MEDITATION creates miracles

ISHWAR RAUNIYAR “Jiwan bhar Ma runda, Sansar hasnu beskari, Hasdai bida hunche Dakini, Jin timi kripa garnu ti mathi” (Even as I cry, The world continues its laughter, While dakinis laugh and bid farewell, Buddha, now it's up to you to take care of this world) She says she dœsn’t really know where the words come from, but they usually appear in her head when she meditates. When she sings out the words, she holds the audience in rapture. Anupama Dahal’s life changed when she began to meditate; besides bringing her peace, meditation allowed her to become a singer, and today the spontaneous singer is healing many with her songs. Dahal learned meditation when she was 14 from Guru Shreedhar Rana Rimpochhey. She recalls the day, “I was very young and not serious about meditation. But when I sat in a position similar to Lord Shiva’s posture in films and TV serials, I was mentally at peace,” she says. Dahal originally wanted to become a Bharat Natyam dancer, and has even completed a Bachelors’ degree in the ancient art form. However, a love for song writing since her school days never left her even during her training in the classical dance form. The meditation practices that she began, streamlined her thoughts and she slowly began writing her songs down, and composing the music for them. According to her, a meditative practice called “Samatha” taught her to build the mind’s concentration levels. She experienced something surreal two years after she began practising it. She said, “I could see air pockets in the sky and atoms in the dust with my bare eyes.” It was like transcending reality and connecting with the very root of nature. For her, the unusual talent of spontaneous song writing comes from this very step. She has written over three hundred songs—especially religious Buddhist songs. She elaborates, “My songs cover the entire human life, and being closer to Buddhism, I write songs about people’s problems as well as their happiness.” She feels it depends on how one perceives things. She says, “I see the Buddha in every person I see around me.” It’s usually around a full moon or the 10th day of every month when her song writing talent reaches its crest. She is inspired by daily events and political or social problems do not escape her reality when she is writing a new song. A few of Dahal’s songs are written in different languages, such as in Urdu, Punjabi, Doteli, Hindi and Sanskrit. The interesting part is, she dœsn’t know the languages properly. She says, “I don’t know how those words come to my mind when I start writing. There are certain terms I don’t understand, but it suits the rhythm and the meaning of the song.” Dahal asks her teacher to find out the language after she finishes her writing. However, she dœsn’t credit any supernatural powers to this. She thinks it is due to meditation and the inspiration given by her guru, whom she regards as the Buddha himself. She says, “I feel proud that I have made my guru happy with this talent.” Arun Gurung of ‘Kutumba’ calls her talent a miracle. He says, “It’s a inborn quality, and it is an extraordinary talent to create and compose songs with different lyrics.” Dahal will perform at the Nepal Academy Hall along with Kutumba and Shiva Mukhiya this Saturday.

Teachers call off strike Will re-agitate if demands not met

ISHWAR RAUNIYAR KATHMANDU, JULY 30 After the government committed to address their demands, Nepal Education Republic Forum (NERF) on Thursday agreed to call off their strike. Following the NERF decision, schools will temporarily reopen from Friday. NERF, the umbrella organisation of 10 different agitating organisations had called a three-day strike from Wednesday. “The government has promised to address our demands, therefore we have called off the strike for now,” said Hom Bahadur Thapa, Vice-Chairman of NERF. “We will hold discussions with the government from tomorrow regarding our demands.” According to Thapa, the Forum will re-launch the agitation if the government fails to meet their demands. The Ministry of Education (MoE), had dealt with the teachers’ bodies earlier and on March 29, 2007, had inked a 14-point agreement with NERF. Similarly, on April 2, 2007 and again on June 15 the same year, the ministry had signed an 8-point agreement with Nepal Institutional School Teachers’ Union (NISTU). However, under secretary at the ministry Lekhnath Poudel said only a huge investment in the education sector followed by political consensus would pave the way for long-term solutions. According to Poudel, demands like making temporary teachers permanent and providing salary to the teachers of private schools equal to those of public schools could not be implemented immediately. Poudel said the agitating teachers should be more flexible regarding their demands. “According to government estimates, it will cost the ministry about Rs. 6 billion, which is far beyond what the ministry can afford.” He added, “Policy should be brought forth to provide salary to private school teachers equal to that of teachers at public schools.” What the government can do is fix a minimum salary for teachers, Paudel said. Lab Prasad Tripathi, former MoE spokesman said, “Political instability has caused this problem. Frequent change of government has become a major problem. New governments don’t want to implement the agreements reached with previous governments, and, this results in such turbulent situations in the education sector. “Political leaders must sit together to find a long-term solution to this problem.” Tripathi was also of the opinion that the government should immediately implement past agreements and rule out other illogical demands that could not met. The government has formed a three-member talks committee comprising Education Minister Ram Chandra Kushwaha, Peace and Reconstruction Minister Rakam Chemjong and Minister for Federal Affairs Minendra Rijal. NERF has since long been demanding permanent status for temporary teachers in public schools, appointment letters for all the staff working in schools from peons to watchmen, salaries for private school teachers equal to that of public school teachers, reinstatement of sacked teachers and formation of management committees in schools.

181,000 new vehicles registered in last 5 years

Kantipur Report KATHMANDU, July 30 - Regular traffic jams inside the Valley are no surprise, but if one considers the increase in number of vehicles, and compares it to the increase in the length of roads inside the valley, there is but one conclusion: there are more vehicles in the valley than what the roads can handle. While 2004-05 saw 23,749 new vehicles registered in the zone, 2008-09 saw nearly double that amount, 50,090 new vehicles being registered. In fact, there were around 235,000 vehicles registered in Bagmati till 2003-04, but in the last five years itself, a staggering 181,000 new vehicles have been registered. Also, Bagmati accounts for more than half of all the vehicles in the country itself. Metropolitan Traffic Police Superintendent Rabi Raj Shrestha said, “The number of vehicles inside the valley is easily more than what its roads can take.” He claimed that if all the vehicles inside the Valley came on the streets together, there wouldn’t be any space at all. Strangely, the Department of Roads does not have the data regarding the increase in the length of roads in the last five years. However, the Budget this year stated that a measly 62 km of roads were added across the whole country in the first eight months of fiscal year 2008-09, whereas in the last year itself, 102,570 new vehicles were registered in the country. Data on the Department of Road’s website states there was a mere 8.57 percent growth in the Valley’s roads in the two years between 2002 and 2004. Sharad Chandra Paudyal, director-general at Department of Transport Management denies that the Valley’s roads are overcrowded. He blames the traffic management rather than the length of the roads. “The traffic management should be systematic. Drivers should park vehicles at the right place and the traffic police should manage the situation better.” Suraj Sigdel, senior divisional engineer at the Department of Roads said, “Roads have not been increased in terms of length. Only the maintenance is done.”

Waste disposal continues to be stalled

ISHWAR RAUNIYAR

KATHMANDU, July 28 -

The collection of waste in Kathmandu Valley remains uncertain following an inconclusive end to the meeting between the local struggle committee, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) and the Local Development Ministry on Monday.

Okharpauwa locals have been obstructing waste disposal demanding a written commitment from the government to fulfill their different demands since last week. “We couldn’t reach an agreement due to the irresponsibility of the government,” said Ramesh Prasad Paudyal, coordinator of the struggle committee.

Paudyal also said that the committee hasn’t asked the government for any money but has demanded development works be initiated at the land fill site in Okharpauwa. However, Paudyal said “the government is never serious about our demands”,and that they will not let KMC dispose garbage “untill the government gives a written commitment”.

Waste disposal has been obstructed time and again by protesting locals. The current obstruction has already seen at least 2,500 tonnes of garbage lying unattended in the Valley. The three cities inside the Valley generate at least 500 tonnes of waste everyday.

Rabinman Shrestha, chief of the environmental department at KMC, said, “Locals form a group consisting of three or four members, and come up with different demands every time to obstruct waste disposal, which has made it difficult for the government to fulfill their demands.” He said that there are at least two dozen such committees.

According to KMC, over Rs. 90 million has so far been invested towards the development of the Okharpauwa landfill site over the last four years.

Shrestha said a “trend” of obstructing waste disposal has developed among locals of landfill sites to pressurise the government to meet their demands. He said some of the demands may be valid to some extent and those need to be addressed, but the government should take stronger initiatives in finding an alternative to the problem.

The government is planning to develop Banchareydanda, between Nuwakot and Dhading, as a long-term solution for disposing the valley’s waste.

Autism kids’ plight in focus

ISHWAR RAUNIYAR KATHMANDU, July 26 -

Family members, especially her mother-in-law, started ignoring Nilam Gautam after finding out that her three-year-old son had autism. Nilam bursts into tears when she remembers her son's abnormal behaviour. "I am going through a great difficulty," she says, "because my son -- Dikshan Gautam -- does not act like normal children." Her ordeal does not end here. Owing to autism, her son has been deprived of education. Time and again, she tried to enroll her child in school. "It will harm our business, so we can't admit your son," she quotes teachers. On the other hand, Darshan Deuja, whose son also experienced autism, had to quit her job as teacher to look after her son, Darshit. "I worried about my son's future," she says. She thought her world had turned upside down when she first discovered her son's autism. "It was like a nightmare." Despite the bitter fact that there is no reliable treatment for autism, not even in developed countries, she never gave up. However, she has started seeing some rays of hope -- Darshit, who is her only son, is slowly doing worldly things. She is determined, "I will stop giving birth to other children" and will spend the rest of my life enabling him." According to doctors, autism is a disability that develops due to abnormal growth of children's brain. Tanya Savko, executive member of Autism Society of Oregon, while addressing mothers of children with similar problems, said autism is not a tragedy. "We live far away. Our lives, jobs and cultures are very different. But, we have one thing in common -- our children". Savko also has a 14-year-old child who is autistic. Nikki Scarbrough, Executive Director of Knowledge for people said, "There is no medicine for curing autism, neither is there any particular reason behind the case". She added, "The important thing is that family members should be involved in looking after the autistic child with lots of love and care". Autism is mainly characterised in three ways: Problems in communicating, interacting socially, and it is repetitive in its motions. Autistic persons are either very hyper or very passive. They do not like to play games like normal children. They don't like change and avoid eye contact. They echo words or phrases and can't understand danger or have no fear. Dr. Sunita Amatya, Vice President of Autism Care Nepal (ACN) outlined the possibility of danger for autistic children because they don't understand danger. "It might result in a huge accident". President of ACN Hem Sagar Baral suggested that family members should not hide autism in the family due to fear of social stigma. They should own the problem and try to provide treatment for those children. In this connection, he also called on the department concerned to look into the issue. Posted on: 2009-07-25 20:50:11

When Animal Attacks Men 6 leopard attacks within last year

By ISHWAR RAUNIYAR & JENEE RAI KATHMANDU, July 22 - Shyam Krishna Maharjan dreamt of leopards chasing him for three consecutive months, and is still afraid of any bushes or dense forests. He was attacked by a leopard a year ago in Manamaiju. “My hand had completely gone inside its mouth. But I used my other hand to push it away,” he said. The big cat had entered his village during the evening, and a crowd of 200 had gathered around the bush where it was hiding. Maharjan was part of the crowd, and had pushed himself to the forefront to get a better view. “It suddenly attacked without any provocation. My entire life flashed in front of my eyes.” Within the last year itself, six cases of leopard attacks have been recorded in the valley. At least three leopards were killed by various groups—villagers and the police—in these attacks. Data available with the Wildlife Watch Group (WWG), a non-governmental organisation, says that at least 25 people have been killed in the 10 years up to 2004 inside the Valley and neighbouring Kavrepalanchok, and at least 102 have been injured in attacks. Wildlife expert Karan Shah believes it is the fault of humans who provoke the animal by trying to "behave like heroes" when they saw a leopard. He said, "They collect weapons and try to chase the animal down, instead of informing the concerned authorities." According to him, leopards come most into contact with humans when they leave their mother's care in search of new territory. He added, "Inside the valley itself, the only way for the cats to cross from the Nagarjuna forests to Gokarna forests is through the streets of Kathmandu." Ghanshyam Gurung, conservation officer at the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, said, "Leopards are fond of dog meat, and enter the city in search of stray dogs." He thinks increased poaching of animals that form the leopard's natural prey has resulted in scarcity of food. Conservationists believe a multi-pronged approach is needed to limit the man-animal conflict. Shah believes the government should strictly implement prevailing wildlife laws. Mangal Man Shakya, chairman of WWG, said, "The habitat of the leopard should be mapped out and people should be made aware about protection."

Information whiteout No climbing, no phones, no cameras, no reporting

ISHWAR RAUNIYAR at EVEREST BASE CAMP

CHARLES HAVILAND

IRON CURTAIN: A temporary police checkpoint near Everest Base Camp where expedition gear is checked for pro-Tibet flags and material. All video cameras, satellite phones have to be surrendered.

The ice pillars on the Khumbu glacier sparkled. The seracs on the Nuptse wall were blue-green and translucent.

We felt elated despite the 5,000m elevation as we walked towards Base Camp on Monday. Both the army and a trekking company had assured us as reporters we might be able to seek exemption from the ban on satellite phones and video cameras.

But minutes after arriving at Base Camp and being escorted to a temporary post by a friendly plainclothes policeman, Deputy Secretary of the Tourism Ministry Prabodh Dhakal took charge of us. "You are not allowed to talk to any one here," he said sternly. "If anyone is found talking to you, they will be expelled."

No journalist was allowed to enter Base Camp without a permit. "You are also unofficial here, so leave this place as soon as possible," Dhakal told us.

The government has ordered an information blackout at Everest Base Camp. Not only video cameras and satellite phones, but also satellite internet and walkie-talkies, essential for mountain rescue, have been confiscated. We were told we could not even cover non-political subjects.

When I asked why I, as a Nepali, could not stay, Dhakal said repeatedly that these were "exceptional circumstances". He told us to come back after the Olympic Torch had reached the summit via the Chinese side.

"You have heard that Chinese officials have been meeting the Prime Minister and other government officials. It's an order from the top. You are not allowed to stay here: you don't have a permit," he said.

This Base Camp is on the Nepal side of the mountain, but it might as well be in China. Nepal has officially closed the southern side of Chomolungma until at least 10 May from Camp 2 (6,500 m) upwards. In addition, all foreigners without a climbing permits have been ordered to leave Base Camp from 1-4 May. That includes photographers, team leaders and spouses of climbers.

As a Nepali I felt sad and humiliated. A Nepali mountaineering official, who didn't want to be named, explained: "Nepal is a beggar country. We are getting lots of economic help from China, so we can't jeopardise our relationship." But it's not just geopolitics, mountaineers' lives are also at risk. A climber at Base Camp who also didn't want to be quoted, fearing expulsion, said that the longer the mountain was closed, the greater was the danger. "Within 10 days, we could have made Camp 4 ready for the first summit push," he said. "But the longer the closure, the greater the danger of ice falling on us. It's endangering our lives."

The reason for all this bandobast is that China doesn't want any embarrassing Free Tibet banners at Base Camp or on the mountain during the torch's journey to the summit. Chinese ambassador Zheng Xianling flew into Base Camp this week in an army helicopter. The police had found a Free Tibet flag in the rucksack of an American mountaineer, he was sent down the mountain and later deported.

There is anger along the Everest Trail for the decline in business and employment this season. Dendi Sherpa, a lodge owner, said the restrictions were a sign of the Nepal government's weakness. "It's China that is holding the Olympics-why should we have to close all these things?" asked Dendi. Trekkers are also unhappy they aren't allowed to use video cameras near Base Camp.

The Rinpoche of Tengboche Monastery has said he was "extremely worried" that the home ministry had sent armed soldiers to Chomolungma. But for Major D B Thapa in Namche, it is clear Nepal can't jeopardise relations with China. He said: "We want the Olympic Torch to reach the top of Sagarmatha successfully."

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Torch nearing summit

COLD BEAUTY: The summit of Chomolungma peers from behind the Nuptse ridge on Tuesday. The Olympic torch is being taken up to the summit from the Chinese north side of the mountain sometime over the weekend.

The Chinese took the Olympic Torch to the summit of Mt Everest on May Day itself in an expedition that has been shrouded in secrecy.

The Olympic flame arrived in Hong Kong on Wednesday. Another torch was taken to the north Base Camp last week and is said to be making its way to the top. The Olympic flame split in Beijing last month, with the main torch heading to Europe, the United States and Asia on its protest-marked world tour.

Western reporters at the Rongbuk Glacier on the north side of Everest have said there is no information about the torch. The flame will be carried in a lantern, allowing a carefully designed torch using special fuel to be lit in the thin air of the summit.

Some had speculated that the team hoped to make the ascent Wednesday, exactly 100 days before the Olympics and amid celebrations in Beijing. The torch may have been delayed because of gale force winds at the summit this week.

There has been Chinese air activity over the summit on Tuesday and Wednesday which could indicate the torch is nearing the summit. Chinese CCTV reported mountaineers had completed the setup of a staging point at 8,300m for the final assault on the 8,850m summit.

Call to ban corporal punishment

ISHWAR RAUNIYAR KATHMANDU, JULY 15

Seventeen different organizations submitted a memorandum on Wednesday to the Ministry of Education asking for legal ban over corporal punishment. The memorandum calls for "prohibition of physical and psychological tortures to the students…teachers found guilty should be punished according to the law." The organisations have launched a campaign to submit a memorandum on the 15th of every month until the government meets their demands. Last month, Rojina Lamichhane and Prashna Sharma, both grade 10 students at Prashanti Siksha Sadan at Kapan, Kathmandu, were beaten up by their principal, and were admitted in Om hospital for treatment. Their crime was that they ate in the 'canteen', which was against the rules. In a similar incident last year, Hittan Ramjali, a grade nine student, was beaten up by three teachers of Tripureshwor Secondary School. He was blamed for leaking the air out of his teacher's cycle. After the beating, he disappeared for 11 days, and was later found dead. Psychologist Ganga Pathak shared one such incident. She said, "A boy was forced to write 'I am a cheater, I am a liar' a hundred times because he didn't do the homework. The boy was depressed for many weeks after that. Most schools in the Valley mete out corporal punishment to students." However, Dr. Bidhyanath Koirala, lecturer at Tribhuvan University, thinks parents are responsible as well for such incidents. He said, "Parents shouldn't use physically hit their children." He said there are two types of such teachers: those who were themselves beaten up when they were young, and those who enjoy such beatings. Koirala also said, "Students are of two types as well: one, who are pampered at home and need to be controlled, and the other who are physically abused at home

Motorcycle theft on the rise

By Ishwar rauniyar

KATHMANDU, July 14 - Dilip Kumar K.C. returned home on Sunday on foot, as his motorcycle, a Hero Honda, was stolen from the parking of the Everest Hotel.

Durkaman Maharjan of Kirtipur had a similar fate; however, his motorcycle was stolen from outside his house on Sunday morning as well.

K.C. and Maharjan were both at the Traffic Police office to file reports. But they are not the only ones. Kathmandu is seeing an increasing number of motorcycle thefts, and according to police records, 132 motorcycles were reported stolen this month. Include the past six months, and 983 motorcycles owners registered cases with the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division. Of the 983, the police have just found 193 motorcycles so far.

"Motorcycle thefts are increasing as people from different parts of the country are coming to the capital," said Bibhuti Raj Pandey, Deputy Superintendent of Police at the Kathmandu Metropolitan Traffic Office.

He also said that much of the youth is unemployed, and this is an easy way to earn some quick bucks.

Traffic Police Inspector Roshan Acharya added, "Motorcycle owners should be careful while parking their vehicles at their homes at night." According to him, most motorcycles are stolen from the premises of the owners.

However, motorcycle owner Ramesh Aryal from Old Baneshwor blames the police for the rise in thefts. He said, "The police has not been mobilised to every part of the city, which has made robbers more confident."

The police also say there are at least 10 to 12 thefts per month from the 28 paid parking spots inside the city. Despite paying a sum of Rs. 5 per hour for two-wheelers, Namraj Dhakal, chief, department of revenue collection at the Kathmandu Metropolitan Office, said, "There are no rules that the parking tender holders have to pay for any thefts." He added, "It is the duty of the police to look after and control these kinds of activities."

Pandey, however, disagrees with Dhakal's statement. He said, "We have been requesting the Metropolitan Office to make an agreement where parking tender holders are responsible for any thefts from the paid parking area. But they have ignored our requests."

There are nearly 334,000 motorcycles registered in Bagmati. There are also nearly 350 motorcycles at the traffic police compound, whose owners have not claimed them. The motorcycles were brought to the office for investigation of theft charges

Rising impunity ticking off citizens

Ishwar Rauniyar

KATHMANDU, July 11

Recent events, such as the murder of three youths in Thimi after being accused of kidnapping and the riot in Chapagaun where the police fought off a village, have pointed towards a tendency of ‘mob mentality’, and it appears firsthand that impunity and recent criminal acts have pushed civil society to an extreme.

But delve deeper into the tendency, and one finds that it is a culmination of several factors which have collectively become a sort of ‘tipping-point’ for society.

Two factors seem to point towards this trend of increasing mob tendencies: people don't have faith in the administration, or that they don't fear they will get punished.

“This trend has been rapidly increasing for a decade in the absence of justice,” said Gagan Thapa, Constituent Assembly member, said. “There are no cases where people have been punished while becoming involved in criminal acts such as demonstrations or other killings. This has increased the confidence of those who want to commit crime.”

Thapa added, “Political factor is also responsible towards the situation.” Hinting at the recent clash between student wings of two rival parties, he said it's not only about “why the bullet was shot”, but rather the confidence among the groups to “actually fire bullets”.

Human Rights activist Subodh Pyakurel blames the police for not working and political players for making the police weak. He said, “The police are deceiving people by not giving out full information. The police should find out why so many children are being abducted; it's not only for ransom.” According to him, 40% of abductions are for ransom, while the motives of 60% are unclear.

Chief of Metropolitan Police Office, Kathmandu, Navaraj Silwal said, “Impunity is increasing in society due to unemployment and the deprived who feel that it is the best time for revenge.” But, he denies the fact that distrust towards the police has anything to do with it.

He said, “People want to punish the accused themselves, and they feel that arrested culprits will be treated according to the law, which, for others, is sometimes not enough.” Silwal also said that the emotional factor has been high after the murder of Khyati Shrestha.

According to police records, they have been successful in securing the release of the hostage in 27 out of the 29 cases.

Psychologist Ganga Pathak sees the civil war as a factor that led to people being used to hearing news of murder and abduction. She feels political instability is another prominent factor. “The state is in a transitional phase, and the government is not functioning well. This has given space for these kinds of crimes.” She also said that the Nepali people haven't had an ideal political role-model in the past few decades, and “the Maoists coming into the government has also left an impression on society that killing thousands can result in forming the government.”

For civil society, it seems the police must do something to enhance their presence, and must give an impression that crime will be punished. However, Silwal counters this by saying that they have mobilised patrol groups inside the valley regularly. Also, they have been “conducting classes to make students aware about the issue.” Pyakurel has an interesting point; he says, the media sensationalizes such cases, and this has further increased paranoia levels among society.

Posted on: 2009-07-11 19:55:08 (Server Time)

रिपोर्ट ; सरकार मान्दैन जनता जान्दैन

अधिकांश भुटानी शरणार्थी नेपालकै मानिस हुन् भन्ने थिम्पूका सर्वसाधारणदेखि प्रधानमन्त्रीसम्मको भनाइ विपरीत शरणार्थीका हातहातमा भुटानी नागरिकता र जग्गाको तिरो तिरेको रसिद देखिन्थ्यो। थिम्पू र झापाबाट फर्केर ईश्वर रौनियार ले तयार पारेको रिपोर्ट ईश्वर रौनियार भुटानका नयाँ राजा जिग्मे केशर नामगेल वान्चुकको २० कात्तिक २०६५ मा थिम्पूमा गरिएको राज्यारोहण समारोहपारोस्थित भुटानको एकमात्र विमानस्थलमा र्झ्दा चारैतिर देखिएका सुन्दर पहाड र सेताम्मे हिउँले ढाकिएका हिमालले नेपालमै छु कि भन्ने भान गराइरहेको थियो। औपचारिक प्रक्रिया पुर्‍याएर हामी राजधानी थिम्पूतिर लाग्यौं। “यहाँ त आन्दोलन, बन्द भएको मलाई थाहा नै छैन”, मलाई नेपाली भनेर चिनेका चालक सिथार छिरिङ्गले यात्राको क्रममा कुराकानीको सुरुआत गर्दै भने, “नेपालमा त धेरै आन्दोलन भएको सुन्छौं र टिभीमा पनि हेर्छौं। साह्रै अचम्म लाग्छ, आन्दोलनमा सार्वजनिक सम्पत्ति तोडफोड गरेको देख्दा। आखिर ती सम्पत्ति नेपालीकै त हुन् नि, होइन र?” बोल्नु केही थिएन, बोलिनँ। “नेपाली मूलका भुटानीहरूलाई यहाँबाट किन खेदिएको?” केहीबेरको मौनतापछि अकस्मात् मैले सोधेको यो प्रश्नले सिथारलाई अप्ठेरो पार्‍यो। उनलाई जे जानकारी गराइएको थियो त्यही भने, “ती भुटानी थिएनन्, आतङ्ककारी थिए। तिनलाई भुटानको शान्ति मन पर्दैनथ्यो।” यात्रा अवधिभर पूर्वी नेपालका शरणार्थीहरू भुटानी हुन् भनेर मान्न उनी तयार भएनन्। भुटानका नयाँ राजा जिग्मे केशर नामगेल वान्चुकको राज्यारोहणबारे समाचार सङ्कलन गर्न बीबीसी विश्व सेवाका नेपाल सम्वाददाता चार्ल्स ह्याभिल्याण्डसँगै म २० कात्तिक २०६५ मा त्यहाँ पुगेको थिएँ। राजधानी थिम्पू बेहुली जस्तै सिँगारिएको थियो। पुगेकै रात रात्रिभोजमा डिचेन डोल्मा नाम गरेकी एक युवती नजिकिइन् र निकै सहयोगी जस्तो पनि देखिइन्। भोलिपल्ट स्थलगत समाचार सङ्कलनको क्रममा चार्ल्सले “नयाँ राजाका लागि देशका विभिन्न चुनौतीसँगै भुटानी शरणार्थी समस्या समाधान पनि एउटा चुनौती हो” के भनेका थिए, भुटानी साथीहरूको हामीप्रतिको दृष्टिकोणमै परिवर्तन भयो। अघिल्लो दिन नजिकिएकी डिचेन भोलिपल्ट चार्ल्सको नामै सुन्न नचाहने भइन्। फर्कंदासम्म पनि भुटानी साथीहरूको हामीप्रतिको मनोभावनामा परिवर्तन आएन। झापाको गोलधापस्थित भुटानी शरणार्थी शिविर।वास्तविकताको जानकारी नभएका सिथार, डिचेनलगायतका भुटानीहरूबाट व्यक्त प्रतिक्रिया अस्वाभाविक थिएन। सिङ्गो भुटानले शरणार्थी समस्याका बारेमा त्यति नै कुरा थाहा पाएको छ, जति सरकारी मुखपत्र कुन्सेल ले लेख्छ वा सरकारी रेडियो र टेलिभिजनले सुनाउँछन्-देखाउँछन्। बाहिरका सञ्चारमाध्यममा आउने कुरा तिनले पढ्न, सुन्न र बुझन पाएकै हुँदैनन्। नेपाली मूलका भुटानीलाई खेद्न शुरु गरिएको सन् १९९० को दशकदेखि नै भुटानमा न बाहिरी पत्रकारहरूलाई प्रवेश दिइएको थियो, न बाहिरिया सञ्चारमाध्यमसम्म आम भुटानीको पहुँच हुन दिइएको थियो। भुटान बसाइँकै क्रममा भेटिएका एक परराष्ट्र अधिकारीले मलाई सोधे, “आप दूरदर्शन से है?” थिम्पू टेकेदेखि नै मैले यही प्रश्न सुन्दै आएको थिएँ। “होइन, म बीबीसीबाट” हाँस्दै नेपालीमा भनें। “ए, तपाईं नेपाली” भन्दै म नजिकै आएर उनले सोधे, “तपाईंहरूले बीबीसीको रिपोर्टमा पनि उल्लेख गर्नुभएको झ्ापा वरपर बसेका भुटानी शरणार्थी भनाउँदाहरूलाई कसरी हेर्नुहुन्छ?” मैले आफैं त गरिब मुलुक त्यसमाथि शरणार्थी, यो नेपालका लागि ठूलै समस्या बनेको छ भन्ने प्रतिक्रिया जनाउँदै “अब नयाँ राजाले केही त गर्लान् नि” मात्रै के भनेको थिएँ उनले एक्कासि आक्रामक हुँदै भने, “तपार्इंलाई आफ्नै देशका मान्छे पनि समस्या लागे हगि!” “मतलब?” मेरो छोटो प्रश्नको जवाफमा उनले भने, “ती सबै नेपाली हुन्। काम गर्नुपर्दैन, भत्ता पाइन्छ भनेर वरपरका मानिसहरू शिविरभित्र बसेका हुन्। यहाँबाट गएका त बढीमा सय जना पनि छैनन्।” मैले उनीहरू सबैसँग भुटानी नागरिकता छ नि भनेर प्रतिवाद गरेपछि चाहिँ उनी “खोई कहाँबाट ल्याए नागरिकता!” भन्दै तर्किए र अरू प्रश्न सोध्नु अगावै पछि भेटौंला भनेर हिँडे। परराष्ट्र अधिकृतको भनाइ र सिथार, डिचेनलगायतको बुझ्ाइले सोच्न बाध्य पार्‍यो, के आम भुटानीको बुझाइ पनि यिनकै जस्तो हो। पछि मैले जतिलाई भेटें सबैमा करिब करिब त्यस्तै दृष्टिकोण पाएँ। भनेपछि, के त अब पूर्वी नेपालमा बस्दै आएका भुटानी शरणार्थीहरू कहिल्यै स्वदेश फर्कन पाउँदैनन्? यो प्रश्न हामीले कार्यवाहक प्रधानमन्त्री यसी जिम्बालाई सोध्यौं। उनले भने, “ती सबै भुटानी होइनन्, बढीमा तीन-चार हजार छन्। यदि फर्कन योग्य रहेछन् भने हामी आवश्यक प्रक्रिया पुर्‍याएर ल्याउँछौं।” त्यहाँ त एक लाख सात हजारको तथ्याङ्क छ नि प्रधानमन्त्रीज्यू भन्ने हाम्रो प्रश्नमा प्रम जिम्बाको जवाफ ती परराष्ट्र अधिकारीको भन्दा फरक थिएन। थिम्पूका सर्वसाधारण हुन् वा उच्चपदस्थ प्रशासनिक अधिकारी तथा राजनीतिक नेता, सबैको जवाफ एउटै पाइयो, “शिविरका अधिकांश नेपाली र केही मात्र वास्तविक भुटानी शरणार्थी हुन्। तिनै पनि खेदिएका होइनन्, स्वेच्छाले देश छोडेर गएका।” डुक्पा मूलका मात्र होइन, थिम्पू र आसपासका नेपाली मूलका भुटानीहरूको पनि शरणार्थीप्रति सद्भाव देखिएन। बरु तिनको भनाइ थियो, “शरणार्थीहरूको आन्दोलनले हाम्रो जीवनमा असर पारेको छ।” भुटानमा बस्दै आएका नेपाली मूलका भुटानीहरूको अवस्थाबारे चालक सिथारले सुनाएको एउटा प्रसङ्ग उल्लेखनीय छ। कोही आफन्त नेपालको शिविरमा भएको थाहा भएपछि १० कक्षामा भुटान प्रथम भएको उनको एउटा साथी सरकारबाट क्लियरेन्स लेटर नपाएर भारतमा छात्रवृत्तिमा पढ्न पाउने अवसरबाट वञ्चित भयो। सिथारको साथीको जस्तो नियति थुप्रै नेपाली मूलका भुटानीहरूले व्यहोर्दै आएको कुन्सेल का सम्पादक किन्ले दोर्जे पनि बताउँछन्। सम्पादक दोर्जे भन्छन्, “नेपालका शिविरहरूबाट सशस्त्र आन्दोलन गर्ने समूहसँग भुटानी सरकार त्रसित रहेकोले शरणार्थीहरूलाई भुटान फर्काउने सम्भावना कम छ।” हामीले सम्प्रेषण गरेको समाचारमा शरणार्थी समस्या उल्लेख भएको कारण भुटानको १० दिने बसाइँको अन्तिम रात कुटौँला झै गरी केही भुटानीले गरेको दुर्व्यवहार व्यहोर्दै हामी लाग्यौं पूर्वी नेपालस्थित शरणार्थी शिविरहरूतर्फ, जहाँको कथा थिम्पूको बुझाइभन्दा ठीक उल्टो थियो। त्यहाँ सबैका हातमा भुटानी नागरिकता र जग्गाको कर तिरेको रसिद थियो। थिएन त केवल भुटान फर्किन पाउने विश्वास।

यसी जिम्बा तेस्रो मुलक जान पाउने भएर रमाएका युवा शरणार्थीहरूले भुटानलाई लगभग बिर्सिसकेका छन्। अमेरिका उड्ने तयारीमा रहेका विष्णु द्यौराली भन्छन्, “हामीले फर्कने आशा मारिसक्यौं। अब राम्रो भविष्यका लागि अमेरिका जाँदैछौं। विश्वास छ त्यहाँ राम्रो हुनेछ।” सँगै जान लागेका उनका ५७ वर्षीय पिता भने अमेरिका प्रस्थानबाट खुशी थिएनन्। उनी भुटान नै फर्किन पाए हुन्थ्यो भन्ने आफ्नो सपना यत्रो वर्षसम्म पनि विपनामा परिणत नभएपछि छोराहरूसँगै अमेरिका जान बाध्य भएका थिए। भन्दै थिए, “के गर्ने, भुटान फर्कन नपाएपछि छोराहरूको भविष्यका लागि त्यतै (अमेरिका) भए पनि जानु पर्‍यो।” ३० कात्तिकमा हामी भद्रपुर विमानस्थल पुग्दा अमेरिकाका लागि काठमाडौं उड्न तयार द्यौरालीसहित केही शरणार्थीहरू अन्योल र रोदन मिसिएको अनुहारमा आफन्तहरूसँग बिदावारी हुँदैथिए। आफन्तलाई आश्वस्त बनाउन खोजिरहेका बुद्धमणि घिमिरे आफैं रुँदै भन्दैथिए, “भिनाजु, डन्ट वरी! तपाईंहरूको पनि पालो आउँछ। हामी त्यहाँ पुगेर बस्ने व्यवस्था मिलाउँदै गर्छ म पुग्नेवित्तिकै हजुरलाई फोन गर्छु। यता दिदीको राम्रो ख्याल गर्नुहोला।” अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय आप्रवासी सङ्गठन (आई'एम)को प्रयासमा पूर्वी नेपालका सात वटा शिविरमा बसेका भुटानी शरणार्थीलाई तेस्रो मुलुकमा बसोबासको प्रबन्ध मिलाइँदैछ। फागुन २०६४ देखि शुरु भएको तेस्रो मुलुक आप्रवासन कार्यक्रम अन्तर्गत सन् २००८ को अन्त्यसम्ममा आठ हजार भुटानी शरणार्थी अमेरिका, क्यानाडा, नर्वे, अष्ट्रेलिया, डेनमार्क, नेदरल्याण्ड्स, जर्मनीलगायतका मुलुकमा पुगिसकेका छन्। र, जाने क्रम जारी छ। भुटानी शरणार्थी शिविर, गोलधाप, झापामा बस्दै आएको महानन्द लुइँटेलको परिवार ।गोलधाप शिविरमा बसिरहेको महानन्द लुइँटेलको परिवार पनि अरू धेरै भुटानी शरणार्थी परिवार झ्ैं अमेरिका उड्ने पालो पर्खिरहेको छ। लुइँटेलको भनाइ थियो, “तेस्रो मुलुक जानुको विकल्प भएन। बरु त्यता गयौं भने बालबच्चाको भविष्य सुदृढ होला।” तर महानन्दका बा-आमालाई भने सात समुद्रपार जान कत्ति पनि रुचि थिएन। अमेरिका जाँदै हुनुहुन्छ भनेर सोध्न नपाउँदै भक्कानिएकी आमा सुभद्रा लुइँटेल भन्न थालिन्, “जाने मन त कहाँ छ र! यत्तिका वर्षसम्म फर्कन पाइएला कि भनी पालेको झ्िनो आशा उता (अमेरिका) गएपछि त मर्ने नै भयो।” श्रीमतीलाई सम्झ्ाउँदै विद्यापति भन्दैथिए, “नगएर पनि के गर्ने! अरू छोरा, नातिनीहरू गइसके, हजुरबा कहिले आउनुहुन्छ भनेर सधैं फोन गर्छन्। त्यसैले पनि अब त जाने नै निधो गरेका हौं।” शिविरमा तेस्रो मुलुक जाँदै नजाने निर्णय गर्नेहरू पनि छन्। तिनैमध्येका एक हुन्, सङ्ग्राम (सशस्त्र सङ्घर्षमा लागेकाले वास्तविक नाम खुलाउन चाहेनन्)। आफ्नो अस्तित्वका लागि लडिरहेको र सास रहुन्जेल लडिरहने बताउँदै सङ्ग्राम भन्छन्, “हामी लडेरै आफ्नो फिर्तीका लागि भुटान सरकारलाई बाध्य गराउँछौं।”

Just Few Words

Hi All,

This is Ishwar Rauniyar in Kathmandu. I joined Kathmandu post on 24th Ashar 2066 officially. I am gonna capture all my news articles with byline and without within this blog. It would be great if you guys could drop a line regarding my works.

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Despair of WWII Gurkha 'widow'

In her old age, Shantamaya Limbu is still optimistic that she will again see her lost husband, 66 years after he went missing. Baburaja Limbu, who fought for the British in World War II in Burma, has been missing since 1942. Mrs Limbu last saw him in 1941 when he came home for 10 days' holiday. But before finishing his leave he was called back to the army for combat। His brigade went missing in Burma.

Disappeared

Mrs Limbu still waits for Baburaja, her eyes filled with the hope that he will return. She is not ready to accept his death. "After he had been missing for nine years I was informed that all the missing soldiers were killed. But how can I believe that when I haven't seen his dead body?"

Many Gurkha soldiers gave their lives during WW11 "At first it was so tough. All the time, his image kept dancing in front of my eyes. But now I am trying to adjust, even though my heart doesn't let me." When her husband departed, they had been married for just one year. Mrs Limbu married when she was 14. She was devoted to her husband and did not marry anyone else after he disappeared. "Although I didn't have time to get to know him properly, I loved him very much. He is my everything, so how can I marry anyone else?" Mrs Limbu is now old, nearly 81, and has no children. She didn't get much time to share and experience things with her husband. She does not remember every aspect of his behaviour from the short time they had together। But she says he was a loveable and wonderful soldier, who never drank alcohol and never smoked.

'No response'

Mrs Limbu is being paid an Indian army pension of 4,000 Nepali rupees ($63) a month. She is not satisfied. "My husband fought for the British government. At the time it was the colonial government in India, but the pension is an Indian army pension," she says. "I should be paid a British pension as it's because of Britain that my husband is missing." She has visited Indian and British government offices and met many officials from both countries, asking them to clarify her pension position and inform her of the fate of her husband. But they have not given her any response. Shantamaya Limbu lives in the Sunsari district of eastern Nepal. As she has no children or support for her old age, she is now staying with a male relative. He has no job, having returned from six years in Korea, and is now planning to go back there to earn more money. She has few other people that she can stay with. Some months ago she was honoured by the Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen's Organisation (Gaesco). It celebrates 27 November as Victory Day for Gurkhas because it was when they succeeded in forcing the British government to provide compensation for soldiers who were taken prisoner in Japan. During the celebrations she was honoured and given some money.

Pupils conquer fear of computers

By Ishwar Rauniyar BBC News in Thakalmath, Bhaktapur, Nepal The children were scared of computers at first Kamal Prasad Sharma, aged 12, a student at Saraswati Secondary School in a small village not far from Kathmandu, was afraid when he saw a computer for the first time. He didn't dare enter the room, thinking the computer would harm him. "I was really scared when I saw the computer," he says. "I didn't go near it. I was worried it might explode and kill me. "It was only when the teacher called me saying it was harmless that I went into the room, but I still hesitated." Things have changed now, he adds.

Games and fun

"I'm feeling much better. The E-library has helped with my studies. "We can see the periodic table of science, and also maps and other geography things in a pictorial way that is easy to understand. It's not only that - we can also play games and have fun." Kamal says his parents were very excited when he told them about the computer and came to watch the very next day. It was not only Kamal. His computer teacher, Shankar Prajapati, says all the pupils were afraid. "They all worried they would catch some virus and fall ill or even die. But now they are familiar with computers," he says. "Even we teachers are gaining knowledge from the E-library. It's really helpful for us, too. "The students can see science experiments carried out on screen and search for whatever they want in the encyclopaedia." E-libraries use audio, video and text technology। Their digital "books" cover various topics of the school syllabus, ranging from social science to literature and from mathematics to science.

Computer awareness

The E-library concept was initiated by Help Nepal Network (HeNN), a non-governmental organisation. Its goals are to provide literacy and awareness about the use of computer and information technology, and to set up one E-library in each of Nepal's 75 districts, which range from the high Himalayas to the hot plains. The Help Nepal Network hopes to reach all 75 districts in timeMuch of the country is remote and accessible only on foot, and many of its people have never glimpsed a computer, let alone touched one. Working with other organisations, including Save the Children-Norway, HeNN is setting up the libraries with the use of what is called the Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP). This is a free and open-source (accessible to everyone) package which connects one powerful central server in the school, using the Linux operating system, to a number of diskless low-end computers. When linked to the server, each computer receives a full Linux desktop. LTSP is seen as a cost-effective, power-saving and durable technology, not only in schools but also in other sectors. What's more, it is also virtually free of tampering and computer viruses - and the Linux software developed by Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya, a charitable educational library based in Kathmandu, is being provided free of cost. And its appeal is growing. In front of the little shops on the rough village streets, men gather to play cards and drink tea. But even they have developed a fascination for the computer. So the school has arranged some computer classes for them, too. "It's really useful for us to get to know about this technology which we didn't see when we were younger," says Sahakul Puri, a 35-year-old farmer. "Getting to learn and know about it is a great opportunity for our children. I can't afford to send my child to computer classes an hour's drive from here. So we're grateful for this project." Of the books scanned in the E-library, one of the most popular among the villagers is called "where there is no doctor". It is like a first-aid manual, giving the information necessary for the treatment of wounds or illnesses – including traditional remedies such as chewing burnt ginger or brewing ginger soup with honey for a cough. The school has even attracted lots of villagers to its campaign known as "Leave Your Playing Cards - Learn Computers". Reaching remote areas I also visited a much more remote school where the E-library project has just been set up. Villagers and students carried the computers up and down the steep hills and valleys to the Shree Koldung Devi secondary school, nearly two hours' walk from the main road. Before this, anyone wanting access to computers or sizeable shops would have to walk two hours and drive two more, so the system has proved highly significant for local pupils. Most of the places where E-libraries have been set up so far are in the hills. Sudarshan Shrestha, information and marketing director for Save the Children-Norway, says the system has been very helpful but notes that there are challenges. He says students tend to get only about two hours' access per week "because there are not more than 10 computers for several hundred students". For the library, Save The Children-Norway has developed awareness materials on subjects such as children's rights and child abuses. Roshendra Dhoj Khadka of Help Nepal Network is very optimistic about the E-library project. "I believe this information and communication technology project is essential. It may not be a basic requirement, but it's a tool to uplift the health and education sectors. And we're taking it forward. I hope we'll be able to cover all 75 districts some day." So far it has reached six.