Few Years Back...

          

        A few years back, some of us in Kathmandu decided to do something against the increasing number of a robbery happening in various remote and marginalized sections of Dolpo. Tragedy in a remote village continues to affect many of us. Mainly due to various circumstances mainly affected by structural exclusion, we ended up in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. 

If I remember correctly, there were around six of us who gathered and discussed what we should do. Utmost safety of our villagers was our top priority though we always wanted our robbed statues back again in our ‘gomba’ (monastery). Thanks to the identification of some help, we succeeded to meet a senior most Nepali police officer several times, a Home Minister, a Director of UNESCO, and a government official at National Archaeology Department. Every time we met them, we repeated our problems, and concerns, and a written list of demands. 

Pic (from the Internet): Shey Monastery presently located in Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality was also looted

If I am not wrong, that gathering and discussion went on for a month. Whenever I reflect back, I still try to reflect upon what really stopped us from continuing that fight. One thing I know that we never really succeeded to recover those culturally essential statues. Maybe the well was too deep than we initially assumed. A childhood friend once reminded me years before that it will be too naïve to assume the absence of a few locals’ involvements. My premature mind rejected that suggestion then... I guess I am learning still… Let me come back to why we stopped then, before I stop writing more about this, I should share this. 

A good friend also told me that some folks in our group also received a death threat. Maybe that could be the reason. Or maybe everyone felt safe in their monthly paid jobs, and own rented place, far away from those sleepless cold dark nights threatened by the disturbing noises made by guns and sticks of local goons… 

You know that you will be easily saved if you care less about those noises, and pretend to fall asleep… Let them wail, cry, and their houses destroyed… Your easy way to power…