Hey, Amnesty int'l Japan is having the walking tour about Nepal

現地ジャーナリストが語る内戦の現実　～紛争に苦しむネパール・３～
アムネスティ・インターナショナル＠ネパール
2006年10月31日
これは私の心の奥にしまっておいた話だ。 badhi kids who live in poor area of Nepal
（Ｃ）Usha Titikshu ネパールの貧困地域バディの子どもたち

（Ｃ）Usha Titikshu ネパールの貧困地域バディの子どもたち badhi kids who live in poor area of Nepal


マオイストの軍事訓練。女性兵士の赤いリボンが印象的だった。一個小隊に一人か二人、女性兵士の姿があった。2001年8月撮影　(C)八木澤高明


（C）八木澤高明


私たちはともに遊び、冗談を言い、一緒にいろいろな活動をした。私は幼いころの彼との思い出を忘れることができない。２人は将来のことについてもよく話し合った。彼は、自分自身や家族、国についてたくさんの夢を持っていた。ネパールで人に認められる立派な人間になりたいというのは２人に共通の願いだったが、親友のトプジュン・ガタラジにとっての一番の願いは、家族が貧しさから抜け出すことだった。

思えば彼らは長い時間をかけて戦闘の準備をしていた。人殺しや若者の勧誘もその一部だった。彼らは文化的なプログラムの提供が得意で、地元の人々、特に若い人の共感を得ていた。私も何人かの指導者たちに誘われたが、幸運にも逃げきることができた。
10学年の最終試験を受けた後、私たちは４年間を過ごした高校を後にし、故郷の村に帰った。その後しばらくして、知人からトプジュンが反政府軍に参加するために家を出たことを聞いた。彼の家族は泣いていたという。
まさか！　心の中にたくさんの疑問が噴出した。国での活躍を夢見ていた彼がなぜマオイストに？
たしかに彼は貧しい家庭に生まれたため、政治に対する不満をもっていた。貧しい家庭の出身であり、カーストがダリット（カースト外の不可触民）である彼は、この社会で成功することはあり得なかった。成績は中くらいだが正直でまじめな生徒だった彼が、もし大学に進学したいと思っても、家族は学費を出すことができただろうか？　卒業後の展望が持てなかった彼は、共産主義を説く統一人民戦線の指導者の演説を聞いて、党に参加することに彼の将来を見いだしたのだろうか？　そういえば、10学年の終わりに近いある日、彼はもうすぐ統一人民戦線が貧しく虐げられた人びとのために戦いを始めると言い、私を党に誘ったことがあった。私がとりあわなかったため、彼は私を無視し、悪口を言うようになった。今思えば、そのときすでに彼は党員になっていたのだった。
彼についてのたくさんの疑問を抱えながら、私は1時間のみちのりを歩いて彼の家に行った。母親や家族に彼のことを尋ねたが、だれも答えることはできなかった。最後に彼の一番上の兄が帰って来て詳しく話してくれた。彼は昨日の朝出て行き、友人とともに、家から３時間ほど離れたところにある警察の襲撃に加わったということだった。私は言葉を失い、一言だけなぐさめのことばを残し家に帰った。心配で胸がいっぱいだった。

training of Maoist army,i impressed red ribon of girls soldger. i saw one or two girls in a battlian

Photos bBy Takaki Yagisawa Colour)

WHO CARES ?

Bishnu Lal Maharja, a demonstrator of April Movement who is lied on Model Hospital Bed since then and His wife and youg daughter is also seen in picture.

‘Bahini’ Barta in Japan

Struggler “Sarangi” player Barta Gandharva’s song will appear with Usha’s photos in Japan soon. Yahori Award won Journalist from Thailand Yumi Gotto, photo editor cum photo curator will presentation and exhibition with her new composed song, which also lyric by herself. The photographs portray of Yahori award winner activist from Nepal Usha Ttitshu.

A poster published by YUMI GOTO, photo editor of Reminder project of Bangkok to promotional of photo exhibition entitled Nepal:Ongoing Journey of pioneer woman photojournalist of Nepal and Usha Titkshu, the exhibition will be held in Japan, Tokyo.

गरिब भई जन्मनु पर्यो We poor, amidst the poverty
दासी भई बाँच्नु पर्यो Living a life of a servant

कोही मर्छन दु:खै दु:ख ज्यानको बाजी राखी One bets even life to live,
कोही हिड्छन् सु:खै सु:खमा गरीबलाई दाली Other live with ecstasy suppressing the poor-
गरिब भई जन्मनु पर्यो We poor amidst the poverty
दासी भई बाँच्नु पर्यो Living a life of a servant

लोकतन्र्त आईसक्यो सबै अघि बढौ Now with democracy, let's move to the fore-
सबै मिलि एकजुत भई अघि सरौ United we can establish a peace forever.

मर्ननै मर्न परोस् उठौ है कम्मर कसेर To die we die; come on with the brave minds!

गरिब भई जन्मनु पर्यो We poor amidst the poverty
दासी भई बाँच्नु पर्यो Living a life of a servant

Song and music by Gandharva

Fire In Monastrey

Nisha Sharma as nun Purnima in Agniko Katha during the performence at Dreams Garden in Kathmandu on 17 OCt 2006.© Deependra Bajracharya

Girls on a rampage in "Agni Ko Katha"
My experience of watching "Agni Ko Katha" (A story of fire) in Gurukul proved to be romantically thrilling and hilariously exhilarating. Of all the scenes, one scene was particularly striking.Gyan, a seeker of truth and knowledge comes back to his village, perhaps his birthplace. He comes to his village because the library in his first monastery is consumed by fire. In the village, there is a small monastery. He goes there. As soon as he reaches the monastery, a bevy of three beautiful girls come. They find him very handsome. One of the girls tickles him, the other titillates him, and the last girl starts rummaging his bag. One of the girls even lifts the long yellow gown of the monk. It looks as if they are going to molest him romantically. Those girls become wildly fond of him. It seems as if those girls are enchantresses, bent on ruining the monk.
How long can the monk resist? As these flirtations reach a crescendo, the monk runs for his life. Once the monk disappears, those girls run around the monastery like deer, begin to giggle, and walk and capture the monastery with the weapon of laughter, giggles, nimble-footed walk and agile movements. It looks as if a monastery is the best place for the consummation of romantic impulse.
This highly sensual and humorous scene in Agni Ko Katha arrested my analytical attention. What did the dramatist Prof. Subedi want to imply by using this scene of sensuality and humour? In addition to this scene, there is another scene in which actress Purnima weeps and wails because Gyan is leaving the first monastery. The pain Purnima endures at the time of Gyan’s separation suggests a high degree of emotional attachment.I believe that by using these scenes of sensuality, perhaps the dramatist wanted to show materialistic elements within Buddhism. The route to salvation and enlightenment is not renunciation only, but aesthetic awareness also. Perhaps, Prof. Subedi subtly wanted to highlight this truth.
Finally, I would like to discuss one eloquent issue. What is Buddhism’s stand on femininity? There is no clear answer. But it is quite certain that there is no idea of gender in the pure creed of Buddhism. Where Gyan’s (a monk) journey for truth ends, Purnima’s (a nun) journey begins. Ultimately Purnima says "I love humanity. I leave the monastery and mix in this world for the emancipation of humanity." Here, I can’t help citing what Prof. Dor Bahadur Bista said regarding Buddhism - "Buddhism is the highest expression of Asiatic humanism, which ultimately brought the world on the threshold of a new civilization." Perhaps, this too is the message that Prof. Dr. Abhi Subedi wanted to give through Agni Ko Katha.

-Shiva Hari Mainali

IIf Your Pictures Aren't Good Enough, You're Not Close Enough...

I recently saw War Photographer, a documentary about one of my personal heroes, James Nachtwey, considered by many the greatest war photographer ever. The film was both moving and incredibly disturbing, but having pored over Natchwey's photos, I was expecting that.

What I really enjoyed about the film was seeing the methodology of this great photographer. The documentary film makers attached a micro-videocamera onto Natchwey's Canon 1-V so that you could see over his trigger finger right into the action he was shooting. You could see him change shutter speeds and aperture settings. I saw that he used 400 speed film, which is a surprise since his pictures are so sharp. You could see how meticulous he was about taking notes, and about keeping his camera clean in less than ideal circumstances. You could see how he traveled. You could see how interacted with his subject matter. You could see how close he was to the action. It was amazing.

If you want to check out some of Natchwey's work, and I highly recommend it, though it's not for the faint of heart, here are some sites:

James Natchwey's site
www.jamesnachtwey.com/

Dasain = Mohani + Meat festival

full stomach in dasain ?:A watter bufallow meat seller of Bungamati in Lalitpur on Dasain- 2063.