Limbu became disabled after an accident resulted in injury to her spinal cord. But she blames the lack of disabled-friendly infrastructures for her limited mobility.
“Anyone can become a disabled person anytime. You cannot predict accidents in life,” said Limbu, who was part of the wheelchair rally organized in the capital on Friday. [break]
“When we are fit and fine, we do not bother to understand the problems of the ´others´. But in a just society, everyone has equal rights to live a good life. The society and the government should think of us while making roads, buildings, bridges and so on.”
The rally was organized by Independent Living Center for Persons with Disabilities, Kathmandu. Tek B. Gurung, vice president of the organization, stated that the pain and problems of the disabled in Nepal is beyond words. “They feel so much ignored and they are humiliated in the society constantly. There are no words to express their pain, anger and anguish,” he said.
Gurung, who himself suffered a spinal cord injury, added that he suffers no less in daily life despite being a media person. Gurung works for Radio Nepal.
During the program, Nepali Congress leader Gagan Thapa consoled the mass that they were indeed equally important members of the society and they deserved equal space. “We are with you. Always. It is the responsibility of the state to secure the rights of everyone. We will do whatever we can for you,” he said.
Representatives from several parties and the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare also expressed their views at the program held at Babarmahal. The rally started from Baneshwar at 8.30 am and passed through the international airport, Gaushala, Chabahil, Maharagunj and Basundhara. The campaigners were demanding disabled-friendly infrastructures and their rights guaranteed in the next constitution.
“We covered 24 kilometer of the ring road and it took us five hours. It is not easy for the people in wheelchair who have polio or spinal cord injury. Yet, the struggle goes on,” said Gurung. “We are not welcome at hospitals, schools, offices, public vehicles and so on. We want this kind of discrimination be stopped.”
According to Tika Dahal, of the National Federation of Disabled Nepal, though the state has started showing a bit more concern toward the disabled lately, not enough has been done to reflect the real change in attitude.
Related story
Wheelchair T20 Cricket Asia Cup from today
