The Price of Peace

To Deepa Khanal, it seemed like her entire country had been isolated from the world.

Phone lines were cut, there were no cable channels, international flights were cancelled. Khanal, who was on her semester break to attend her sister's wedding in Nepal, was experiencing life after King Gyanendra's royal coup on Feb. 1, 2005. The military was in his hands, and he took over the executive power of the government, sacking the prime minister.

“The king shouldn't have done that,” Khanal said. “While I was in Nepal there was no peace.”

At North Lake also, most Nepali students seem concerned about their country's politics. The revolution, which became violent in early 2006, was a setback for the king. The students seem happy that the king reinstated the parliament and loosened his grip in April.

Khanal recalls long curfews imposed in Kathmandu and thousands of people marching with signs with anti-monarch slogans defying the curfew. “Shops were closed and no businesses were running,” she said.

Khanal was also concerned about the educational environment. The schools were shut down for an indefinite period during the ongoing revolution. However, school closures in the country are not new. The Maoists had been closing down schools to meet their demands for an affordable education for everybody, especially targeting private schools and colleges.

Nepal's revolution was news in the international media with people dying and the police beating them.

“I know that my mother is politically active in Nepal and she also participated in the people's movement,” says Karishma Ghale, another North Lake student who was in Nepal during the summer break.

Another North Lake student, Sunny Shrestha, who was also in Nepal for the summer break, said that he felt good to see the country peaceful after seeing the bloody footage on TV while he was in the U.S.

“I had a good time with my family,” he said. “I am back with happy memories.”

Khanal had to come to the U.S. under difficult circumstances. Upon hearing of a curfew for the next day, she had to stay at her friend's place close to the airport a day before her flight.

“I couldn't even see or meet my parents before leaving my country,” she said.

“I did want to come back to the U.S. while I was in Nepal,” she said. “At least I could find peace here.”

The political turmoil and the educational crisis may be a major reason for the brain drain of the country's youth. Bikram Shrestha, a freshman at North Lake, said that the never-ending strikes and the ongoing revolution forced him leave for the U.S.

“I came here because I saw my future was uncertain there,” he said. “I was studying B.Sc. [bachelor of science] when the revolution was on, and all the exams had been postponed.”

The bloody Maoist revolution has killed more than 12,000 people since 1996. Abductions, kidnappings, homemade bombs exploding in government offices and threats of violence to private firms have been on the rise. The Maoists' only demand is for a republic.

In remote parts of the country, Maoists have seized young men and women for their forces. There are hardly any employment opportunities or businesses in these devastated areas. Most of the schools have been destroyed. People live in poverty and fear.

The capital, Kathmandu, is seen as the only safe place. The city is overcrowded; employment opportunities are minimal, with big businesses and multinational companies in the inflated economy; corruption and nepotism are common. Education in public schools and universities is below average and that in private schools is expensive; the employment chances after graduation are uncertain.

Shivangi Pokharel, Shradha Khadka and Kanchan Tiwari, who have been in North Lake for a year, say that they are very concerned about their country's politics. They said that they chose the U.S. because of the better education system and better opportunities.

Pokharel, a mass communication major, said that the political situation of Nepal is unstable and unpredictable, but improving. She believes in monarchy and said, “Monarchy is significant.”

On the other hand, Khanal criticizes the king and holds him responsible for the ongoing crisis. However, she said that the people have been successful in bringing back democracy. After a peaceful stay in Nepal, Ghale and Shrestha also expressed optimism about the country's politics. On the whole, they stressed out that it was high time for the political parties to make reforms.

“We need young and fresh leaders,” said Khadka. “If the country is in good hands, then there is a bright future for Nepal.”

B.P. Koirala, 30, another Nepali student at North Lake, says that he didn't come to the U.S. due to the political situation. However, he said that he is concerned.

“The political situation is stable, but we don't know what will happen tomorrow,” he said. He said that there is corruption because some of the wrong people are in power.

The political situation and scarce opportunities might have lured the Nepali youth onto foreign soil. Nevertheless, most of them said that they want to go back after graduation and do something for the country.

“Of course we are going back to Nepal,” said Pokharel, Khadka and Tiwari together. They said that they were not sure about the time frame, but they certainly would go back to their homeland.

Even Koirala, who has a green card (a permit for permanent residence), said that he would go back to Nepal eventually.

Not every Nepali student is concerned. Some students in the North Lake cafeteria said, “We don't know anything about that. We don't have any interest.”

The on-and-off power struggle between the elected governments and the ruling monarch, and the Maoist rebel's aim to set up a republic has only resulted in political crisis. However, many Nepali youth think that they are the ones who can bring a change to the country. Even though most of them have been living here and are getting used to the American lifestyle, they said that they still plan to return home and help.

Pokharel said, “Revolution is created by our ideas.”