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Dear Emmie,
It has been a really long time since I last talked to you. It felt good to share the pain of the chaos on the streets of Kathmandu; the cloud of uncertainty hovering over here. I am once again writing to tell you the story of my nation, which is apparently, presently at its climax. However, no one knows whether it leads to the peaceful start of a new day or not.
Today is the first day of the general strike called by the political parties. They have called the strike for 4 days. Honestly speaking, this is not affordable for the general public, who need to make money in order to feed their families.
Many people are really indifferent to the current state of affairs; the semi-literate and working class never think beyond themselves and their own families. Nepal has finally proven that it is a big laboratory of socio-political experiment. Leaders never led, and people never followed: none of the kings, Maoists, or political parties seemed devotional and honest enough to the people or the nation.
Emmie, I think you believe in democracy as I do, and everybody else does. The 21st century is not meant to be ruled by a communist autocracy or a despot monarch. But 4 years of the Nepalese leaders fighting for so - called absolute democracy have already passed. The King, who is the current ruler of the nation, says that he too believes in democracy and wants a democratic environment to prevail in the nation. However, political parties are demanding a ceremonial king with no power in his hands. Emmie, what I think is that all of these powers are practicing the politics of words and not action. No one is serious about the grass roots people. They stay in the capital and shape their political principles according to the urban complexities they live with.
You know Emmie, I would need a really long time to tell you about everything going on here. We talk about a global village; we talk about globalization and we say that the world is a single village. But very few foreigners know about the current political situation in Nepal - even you didn't know about the crisis here before I met you.
Nepal is a very isolated country from the world; it is forbidden. It is like an ethnic community inside the thick forest of the Amazon that no one ever cares to think about.
Well, there are very few vehicles on the road; and several protests and tire burnings can be seen. Even being a journalist, I wouldn’t dare to ride a motorbike today (protesters allow vehicles of the press, hospital and diplomats across in the general strike). I walked half an hour from my room to a small office near the SinghaDarbar (Lion Palace), which is the office of the Government of Nepal.
I have closed the door, and am listening to The Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton- contradictory to the real situation- but what can I do? I could never think of going out into the streets and shouting against the government; I could never think of burning tires and vehicles; and very honestly, I cannot afford a five dollar bullet, or to sacrifice my life; because I know, this is politics and it will keep on happening......
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kamal
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