Time To Stay United

Sep 2, 2015
‘Dwaipayan, how are you? How is your family?’ my teacher came towards me, when I went college. Series of peoples came to me and asked me about me and my family members. ‘Don’t worry, we can’t stop it, but we are with you’, they spoke so well that I felt that I am with my family members.


My classmates, hostel mates from different part of the world, showed concerned towards us. Bhutanese brothers came to our room, asking, ‘Daai, kasto cha tapai ko pariwar lai?’. Bengali friends showed concerned towards us. Ugandan friends hugged us stating we are with you. People from more than 12 countries showed their concern towards me. I feel like so blessed. Indian friend started fund raising campaign. I had no idea, how would we utilize those funds, but they handed to us around ten thousands. I remember Mongolian friends, Tuya and Nara, who burst into tears while handing us those amounts.

On organizing Candle lightning program, more than Nepalese, it was those foreigners who showed more concern. I felt like ‘there exists part of humanity within every human beings’. It was not necessary for those people to be so concerned of us, but because there remained a part of humanity that counted us, and who motivated us for Fund Raising Campaign. We could feel every individual so worried, when they came to know we were from Nepal. An auto driver to shopkeeper, cook to room cleaner, everyone asked about our family members.

On seeing Youth Activism, their energy to work out as much as they can, I feel so privileged and feel so happy. It is the main reason that keeps me motivated to work for earthquake relief activities up to my level.

However, when you then hear the news that states people are making this earthquake their opportunity for their personal benefit, all your trust that you obtained from those humanitarian act falls down. You feel so bad to know that brothers are cheating their brothers. When people from other countries are showing so much concern, helping as much as they can, it is so amazing to find out that people within Nepal, are trying to seek their personal benefit. When you hear, people are robbing making best use of time when they are not in the house, when you hear, people are charging a really high rate on transportation, when you hear that people are creating artificial shortage to earn more, and create a black market trading center, you certainly lose the hope that there are any humanity within the peoples.

You lose your respect towards religion, when you hear people promoting their religion making use of this earthquake. You feel like spitting on their face, when you don’t see any leaders showing concern about the incident, rather busy hiding somewhere is safe place. You feel really ashamed of yourself being part of this country, when you hear those donations are being additional tool for personal wealth collection. You feel so much frustrated when you hear there are legal obligations that are troubling in distribution of those donated necessary items.

By this time, more than billion rupees must have been collected in Prime Minister’s account through donations. You feel so helpless, when you have to give suggestion saying ‘Send money to PM Relief Fund’, because you know that is not being utilized properly. Real victim are still sleeping under open sky, and those who are completely affected have their rooms filled up with those donated items. You really feel depressed, when you see people losing their solidarity for their personal benefit.

Nepal was already back, because of conflict, civil war, constitution making process, and this earthquake has sent Nepal still backward. It will now take a lot of time for the country to gain all those position. We don’t have much things to attract tourists in Kathmandu, many lives are dead, things got worse. Haiti can be the example showing the future of Nepal. However, what counts must is the feeling of solidarity among peoples, trust and again unity among peoples. When people try to regard it as an opportunity, things get worse. ‘Sir, I am not going to Nepal, I will be staying in hostel, but I want attendance’, a request as  such is an opportunity seeking task. If they are going back, helping the real victims, they do deserve attendance, but they certainly must feel ashamed. I can make pretty simple guess for them to beg for few more marks making earthquake an excuse.
The problem with Nepalese is they fail to get united, not only within the country, but even outside the country. They are always self centered, and seek for personal benefit. For some, volunteering would be fun, because they get to travel and have lunch in free, for some, they could make excuse for bunking classes, and increment of marks.

All these types of events make me feel that, it is not that there is no humanity among peoples,  but when it comes to Nepalese, they are less united. It is high time for every individual to think above their personal benefit and stay strong! Stay United!

Published in Nepali Times, Australia's August 2015 issue.


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