However, the younger Nepali generation does not know the country outside the context of conflict.[break]
Taking that into consideration, Republica sat down to discuss peace and Nepal with Apsana Kafle, 15, a student at Daffodil Public School; Sriza Manandhar, 25, who recently completed her MBS; Utshauv Rai, 22, studying BBA at Kantipur Valley College; Yogesh Shrestha, 20; Samir Adhikari, 20; and Ayush Dhungel, 21, who are studying BBA at Thames International College.
What do you think about peace in Nepal?
Apsana: My father used to tell me that after democracy came, we would have peace in Nepal but people in politics are only worried about taking bribes and the youth don’t care. I think to bring peace in the country, the King should be back – at least there will be someone who will rule over the country, not the President or Prime Minister since they’re not doing anything.
Sriza: When imagining peace in Nepal, we can’t imagine it like it was 20/25 years back. There have been changes in the system and I think it’s all because of the political environment. There’s no right person at the right place. That’s the main reason behind the lack of peace.
Utshauv: The current politics has ruined the nation. Politicians should be there to guide the nation and the people. However, in Nepal’s case, due to the bickering of the politicians, the people have lost faith. As a result, there is chaos in many parts of the nation.
Yogesh: As far as peace for prosperity and peace for development goes, we need good governance. Wherever there is good governance, there are good rules and regulations and peace.
Samir: For peace in Nepal, I think the political parties in Nepal must follow rules and regulations and they should come together to make agreements.
Ayush: I think a major factor is security. When you are secure and free to go around where you want, only then we can say it’s a peaceful country.
What do you think about Nepal’s image as a peaceful Shangri-La?
Apsana: Despite the political condition, many people come to Nepal because of the way it’s advertised. This tourism year isn’t supposed to have bandas, but there’s always a banda. I think it’s a joke.
Sriza: Nepal is portrayed as something we are not.
Utshauv: There is still harmony among the people. Many cultures are living together. But to say we’re very peaceful is a bluff, the reality is hidden somewhere by politics.
Ayush: It was peaceful 30 years back. Butif you list the eight SAARC nations in ascending order, I think Nepal lies at the bottom. We’ve heard about other countries banning people from coming here, When we call Nepal a peaceful country right now, it seems like a joke.
Politicians can be blamed, but what about the responsibility of the people?
Apsana: People say there’s no scope, but we need to make scopes here. We can’t just leave everything to the government and not do anything ourselves.
Sriza: The government makes the rules but it’s the people who are supposed to follow them. There’s no strict punishment right now to make people follow the laws.
Utshauv: There should be public awareness among the people. There should be functions or programs as they play vital roles in many parts of the nation, such as raising public awareness.
Yogesh: Awareness programs like education and women’s empowerment are good but what is also really important is generating employment. If there’s no work, then it’s pointless.
Samir: We need to make people more aware and we need to motivate them. We need to inspire people.
Ayush: Most people and youngsters I see aren’t interested in politics. They all think it’s a bad thing. Youngsters should look at the political scenario and everything that goes on. We also need to learn to complain. If we see something wrong, we should report it. There’s no need to fear. We need to be politically involved and be aware of everything.
Do you think there will ever be peace in Nepal?
Apsana: Ever since I was born, I’ve been waiting for something to happen. For example, I live near Sina Mangal and the bridge is broken. We waited years for that to be fixed. And in a country where a bridge isn’t fixed, how will a Constitution get drafted? I’ve only read about peacebut I’ve never been able to see it. I don’t think it’ll ever come.
Sriza: I think peace will definitely come. People are far more educated now and there is a lot of awareness. I think we need more punishments. For example, people put flyers on top of the walls that were painted. No one took any responsibility and they’re doing whatever they want. We need stricter rules and regulations.
Utshauv: We’re the next generation, we’re more educated and we do have innovative ideas. If all the youth have a positive mindset, we can take the country forward if we have some kind of hope.
Yogesh: Peace will obviously come. We can’t just sit here and say it’ll never come.
Samir: I think it’s slowly changing but people have no fear. We need motivation and punishment but just punishment isn’t the answer.
Ayush: The bridge might be broken, but they built another bridge. So there’s an alternative. The Constitution is being written, and in the meantime the country is still running. I think peace will slowly come.
What is that something you could do to bring about change and restore peace in Nepal?
Apsana: If you see someone littering, you can ask them to pick up the trash or ask them not to pee in public places. The country needs to be clean, too!
Sriza: There are campaigns through Facebook. You could create a group and send invitations and have events in different places. If not individually, together as a group, we could do something.
Utshauv: There should be an exchange of ideas between students, citizens and politicians. We should start at the base. In my college, I opened a club and we brought forth ideas on how to improve our college. It gave us direction on how to proceed. Basically, we should listen to each other.
Yogesh: By my campus, some people put statues outside it. So now there’s far less trash there now compared to before. We need to generate ideas like this.
Samir: If someone is doing something bad, you can tell him not to do that. But when something good is happening, you can encourage him. Either way,, you need to participate.
Ayush: I follow the rules. I don’t destroy anything. To change others, you should be an example through your conduct. We should also teach our juniors and be an example for them.
Related story
Let’s live in peace and embrace diversity
