Pratik Rimal

"The charm of mortal life, since her arrival has been joy, thoughts and longing of togetherness...a wish to be always behind her and protect her...maybe life after all gives us a second chance. And with your arrival, I now indeed believe that it sincerely does for our heavenly father cannot be heartless, as he instilled us with hearts of love, trust, faith, compassion and joy! .....

......Time tickles in joy and passes with a melancholic song. The hollow cry of penetrable sounds from the wild beasts underneath the moonlight alerts me of your hopeful
presence...and I am waiting..."

(extracted from: Stars Fall Down)



About Me

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Kathmandu, Nepal
Ever since I first started to write my first poem and article, I've loved to write. I continue to learn to write. In doing so, I let my feelings, thoughts, and emotions run wild and let people know what I intend to say, what I want to say. For me, writing is a creative expression to express what we never can say by speaking... Your readings and feedback are always important to me. Therefore, I wish that you'd write to me. My email address: pratik.rimal@hotmail.com Cell: +977-98511-42610

Sunday, July 24, 2016

TO CURB IS HUMAN

Every time a bus comes at the police check post in Khairidhunga, Himal Shrestha boards the bus and takes a minute to return. If he sees suspicious individual, he politely asks them to come down for a minute.

Some travelers look with suspicion and query why a passenger should get out. Himal takes some time to elaborate why. His work is both appreciated and dismissed by onlookers. The bus driver himself says okay but tells him to do it quick.

After the earthquake, Nepal government, along with various organizations warned with many being people being internally displaced, trafficking could be on rise. As a result, security bar has been raised.

Himal Shrestha and Rolina Tamang have been working to curb trafficking for the past 15 days at Khairedhunga Police Check Post. Both take turn to check for suspected individuals, especially children and girls.

That was how Rohit Tamang (name changed), around 10 years old, was saved. Rohit had boarded a bus to Kathmandu without his parent's consent, to work in a hotel. At Khairedhunga, he was stopped, queried, and then returned back to his parents.

In the last two weeks, Himal and Rolina have been able to save five females from being trafficked.  
In another incident, "two Tamang girls of around 18 from a nearby village said they were going to visit their uncle's place in Kathmandu. When we inquired the name of the uncle and the place they would go in Kathmandu, they were confused. Moreover, their uncle's surname was different from their own," Rolina said. When we asked the uncle's number, they gave it to us and when we called the phone and inquired, the man cut the line and since then has disappeared" Himal said. Having reported to the police, the man and his whereabouts is under investigation.

Rolina and Himal shared that all of those who were rescued were travelling alone and were scheduled to meet somebody on the other side. "When we interrogate a suspect, they generally tend to blabber, get irritated, panic and tend to hide themselves. They act abnormally," Himal said.


POLICE SUPPORT

Both Rolina and Himal shared that the police has helped a lot in inquiring and halting vehicles. Surendra Singh, Assistant Sub inspector at the Check Post said that they had always felt the need of such help desks. "We always felt the need for such work," Surendra Singh said adding that he greatly appreciated what Rolina and Himal were doing.

RESOURCE

Without resources, Rolina and Himal are currently operating from the police check post. Every time they bring a suspected individual, they escort them to the police check post and start to inquire. Such act has cast suspicious eyes amidst the onlookers.

"A lot of people here know each other," Himal said, adding that social prestige had come into play many times. Moreover, both the sub-inspector and Rolina believed that people seldom became open when queried inside a police post, no matter how small it was.

"Once, one of our suspects turned to be wrong. Because we had dropped her from bus and waited for her parents to come so that we could hand her over, she was nervous. She happened to know many of the locals and there were many onlookers too," Rolina said.

"When her parents came and we handed her over, the girl, although pleased by the attempt said that they could have chosen other destinations instead of a police post," Rolina narrated.

Without their own office, the two have been operating in the police post itself. "If only we had two tents, we could use one as a store and an office and another one as shelter during winter and monsoon. This also would have helped people to open up and confide," Himal said.

Moreover, both Rolina and Himal expressed that while they were doing their best (even when they do not have necessary trainings), had they had two more people, awareness in wards, VDCs, schools and health posts would have been in the pipeline.

AWARENESS

Khairidhunga is predominantly a Newari settlement. Surendra Singh, deployed in the post after two years in Jiri and Satdobato (Dolakha) opined that the level of awareness in terms of trafficking was nominal.

"More often than not, people, here, become dismissive," Surendra Singh said.

Dipak Shrestha, 22 is a farmer by profession. He has a son. When SCI queried if he along with his family was aware about trafficking, he said yes. However, when we asked if he bought out the topic and urged female family members to be alert of any stranger, he was reluctant. "We talk once in a while," Dipak said. "But we know everyone here so we don't need to worry much of trafficking," Dipak said.

The assistant sub inspector suggested that by incorporating media and creating awareness generating campaigns, the level of awareness would increase. "We also need to help people to stop being dismissive," Surendra said.

APPRECIATION


While many have criticized the security check, a lot have actually appreciated it. To Himal and Rolina, the pat on their back is a gratifying experience. "We really feel special and proud of what we do," both echoed. The experience is even greater to Rolina. "Being a woman and helping a woman is really heart touching," Rolina said, adding that she has been able to pride over what she's been doing.