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श्रमीक सबै मारी

वकिल बचाँ। 

फ्लाइ दुबाईले उडाएको शिकार!

फ्लाइ दुबाईले उडाएको शिकार!

नजिकैको बाटो हुदै गुडेको मोटरसाइकलको हर्नले एका बिहानै निद्रा बाट ब्युझायो।अलि पर को एभरेष्ट् बैकंले राखेको ठुलो घडि मा समय हेरेको त भर्खर ५ बजेको रहेछ। एकाबिहानै यसरी बाइक कुदाउने पक्कै पनि हेल्मेट टिचर हुनु पर्छ। अस्ति, कता बाट उडेर आएको एउटा पत्रिका को पाना मा पढ्याथें, आजकल हेल्मेट टिचर निक्कै ब्यस्त छन् रे भनेर। फेरी मेरो साथी, पंखेले नि भनेको थियो, “यसरी बिहानै पिठ्युंमा ठुलो झोला बोकेर बाइकमा दौडने प्राय जसो हेल्मेट टिचर हुन्छन रे”। उसले पनि एकदिन बेलुकी तिनकुने तिरको चिया पसलमा सुन्यारे भन्थयो। दुइ जाना ले गफ गरिरहेको। दुबै जनाले नराम्रो तलब र निद्रा नपुगेको गुनासो गर्दे थिए रे।

पंखे अलि माथि डाडा मा सुत्छ। उ उस्को आमा र  बहिनी संग बस्छ। पंखे म भन्दा दुई महिना अगाडि जन्मेको रे, तर हामी एकै साइजका छौ। हामी दुबै जना, हाम्रो वास्तविक आकार भन्दा केहि साना छौँ। “राम्रो आहार नभेटेर”, पंखेको आमाले भनेको।

वास्तवमा काठमाण्डौको महगिंले हामिलाइ नराम्रोसंग सताएको छ। पहिले, पहिले तिनकुनेको छेउछाउ अनि त्यो निकेतन् स्कुलको पुल छेउ प्रशस्त खाना पाइन्थ्यो। अहिले ति खाना फाल्नेको मध्य एउटालाई अख्तियारले समात्यो रे। पंखेले भनेको त्यो कता प्राधिकरण भन्ने ठाउँमा काम गर्‍थ्यो रे। अनि के रे त्यो ट्रान्सफर्मर् किन्ने बेला टन्नै घुस खाएको रहेछ। अनि त्यो अख्तियारमा नया सर आएपछि समात्यो रे। सर भन्नु पर्योनि! होइन भने नयाँ आदेश दिएर हामिलाइ पनि खत्तम पारिदिन बेर छैन। एक् त हाम्रो जनसंख्या घटेको छ, त्या माथि अख्तियार् लाग्यो भनेत खत्तम् पारि हाल्छनि।

अनि अरु सामान्य काम गर्नेहरुले अब खाना फाल्ने कुरै भएन। सामान्य काम गर्ने मान्छेहरुलाई अहिले काठमाण्डौको कमाईले दुई छाक खाना खान नै गार्‍हो छ। कसरी खाना फाल्ने। त्यही माथि अर्को भन्नै पर्ने कुरा त कोठा भाडा! कोठा भाडा यस्तो बडेको छ रे कि, मान्छे अहिले बाँच्नको लागि मात्र खान्छन् रे। अनि खाना कसरी फाल्ने? हो कि होइन भन्नु त? धन्न हामिलाइ भाडा तिर्नु पर्दैन, होईन भने त हाम्रो पनि उठिबास् लाग्थ्यो।

पंखेको आमाले भनेको हामी जन्मिनु अघि सम्म ठिक ठाक थियो रे। अलि, अलि खाना भेटिन्थ्यो रे। हाम्रो समुदाय बाँचेकोनै थियो रे। तर, अहिले पछि बाटो ठुलो बनाउने भनेर हामि बस्ने बास् उठाइ दियो हामि जस्ताको अधिकार् का लागि लडेको पार्टीले। उनीहरुले बाटो छेउको नर्कट घारीलाइ सखाप पारेपछि त हामि एक समय निकै अप्ठ्यारो पर्‍यो। पछि त्यो एअरपोर्टनेरको घारी फेला पर्‍यो। अनि अहिले अलि शान्त छ।

उनीहरु पहिले हाम्रो ठाउमाँ बस्दा त हामिले दश, दश बर्ष सम्म सहयोग गरेको हो नि। बास्तवमा उनिहरुले गर्दानै हामिले आफ्नो पुर्खजहरु देखी बस्दै आएको ठाउँ छोड्न पर्ने अवस्था आएको हो नि। कहिले दोहोरो कारवाही गर्छन रे, कहिले तालिम् भनेर हाम्रा साथीहरुलाइ मारे रे। त्यसैले हामिले पनि सहर पस्ने निर्णय लिँयौ रे। तर के गर्नु हामिले लगाएको गुण चटक्कै बिर्सिहालेनि सर्वहारा पार्टीले। तर ठिकै छ, हामिले पनि शिक्षा लिँयौ नि त। त्यसैले हामिले अब त्यस्ता कुनै पनि ब्यक्ति र समुहलाई सहयोग नगर्ने भनेका छौँ।

मलाइ त म जन्मेको ठाँउ पनि थाहा छैन। आमाले म गोकर्ण भन्दा माथि तिर, त्यो शिवपुरी भन्ने जंगलमा जन्मेको हो भन्नुहुन्थ्यो। एकचोटि पंखे र म जाने भनेका छौँ। सायद् अर्को बर्ष तिर जान्छौ होला।

हामिहरुलाइ सबैभन्दा ठुलो दशा त त्यहि चार्, पाँच महिना अगाडि आएको हो।

कुरो चैत् को सुरु तिरको हो। एकदिन पंखे र म खेल्दै एअरपोर्टको पल्लो पट्टि गएका थिँयौ। अचानक हामिले मनोहरा खोला किनारमा मरेका कुखुरा देख्यौँ। धेरै दिन देखिका भोकाहामि, भट्टा भट दुइवटा कुखुरा भ्याएऔ। खाएर डकार्‍न नपाउदैँ, अलि पर कुखुराको टन्नै प्वाख् देखा पर्‍यो।

पंखेले त्याँ पक्कै पनि कुखुरा गाड्या छ भन्ने ठोकुवा गर्‍यो र खुट्टा ले खोर्सिन थाल्यो। मैले छोडिदे भनेको के मान्थ्यो र त्यो। तँ हिजोको बच्चालाई के थाहा यस्तो कुरा भन्दै अझ छिटो खन्न पो थाल्यो। “यो मुलाले मलाई बच्चा भन्ने”  भनेर मलाई पनि सारै रीस उठ्यो र उ भन्दा छिटो खन्न थालेँ। एकैछिन मा कुखुरा का खुट्टा अनि त्यस् पछि मरेका कुखुरा त टन्नै भेटियो।

अर्को हप्ता हाम्रो सभा बस्यो। सभामा धेरैले चंखे र पंखेलाइ गाँउ निकाला गरिनु पर्छ भनियो। मलाई त सारै झोक चलेको थियो। चलि दिउ किँ जस्तो लाग्यो। तर चंखे, जो निडर थियो, उठेर कड्कियो, “तिमीहरुको मुखमा हामिले ल्याएर हालिदेको हो र मरेका कुखुरा। हामिले त हामि जस्तै सबै जना भोक्कै छन् भनेर खबर ल्याइदिएका हौँ। खाने, नखाने आफ्नो बिचार को कुरा थियो र फेरि माग्ने लाई फलेको चामल भन्या झैँ, हामि जस्ता स्याल् लाई कस्ले चाइने भुटेको मासु दिन्छ। त्यस्तो खान त सरकारी कर्मचारी हुनुपर्छ।”  र त्यस्‍मा चक्रे बाजेले थपे। यी दुई केटाले काम त राम्रै गर्‍या हुन्। गल्ति त हामि सबैको हो। हामिले सोचेर खानु पर्‍ने हो नि। यी दुईलाइ के थाहा कि ती कुखुरा लाइ बर्डफ्लु लाग्या थियो भनेर। भुन्टेको बज्यैले त्यस् माथि थपिन् “हामि गल्ति गर्ने अनि दोष यिनिहरुलाई दिन अलि मिल्दैन कि। र अनि सबैले एउटा के पनि प्रण गर्‍न पर्‍यो भने, हामि कसैले पनि अब केहि समय मरेका कुखुरा र चरा हरु खादैँनौ”।

म मन् मनै धन्न बाचिँयो भन्दै थिएँ। हुन पनि हो नि, सात जना त ति कुखुरा खाको चौथौ दिनमा मास छर्न गए। खएका मध्ये धेरैलाइ अहिले सम्म पनि रुघा खोकीले  सताएको थियो। म आफैँ पनि दुई दिनत् ओछ्यानैँ परेँ।

पंखेलाई चाहिँ माने मैले। न त त्यो बिरामि भयो, न त रुघा खोकी। हिजो पनि मनहरा पुल छेउ, अर्को ठाँउमा गएर, फेरि “तीनटा मर्‍या कुखुरा खा र आ हुँ” भन्थ्यो।

पंखेले भन्थयो यो सब बोर्डर पारी तिर बाट रचिएको हो रे। मेरी आमाले भन्नु भाको खोई के नामको कुखराको मासु बेच्ने ठाँउको नाममा कुखुरा सँगसँगै बर्डफ्लु पनि पठाइएको हो रे। खोई हामिलाई किन देखि नसहेका हुन्। खएर, छोडदिम्। हामिले कुरा गरेर मात्र के हुन्छ र, गर्नेले गर्दैनन्!

एकातिर भोकको मार राम्रो अनि शिकारको अभाव, अर्‍को तिर वास उठेको चिन्ता। जता पनि समस्या भएकाले, पंखेले नया उपाय ल्यायो। “हेर हुन त आफ्नै वंशजको शिकार राम्रो त होइन, तर के गर्ने समस्या भएपछि, के सहि र गलत् भन्दा पनि, समाधानको प्रयास ठीक छ कि छैन भन्ने हो। यदि, यस्ले हाम्रो आफ्नो जीवन यापन सहज हुन्छ भने, यो काम गर्नु ठीक होला। हो कि होईन?” पंखेले भन्यो। एक मनले के कुकुरको शिकार गर्नु र भन्ने लाग्यो, तर अर्को मनले भोको पेटको प्रतिष्ठा भन्दा, एकबारको जीवन ठुलो हो भन्ने लाग्यो। त्यस माथि, अरुले फालेको खाना, रोगाएर मरेका कुखुरा त खाएकै हो भन्ने लाग्यो। त्यसैले मैले “हुन्छ” भनिदिएँ।

हामिले त्यहि बेलुकी एअरपोर्ट छेउको काले कुकुरलाई जालमा पार्‍ने विचार गर्यौ। त्यसैले सबै योजना बनाएर हामी साझँमा भेट्ने भन्दै छुट्यौँ।

पंखे म भन्दा अघिनै पुगी सकेको रहेछ।

काले, त्यो एअरपोर्टको सामान् उठाउने अफिसको गेट पारि पट्टि, घुमिरहेको थियो।  

पंखे सडक पारि बाट र म चाँहि, तिनकुने तीरबाट, त्यस माथी जाइ लाग्ने बिचार गर्‍यौँ। योजना अनुसार म अलि तल बाट बाटो काँटे। पंखेको आँखाको इसारा बमोजिम, त्यसको नजिकै मात्रके पुगेका थिँयौ, त्यसले काँ बाट भेउ पाएछ, तारबार बाट भित्र छिर्‍यो।

परेन फसाद! नरकट घारी अनि त्यहि माथि ठुल्ठुला पिलेन आउने र जाने समय। त्यो काले बजीया, त्यतै तिर लाग्यो।

हामि पनि के कम र, हामि पनि पछि लाग्यौँ। पुलिस, एकछिन्, कराउँदै आयो। तर अभ्यास नगर्ने पुलिस परेछ, एकछिनमै हकर्‍या, हकर्‍या गरीहाल्यो। 

काले पनि थाकेछ क्यारे, हामि पनि त्यसको नजिकै पुग्यौँ। तर फेरी पनि, त्यो उम्कियो। एकछिनमै, त्यो एअरपोर्ट को दक्षिण-पश्चिम पट्टिको, पिलेन् उडने ठाउँमा पुग्यो।

आखिरी मा हामिलाइ जे डर थियो त्यहि भयो।

त्यो कुद्दै गएर, उडन लागेको पिलेन मा ठोक्कियो। हामिले हेर्‍दा हेर्‍दै, हाम्रो शिकार त त्यो पिलेन को पांग्रामा टुक्रा, टुक्रा भएर उडयो। भोलि पल्टको पत्रिकाले त्यो हाम्रो शिकार उडाउने त फ्लाइ दुबाई भन्ने पिलेन पो रहेछ भन्ने थाहा भयो।

पंखे खुब रिसाएर उफ्रियो। तर के गर्ने, अरु केहि उपाय थीएन। त्यसैले एअरपोर्टको तल ठुलो होटेलको खाना फाल्ने ठाँउमा केहि रहेल पहेल छ कि भनेर लाग्यौँ। 

I happened to come across the story of "The Elephant Man", Joseph Merrick this afternoon. His birth and existence proves that the mother nature is beyond the comprehension of normal people. Instead of trying to comprehend the nature, we run behind things that please eyes. Those that do not please eyes are not welcomed. Rather, we tend to discard them. One of such examples is that of 'the Elephant Man'.  Though, Joseph was physically distorted, he had a mind to create. The following is a poem that he wrote to end one of his letters. The poem is entitled 'False Greatness'.

False Greatness

Tis true, my form is something odd
but blaming me, is blaming God,
Could I create myself anew
I would not fail in pleasing you.
If I could reach from pole to pole
or grasp the ocean with a span,
I would be measured by the soul
The mind’s the standard of the Man.

Joseph Merrick 

चुनाब र म

 चुनाब र म

आहा चुनाब
संबिधान को लागि
हालिन्न भोट ।

अनुहार त
सबै पुरानै साथी
हालिन्न भोट ।

पुरानै सिसि
कामविहीन झोल
हालिन्न भोट ।

बिना एजेन्डा
काम के छ चुनाब
हालिन्न भोट ।

जनता सबै
पिल्सियाछन् साथी
हालिन्न भोट ।

मेरो देश

मेरो देश

एअर फोन चोरिदा
दिन दहाडै 
मान्छे मारिन्छ
यहाँ
यो हो मेरो देश

बलात्कार गर्यो
भन्नेलाई
कालो मोसो दलिन्छ
यहाँ
यो हो मेरो देश

कानुन माग्ने
समाज कै अगाडी
पागल खाना पठाइन्छ
यहाँ
यो हो मेरो देश

हत्यारा लाइ जेल
हाल भन्नेलाई
ज्यानको धम्कि दियिन्छ
यहाँ
यो हो मेरो देश

तर

जनता लाइ लुट्ने
र मार्ने लाइ उम्काउन
देश बन्द गरिन्छ
यहाँ
यो हो मेरो देश

देश को सम्पति
ब्रह्मलुट गर्ने लाइ
जयजयकार गरिन्छ
यहाँ
यो हो मेरो देश

आहा देश त
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Escape from camp 14

Escape from Camp 14, a book about the journey of man from a gulag to outer world is a must read. Published in 2012, the book has raised a serious concern about the human rights and the living of people in North Korean GULAGS.
 

It is commonly believed that people, when lose everything, may still be able to live with hopes. It is hope that keeps us alive and makes us keep going. But, you might be surprised that this is not true for the people born in North Korean Gulags. The people born and brought up in these gulags under the rule of North Korean Dictator do not know what is there outside the fence; they do not know what it means to live like a common human being. The brutality of the guards make people inhuman and they find every other person a competitor whom they should compete with for food. 

Shin, a man from North Korea, was born in camp 14, one of the  harshest North Korean Gulag  and lived there for 24 years without even being aware that there exists a world outside camp 14. The only thing that he would look forward to everyday is his meal. He saw, while he was a mere child, his friends being thrashed to death because she found some grains of rice on the ground and kept them in her pocket, which is a SIN in these gulags. He also saw his mother and brother being executed to death. He did not know what human emotion is. He thought every other person in the camp was his competitor. He never had enough food and he used to be hungry round the year. He would elated to find a rat in the field. He would even relish undigested  kernels in cow dung.

He did not have nay hope to look forward to, he did not have emotion to be hurt, he did not know what happiness to be sad. He thought everyone lived in the similar way everywhere in the world. Most surprisingly, he even did not know that there are other countries in the world. He did not know whether the earth is round or flat. He did not know that even common people, outside the labor camp, can have rice because rice, chicken, pork were luxury that he always looked forward to.

Yet, it is surprising that he escapes the camp with such close control and supervision. He made his remarkable journey to China to South Korea and then to The United Staes. The escape, according to Shin, was for food. He started dreaming about food soon after he came to know about it from Park , another cell mate, who had lived in Pyoungnyang as a high profile government officer and had traveled around the world. He start dreaming about the escape when Park told him that people like him also can have barbecued pork and chicken outside the camp. All he wanted to do was to have rice with barbecued pork and chicken. Thus, he along with Park made a plan to escape in the course of which Park lost his life. However, Shin makes it to China by bribing the soldiers in the border. Then, he takes a refuge in a nearby village and learns rudimentary Chinese language and also earns some money as a domestic worker. Then, after undergoing different challenges he makes it to South Korea and then to the United States of America. 

Naturally, he is traumatized by his experiences in the camp for 24 years when he sees a different world outside. He has nightmare every night for a long time even after the escape. He cannot trust people easily and thinks that even closest of his friends are conspiring against him. Yet, he learns to adjust in the larger society and learns the norms and values of the civilized society.

He now works as a human rights activist. He dreams to bring down the gulags in the North Korea with the support of the international community. 

Having read the book, I felt that I am very lucky to have born in Nepal. Nepal is not a perfect place to live in and is ranked one of the poorest countries in the world. Yet, I feel that I am fortunate because I have right to speak and do not need permission to travel to any part of the country. Likewise, I can live my life the way I like. I have access to education and other basic things to live a life of ease; I do not need to face the brutality and do not have to live a life that somebody dictates. I am also fortunate to know about the world and to be educated in English language. 

It is a high time that the international community tie certain action to bring down the gulags that exists only in North Korea. I strongly feel that these people also have a right to live like every other normal human being. 

MOI, English, Nepali or L1?

Second Language Acquisition, a sub-field of Applied Linguistics, is  a growing area as it provides insight into second language teaching and learning. It, through research, has informed about language teaching to teachers, scholars and policy makers across the world. Thus, the language policy, in developed countries, are made based on such theories. However, Nepal represents the country that makes policy without much consultation to SLA theory. Moreover, there is hardly any research carried out to inform ELT policy in Nepal.

One of such policies that the government has adopted with regard to ELT is English as the MOI. While the Interim Constitution (2063 B.S.) has made a provision to learn and teach, in primary level, in the learners' L1, the education policy also allows school to switch the MOI to English. Obviously, learners are likely to feel much comfortable when they are given instruction in their mother tongue. It can also be predicted that learning is likely to be more successful.

Nepal, being a country that houses 123 ethnic groups and equal number of languages, has a multiple ethnic society. As a result, many schools, as I know, in Hilly, Terai and Lower Himalayan Region, have students who come from different ethnic backgrounds. Thus, even the L1 MOI policy has many complexities associated with it as. Firstly, the translation of text books and other teaching materials. Next, the availability of competent teachers is scarce. Thirdly, given that the school is a melting pot of different ethnic groups, what happens to the needs of minority groups. So changing MOI from Nepali to L1 of learners might be beneficial to some but a disadvantage to others. Thus, the safest way would be to adopt NEPALI MOI as most of the people speak and understand Nepali. 

Talking about ENGLISH MOI, a few things need to be highlight first. With the growing number of English medium private schools across the country  and the results that these schools have secured in SLC examination have created a false scenario that ENGLISH MOI is road to quality education. Parents and other stakeholders have felt that English medium of instruction is better than Nepali medium of instruction. Parents, though illiterate, think that better English opens up countless number of doors to opportunities. So, they have either sent their children to private schools or forced state run schools to switch their medium of instruction to English so that their offspring may be able to compete with their counterpart who receive education in English. 

Nonetheless, they have not understood the other side of the story yet.  A language can only be learnt when the quality of the instruction is good. Moreover, when it comes to learning other subjects in English, all these teachers must have good knowledge of English language along with good content knowledge. However, I as someone involved in the field have noticed that most of these teachers, when they are forced to teach their subjects in English language, can't do their best. Besides, it also paralyzes students understanding of the subject matter. Consequently, their critical thinking ability is completely underdeveloped .  In consequence, what learners receive is substandard education without any critical thinking ability. 

Thus, government has  to think and make informed decision about MOI in both the private and public schools. We all educators, teachers and other stakeholders need to know our priorities. What is it that we want. Do we want citizens that are intellectually sound or the citizens whose thoughts are paralyzed. If learners have good knowledge, they can learn the medium of expression soon after they realize its need. Moreover, the government, educators, and other stake holders could look for the ways to bring positive changes in ELT. We could think of ways to improve the quality of teaching of English so learners would be equipped with knowledge that they require to converse in English if the prime objective of learning English in school level is to acquire the functional knowledge.