This month, we pitted together two groups of young people: the politically active, even participating in violent demonstrations as human rights monitors from Collective Campaign for Peace and the passive, who get turned off by politics. The discussion, hosted at Campion Academy, turned into an interesting potpourri of young ideas. Excerpts:
 ANUP PRAKASH |
Participants:
Sarala Gautam, 24, MA Sociology, Tri-Chandra College
Prakash Pariyar, 23, BEd, Tahachal Campus
Sushil Baral, 22, BBS, Pokhara Campus
Lalita Maharjan, 31, MA Sociology, Tri-Chandra College
Jyotsana Bhattarai 18, Campion Academy
Kusum Shri Niraula18, Campion Academy
Ashesh Khadka, 18, Campion Academy
Ashesh Lama 17, Campion Academy
Gautam Raj Moktan, 21, Kathmandu University
 Sushil |
Do youth and politics gel well?
SUSHIL: Ideally speaking, education should be free from politics but that's not possible as every sector incorporates politics. Students definitely need to know of the country's situation. The power of youth is the strongest. We can bring change if we unite but we lack good leaders.
ASHESH K: We are the country's future and our priority is education. Earlier, people didn't care to study and took to the streets instead. Had they acquired proper education, they would've been able to make good decisions. And I find it pointless to protest at every little thing.
KUSUM: Frequent rallies and bandas in the name of protests only trouble people. It's more effective to follow Gandhi's non-violent ways. Politics in college isn't good.
SUSHIL: Young people need to be politically aware but what's the point if you are aware and don't act? There are constructive ways of protesting but many colleges don't allow any form of political exercise.
 Ashesh K |
ASHESH K: We do our bit by participating in college events such as public speaking to express our views. But that doesn't come in the media. All that gets published is news of destruction of public property.
SARALA: Most private college students don't have financial problems unlike those in government colleges. Price hikes directly affect the latter and so they take to the streets. My brother studies in St Xavier's College and he protested at his college by wearing black clothes on February First. Politics maybe a dirty game but we need to clean it out.
Is there a right time to be politically involved? If not now, then when?
ASHESH K: I think the time isn't now. Later, you can contribute through your profession, for example if you become a doctor you can contribute by helping the poor.
 Sarala |
SARALA: You can choose to be a politically aware doctor.
GAUTAM: Even at Kathmandu University where people are aware and educated, they do not want to participate. I asked friends to join this discussion but their reaction was 'Hyaa, politics'. It's a challenge for us to make individuals who flip directly to the sports page understand that the front page affects our lives more.
You said demonstrations for "every little thing". What is "little"?
SARALA: A problem is never small. When the Maoist problem arose, many ignored it saying it was district-level. Look how big it has become! We need to be politically aware to be able to distinguish what is small and what is not. But demonstrations should be peaceful; Gandhi freed a country from an empire through civil disobedience, not violence.
 Ashesh L |
ASHESH K: I don't think we should protest every time fuel price increases because the price also rises in the international market and not just our market. Instead, we should think of alternative choices. Nothing is permanent and change is inevitable, what we need are innovative ideas.
SARALA: We can't compare Nepal to other countries; we need to look at ground realities. We mustn't be Kathmandu-centric.
So demonstrations are destructive?
SARALA: Destructive demonstrations are wrong.
ASHESH L: I think Participating in demonstrations can come later, when we are more mature. Right now if we spoil our studies, our parents will scream at us but in public colleges students live alone since most of them are from outside the Valley so I guess they can get away with it. I still believe we have time—we aren't getting old tomorrow.
 Lalita |
LALITA: Private college students bunk classes and go to parties but public college students go to protest.
GAUTAM: Actually, it's lack of faith in leaders. The attitude is—finish school, go abroad. People don't respect hard work and honesty. What's respected is money.
ASHESH K: You can wake someone who is sleeping but you can't wake someone who pretends to be sleeping.
If you are young, articulate, have opinions and would like to participate in WAVE Young Ideas discussion, write to us at letters@wavemag.com.np with your name, age, school/college, phone number, and subject of interest.
