the exasperation on their face gave a very bad impression of the condition of Nepal. Even gentlemen dressed in suits and gentlewomen, seemingly from high class families were seen walking on foot. Amazing, they too have not got fuel. if the fuel had been available, i am sure they would have been ready to pay even double the actual price.
Day before yesterday, i met my office dai who works as the book store's helper. he always met me with a smile on his face but on that day, something was wrong. he appeared sad and wore a sullen face. i approached him and asked what's the problem. he replied that his gas cylinder had emptied in the morning while his wife was cooking food. he searched for the gas cylinder around his nearby stores but all of them said that if he deposited the money, it was likely that he could get one within a month. he asked me if i could get him one. i wondered,if the Nepalese government couldn't, how could I? he then went on to say that he had his lunch at one of his friends' house.
"But how long can I expect him to feed me? Moreover, i do not like to have my food at my relatives or friends' house. I have a 11 month old son who has to be fed with milk every now and then. we can manage with beaten rice and sugar but what about my son." he too vented his anger at the leaders of our country.
"If only I had a gun.........." he added.
i was moved by his feelings and the problem that he was facing. but there was nothing that i could do. i too had bought my gas cylinder just a week ago after waiting for a week after initial payment. But fortunately, during one week, i had all of my meals at one of my friends' place. Lucky me. But not every one is as lucky as me.
Today, while i was sitting in the Sun outside of my house, i overheard few women saying that their gas cylinder too had emptied completely and had bought kerosene for 100 rupees per liter! That's awesome I thought. Nepalese people have become so rich. 100 rupees per liter? that's even expensive than petrol or diesel. they have income just sufficient to eat, no savings. what's going on in Nepal?
think about the plight of students of Nepal. Whenever they sit to study in the evening, ...........power is gone before they have even completed one page of their homeworks. Many students work in the afternoon after their college in the morning. consider their situation, they can study only in the evenings and late hours. Nepalese government is not doing justice to them at all. We have 8 hours of load shedding every day. we have power cuts for 4 hours every day in the evening save for one day. how pitiable. And listen to the statements by the Electricity Authority Chief's statements, "load shedding will continue for the next five years because even if the planned hydropowers are completed we won't have supply by then". another statement says that even if those hydropowers are completed, we would still have laod shedding hours during rainy season. Why do we boast that we are the second richest country in water resources when more than half are devoid of clean drinking water?
Why do we boast that 83000 MW of hydropower can be generated when not even 1% has been generated?
Nepal can become rich by selling its hydropower to big power giants India and China. It souds s0 hilarious to Nepalese people nowadays.
Industries are on the verge of being shu down. many have already halted their production and sent their workers home for indefinite periods.
Infaltion is much much higher than the growth rate of Nepalese economy.
As a youth,i dream of creating a new Nepal, A Prosperous Nepal, A self Sufficient, Independent Peaceful Nepal. But every day i wake up, i find my dream is moving away from me. I am afraid that one day that dream can move so far away from me that i may not be able to reach it.
i just returned from a place about 2 km from my home. but see the condition of public vehicles, they are filled with people , literally crammed in there with no space to even place your feet properly. the conductor keeps on yelling "Ali uta sarnus na" (please make some more space) while even a fool would know no more space can be created without asking someone to step out, probably someone huge so that space can be made for more than one person. the reason- the scarcity of petroleum. motorcycle owners not used to travelling by micros or buses were finding it especially difficult and were venting their anger at our leaders. i overheard one of them "these all are same. jun jogi aye pani kanai chireka". the exasperation on their face gave a very bad impression of the condition of Nepal. Even gentlemen dressed in suits and gentlewomen, seemingly from high class families were seen walking on foot. Amazing, they too have not got fuel. if the fuel had been available, i am sure they would have been ready to pay even double the actual price.
Day before yesterday, i met my office dai who works as the book store's helper. he always met me with a smile on his face but on that day, something was wrong. he appeared sad and wore a sullen face. i approached him and asked what's the problem. he replied that his gas cylinder had emptied in the morning while his wife was cooking food. he searched for the gas cylinder around his nearby stores but all of them said that if he deposited the money, it was likely that he could get one within a month. he asked me if i could get him one. i wondered,if the Nepalese government couldn't, how could I? he then went on to say that he had his lunch at one of his friends' house.
"But how long can I expect him to feed me? Moreover, i do not like to have my food at my relatives or friends' house. I have a 11 month old son who has to be fed with milk every now and then. we can manage with beaten rice and sugar but what about my son." he too vented his anger at the leaders of our country.
"If only I had a gun.........." he added.
i was moved by his feelings and the problem that he was facing. but there was nothing that i could do. i too had bought my gas cylinder just a week ago after waiting for a week after initial payment. But fortunately, during one week, i had all of my meals at one of my friends' place. Lucky me. But not every one is as lucky as me.
Today, while i was sitting in the Sun outside of my house, i overheard few women saying that their gas cylinder too had emptied completely and had bought kerosene for 100 rupees per liter! That's awesome I thought. Nepalese people have become so rich. 100 rupees per liter? that's even expensive than petrol or diesel. they have income just sufficient to eat, no savings. what's going on in Nepal?
think about the plight of students of Nepal. Whenever they sit to study in the evening, ...........power is gone before they have even completed one page of their homeworks. Many students work in the afternoon after their college in the morning. consider their situation, they can study only in the evenings and late hours. Nepalese government is not doing justice to them at all. We have 8 hours of load shedding every day. we have power cuts for 4 hours every day in the evening save for one day. how pitiable. And listen to the statements by the Electricity Authority Chief's statements, "load shedding will continue for the next five years because even if the planned hydropowers are completed we won't have supply by then". another statement says that even if those hydropowers are completed, we would still have laod shedding hours during rainy season. Why do we boast that we are the second richest country in water resources when more than half are devoid of clean drinking water?
Why do we boast that 83000 MW of hydropower can be generated when not even 1% has been generated?
Nepal can become rich by selling its hydropower to big power giants India and China. It souds s0 hilarious to Nepalese people nowadays.
Industries are on the verge of being shu down. many have already halted their production and sent their workers home for indefinite periods.
Infaltion is much much higher than the growth rate of Nepalese economy.
As a youth,i dream of creating a new Nepal, A Prosperous Nepal, A self Sufficient, Independent Peaceful Nepal. But every day i wake up, i find my dream is moving away from me. I am afraid that one day that dream can move so far away from me that i may not be able to reach it.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
appeal of foreign education
it's a pity that thousands of the best, most talented students of Nepal go abroad in seek of a good education deciding to never return back to the country that has given them so much troubles and less opoortunites for a quality education.
and I sadly admit that i am one among the group who have one but only one aim to go abroad for education. aftearall, i do not have any other better options. look at the condition of Nepal, the number of schooling days is very less. the teachers teach all but what's already in the books. there's no opportunities for research let alone study away programs...we are being limited to book learning.
with this kind of age old system of education, how can we compete globally? we see the students in foreign countries of our age and they have acheievd so much. they have designed robots, created so many new things.
it all ails to see the condition
we have to face 8 hours of load shedding daily.
but we youths do have a vision to improve the country
at present, it seems impossible
and I sadly admit that i am one among the group who have one but only one aim to go abroad for education. aftearall, i do not have any other better options. look at the condition of Nepal, the number of schooling days is very less. the teachers teach all but what's already in the books. there's no opportunities for research let alone study away programs...we are being limited to book learning.
with this kind of age old system of education, how can we compete globally? we see the students in foreign countries of our age and they have acheievd so much. they have designed robots, created so many new things.
it all ails to see the condition
we have to face 8 hours of load shedding daily.
but we youths do have a vision to improve the country
at present, it seems impossible
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