Nepal Rocks

21st June, longest day of the year…

… So I woke up at 6a.m.. On its own, Saturday is Nepal’s week-end, so it is a washing and cleaning day for all families, mine included. But first I needed to get the water from downstairs as the tap answer my calls… of necessity.
Maybe the time sounds early but the kids from the HCS hostel woke up between 4 and 5 and developed the habit to ring at my door around 8 with the excitement provided by the idea of a walk on top of the fresh hills.
This Saturday they right at the door at 8 sharp. They went to play with the kittens while I knocked at Lisa’s door to wake her up. She’s a franco-brit, 22, whose master’s about the identity of exiled Tibetans in Dharamsala.
(e)Lisa(beth) is in Nepal to renew her Indian visa and we met two days ago on a protest where she benevolently took some photos, between solidarity and CPE protests’ nostalgia. 8.30 we were gone. We passed by 5 monasteries, have seen peasants working hard in their paddy field, a leech met with Pema Diki’s ankle, a hint of salt and it was gone (she was the one who reminded me to take some salt!). At Kopan there were nice flowers in the beautiful and peaceful Buddhist garden and we met with… Tsering and his sister arrived from Pokhara.
On our way back we ate green apricot (ripe it was), big chips and pokaras with the ubiquitous chilly.

On the way to Buddhanath we said bye-bye to the kids and went for lunch. After that we met Kelsang at the back of a motorbike heading to the consulate. He told us that everybody was already hiding in the streets around.
This day the protest answered to the Olympic shame approaching Lhasa. To go to the Chinese consulate we had to walk because it was banda. Banda is Nepali word which mean ‘closed’ and also define a strike (more like a block-us). Last Friday it was because a maoist MP locked a parliament colleague in the toilets. This Saturday (and for seven days) it is because the students demand 50% off their bus ticket as the companies announced a hike in the prices (the last in long list of announcement).

After half an hour walk, with Lisa we reached the side walls of the consulate of the badly behaved and authoritarian state. Tibetans were already shouting slogans and being sent to the police pickups and small trucks which limited capacity allowed the protesters to organize themselves in small groups and to make the standing up last.
It was a very hot day. We’ve seen red faced police men, not cool police women, laughing cops. The sun and their only day off suppressed drove them mad. There one slammed in a group, here one slapped a Tibetan face. Even one young police guy punched a Tibetan girl. I shouted at him and he looked furiously at me. On the ground they use the UN passivity, happily there are always some journalists. But last Thursday Miss T said, “a child’s father has been badly beaten”. In front of two UN staff the Nepali police put a young girl in their truck. She was obviously under 18 and even for Nepal it is unlawful… the UN staff told me afterwards. Meanwhile Tibetans don’t play a game, they put all their heart each time. Each time at least two women faint. This day a young adult had an epilepsy crisis. Last Saturday Police arrested 600, this Saturday they arrested nearly 700 following Miss P. statement. On the day, from the jail she sent me a SMS saying “I’m at zoo. We are animals at the police station zoo.”

Once Police swept all Tibetans from the consulate’s street, we headed towards Durbar Square eating a chilly cucumber on the way. At the Royal Place he had tea behind one of the temple, between a willing-to-be-photographed saddhu (against hundred of Rupees) and the village madman.
There we met Peshal, 22 too, student at Alliance Francaise, “which organized Fete de la Musique” he said. Among few things he told us that he’s got nearly no more friend in Nepal, two remains but one’s just received his American visa while the other applied for an Australian student visa. So, Peshal wants to migrate to France.

On his fete de la musique program it was written “scene rock, Durbar Marg, 2p.m. to 9pm.”. To get an idea have look to the photos and videos

At night, around 7.30!!! I headed back home. Lisa found a young guy and a bike. Actually I was still willing to walk a bit more. I stopped for diner in a Nepali restaurant and had Chulo-alu (flat rice and spiced potatoes = 15 NRs).
Not far from Bouddha Gate I passed by a bunch of dancing and singing taxi drivers. The overjoyed guys ignored the 21st was international music celebration, to set loudly their music from one of the taxi was motivated by the earnings of the day, bandas are auspicious for them.
I reached the stupa at 8.30. there were still few monks on the kora and the security guards pushed away the last beggar, a completely broken body, as well as the street kids in their dirty and old clothes. They were scared but I asked them to stay with me. Together we shared of chocolate biscuit I bought with the remaining 10 rupees in my pockets. Then they set themselves under a a tin roof for the night. Lisa was waiting in the dark of the stair case. End of a very long day.Subara tri.