Is the 'People's War' safe?


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Asia » Nepal
December 15th 2004
Published: December 15th 2004
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Drug pusher!Drug pusher!Drug pusher!

could this be the youngest in the world?
Descending from the lifeless windswept Tibetan plateau into a narrow gorge, trees in a state of vivid autumnal bloom begin to creep up the sheer walls. The further we descend, the browns, oranges and reds become green and greener still. The spaces between fill with a whole array of plant life until the entire gorge is enveloped in the verdant life force that is the subcontinent. Three seasons in reverse - a plunge of over 2kms in little over an hour. Time to take the thermals off and let the heat permeate every pore.

Jostling through the border town melee straining to hear the radio held to my ear. Bush wins a second term - this time there is no doubt, the people have spoken. Are they nuts? Did I miss the last four years? Did they? Knowing all too well this would happen leaves me with an uneasy feeling of satisfaction. Viewing Earth from outer space gives perspective, and wins me a few quid at the bookies😉
But I’m Stamped into a new country, the sun on my face, breeze on my back, pissing into a swirling turquoise river, happy as Larry - free ‘n’ easy and back on
street lifestreet lifestreet life

Bhaktapur
holiday!

There’s a lot of flesh on show with people washing everywhere; themselves, their hair, their kids and their clothes. It’s the differences you notice first - just how long has it been since we had decent shower? Not long now, everyone is palpably excited about being in Nepal except Santos, who’s still pissed from the night before.
We managed to grab a jeep at the border and upon reaching Kathmandu we enter it’s tourist heartland ‘Thamel’. Winding through its narrow streets it seems tourists outnumber the locals by at least three to one. Forging our way through the western wave everyone is clearly taken aback. “Lock the windows they’re everywhere!”.
Under the pretext of guarding the bags, hangovers and bad legs, Santos and Mark take refuge in a bar for some hair of the dog, whilst the girls and I go in search of and find a pretty decent hotel from the hundreds on offer. Satellite TV, en suite bathrooms, balconies and room service for £2 each - the perfect antidote to the trials of Tibet.

Some people describe Thamel as fake. In my opinion this sentiment couldn’t be further from the truth. Kathmandu became cool in the sixties and tourists have flocked ever since. After 40 years of perfecting its trade, it now caters perfectly to every tourist and backpacker’s whim. Everything you thought you needed, things you’d forgotten you’d needed and things you never knew you needed; CD’s, casinos, books and knives. Textiles, T-shirts, tents and hash. Rooftop terraces with limitless coffee, endless lunches, restaurants of the world, beer on tap, Danish pastries, orange trousers and footy on the box…
Whether these newfound luxuries were a bit rich for the taste, or our sojourn in Tibet had caught up with us is debatable, but all of us came down with an ailment or two. Personally I think my body saw that TV in the room, the food on offer and decided it was time for a little R&R - so with help from the bedside phone, room service and remote control I succumbed to its evolutionary wisdom.

After 7 months on the road this was the perfect tonic. We stayed for two weeks and even managed a little sightseeing. The highlight of which was hiring motorbikes and getting completely lost in the valley for a couple of days - battling off-road through the hills
Pashputinath Hindu Temple, KathmanduPashputinath Hindu Temple, KathmanduPashputinath Hindu Temple, Kathmandu

Kathmandus holy river. Nepal's version of varanasi no less...
on our cruisers.
Nepal’s largest Hindu festival was celebrated whilst we were in Kathmandu: the five-day ‘festival of lights’ aka Tihar(Deepawali). After an initial flurry of activity with candles and lights, intricate floral decorations appearing on the streets and kids wandering about singing songs, everything seemed to die-off by 8pm. We later discovered a Maoists curfew had placed limitations on the festivities.

Whilst in the valley there were also two bomb blasts attributed to the Maoists - one in Kathmandu, which injured 38, and another in Bhaktapur killing two. This came as a bit of a shock - I knew there was a civil war raging in Nepal but I wasn’t aware the Maoists had such penetration into the heartland of Nepali power. There were daily reports of casualties on both sides. The tourists I talked to knew anything whatsoever about the situation and the Nepalese I questioned played down the significance and power of the Maoists - no doubt to preserve their fragile livelihoods.

When we finally decided to drag ourselves away from Kathmandu we found the road was closed due to a Maoist blockade - another day in Thamel. Our destination was Pokhara - situated on a lake backed by green hills and the snowy Himalayas. ‘Lakeside’ Pokhara was basically a newer, less hectic version of Thamel - though by now my need for creature comforts had diminished, and I began to feel detached. After over two weeks in Nepal I knew absolutely nothing about the country or the people. The only people we ever met staying in Pokhara and Kathmandu were other tourists and Nepalese who worked in the tourist service industry. ‘Yes sir, No sir, three bags full sir’ Charming for sure, but it felt impossible to penetrate this veneer. Rather than talk of the war, their favourite topic of conversion without doubt was bitching about Tibetan refugees who they claimed we all rich and exploited tourists by pleading poverty and selling them junk at highly inflated prices… Well I didn’t buy any, honest 😉

After two days in Pokhara I made the decision to leave Nepal and head down to Bangladesh for a reality check. Whilst researching this option I discovered Brits pay almost $100 for a visa, whilst some other Europeans pay only $15 - Fuck that - I’m not paying a colonial premium! Ditte was heading to Rishikesh in India
Indigenous faces of NepalIndigenous faces of NepalIndigenous faces of Nepal

...on the Annapurna.
to find herself; I preferred the idea of getting lost. But what to do? Then Mark hit me with the statement “you can’t come to Nepal without going trekking”…Touché. Besides it would be a shame not to utilise all those extra red blood cells I acquired up on the roof of the world fighting Tibetans.

Maoist road closures meant we couldn’t start from our preferred destination, so we opted to hike up to Annapurna base camp first, before heading around the Annapurna Circuit backwards (a total trek of about 3 weeks). A $30 permit was required for the trek, though after China we fancied our chances of avoiding capture, besides, most of the area we’d be trekking in was under Maoist control, and yet we were paying the government for ‘conservation of the area’? We also surmised that since the Maoists controlled these areas there wouldn’t be many govt. officials to check our permits anyhow. The Maoists themselves however, also requested ‘donations’.

Since the trek started at just 1500m we were able to blast through the first day - it was a novelty being able to breathe whilst trekking - with the limiting factor good-old muscle fatigue, rather than suffocation. At the end of the second day I got lost - possibly the first person in the history of the Annapurna - since the entire route is lined with staircases and stone paths. As Mark was unaware of my mishap he pressed onto the agreed rendezvous point and I stayed in a ‘village’ an hours climb below. I couldn’t be arsed waking early to catch him, and decided to take the next three days at a nice leisurely pace.

There are quite a few trekkers up in the Annapurna range. You’ll never walk more than 15mins without passing another tourist or a gang of porters. The villages that line the route are basically collections of hotels and restaurants, some with over 20 and other ‘villages’ just two hotels. Which makes for a fairly social affair rather than an adventure. After no rain in the area for almost 6 weeks it was well over due, and on the last two days hike up to base camp at 4100m I was permanently enveloped in grey drizzly clouds.

Mark was up at base camp having arrived the previous day. He also had a new friend; a mildly psychotic East
Durbar Sq. PatanDurbar Sq. PatanDurbar Sq. Patan

Kathmandu valley
German girl who he spent the next couple of days trying to lose😉 Talking to other trekkers we also discovered that there were actually quite a few government and Maoist checkpoints around the circuit and our chances of discovery were high. Which meant paying the govt. $60 - and the Maoists approx. $30. It was possible to borrow a permit from someone who’d completed the trek and change photo’s to outfox government checkpoints, but no way of avoiding the Maoists.

The reality of ‘conflict trekking’ didn’t sit easily with my conscience so I decided to head back to Pokhara, besides, I’d seen enough of the Himalayas to satisfy my curiosity and didn’t feel I’d learn much more in the next two weeks trekking through Nepali ‘villages’. In my mind, anyone who’s trekking The Annapurna is filling the war chest on both sides. When I shared this view with other tourists they were extremely defensive. I was angered and saddened by their apathy towards the conflict - it seemed nobody gave a flying shit about the civil war in Nepal and as long as tourists themselves aren’t being directly targeted they will continue to flock here. The only real explanation
Machupuchre aka 'Fish Tail'Machupuchre aka 'Fish Tail'Machupuchre aka 'Fish Tail'

never been climbed! fancy it?
for any of this I received was “ Only 5% of people in England care about politics, how can you expect people to care about what’s happening in Nepal?” Fair comment.

But I give shit, its why I travel;

There are over 60 ethnic and caste groups in Nepal, but just two Brahmin dominated Hindu groups (the Bahun and Chetris) have controlled Nepal for the last two centuries. Up until 1951 Nepal was a closed country dominated by one family - with the monarchy reduced to a figurehead. In the 1960’s the monarchy regained power and three decades of direct rule followed.

With an increase in the absolute poor occurring between the 70’s and 90’s many began to blame the old-style feudal system in which only a small group derived any benefit. (In 1989 Nepal was 115th out of 120 poorest countries in the world).
Tourists visiting the Kathmandu Valley will be unaware of this fact, due to the first and third world gulf between Kathmandu and the rest of Nepal. All wealth and power has been concentrated in the Kathmandu valley. Life expectancy in rural areas is half that of people in the Kathmandu valley and wages even less. In the countryside large landowners are thriving on the servitude of dependant farmers and bonded labourers.

In 1990 due to increasing unrest ‘democracy’ was reintroduced - though ultimate control remained with the monarchy. The trend of Nepal’s rulers ignoring the people’s needs in pursuit of their own interests continued. Conditions further deteriorated and during the early 90’s certain factions in the communist party (the largest party in Nepal) became disenchanted by the inadequacies of the new democratic system and pledged to take up arms against the old feudal system. In the poorest areas of West Nepal support for Maoist ideas was on the rise. A govt. crackdown on these Maoists areas backfired with numerous incidences of rape, torture and murder attributed to govt. troops.

Many people saw the Maoists as their only hope, and in 1996 The ‘Peoples War’ began when six government and police outposts were attacked simultaneously in mid-western Nepal. Similar attacks took place on a regular basis in the same area over the next few years. With Maoist strength growing as more weapons are seized, today’s estimations put their numbers at 15,000 fighters active across the country. Over 10,000 people on both
festival funfestival funfestival fun

Kathmandu
sides have been killed in the last 8 years of fighting, including many civilians. With the rate of killing increased massively in 2001 when the US govt. scuppered ongoing peace talks and began equipping the Royal Nepalese army in a final attempt to defeat the Maoists.

The rebels now control roughly 40% of Nepalese territory, and even though they may not yet have the strength to win their "People's War" they are too strong to lose it. 42% of Nepalese live below the poverty line and rebel support in rural areas continues to increase. Peace talks seem to be the only option, however since the US has labelled them a terrorist organisation this will be difficult.

Mark decided to continue on the circuit and I hurried down with Phil (Irish) and Liad (Israeli) who’d been up in the mountains for a couple of weeks and were keen to get out. Despite both Phil and Liad giving me their own historical perspectives of the troubles in their respective countries the best piece of wisdom I received was when Phil convinced me to visit Bangladesh (though this may have something to do with the fact that he’d like some rare
Holy cow!Holy cow!Holy cow!

Kathmandu
info prior to his own visit in January?)

Returning to Pokhara, I was pleased to find Ditte still there after having been white-water rafting with Santos and Ryoko, and fortunately further delayed by Maoist road closures😉 The next day Mark returned after getting lost walking in the wrong direction for a day!? He’d also had a run-in with the Maoists and was forced to pay a ‘voluntary donation’ of $10 “For the protection of language and art… the development of tourist areas…and finally to bring about the complete change by completing the Nepalese revolution, your help will be important”

Ditte headed off to Northern India and Mark decided to join me in the exploration of Bangladesh, which is where I am now, 29C and on a beach for the first time in ages.

Merry Christmas.







Additional photos below
Photos: 15, Displayed: 15


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25th December 2004

Gorgeous photos
Thanks for the delightfully intimate pictures of places and people in your travels. Hope you have a safe and merry holiday. "Kelly in Korea" - Kelly
3rd January 2005

brought it all back
Hi Jason, Good to read your blog and see the many pictures. Inevitably, it reminded me of my own journeys east from UK in the early and mid 60's. Especially to long trip out to India, hitchhiking all the way. In those days it was Turkey - Iran - Afghanistan - Pakistan of course, and I wondered how road-travellers like you made it thru these days....So it was an education for me. I was in India for a few years - and as well as Burma/Thailand/Malaysia, Indonesia (all the way to Kupang in East Timor where we got a lift from a WW II landing craft that was going acroos the Timor Sea to Darwin... Good days. I did think of you when I heard of the great disaster (and hoped you hadn't decided on Xmas on a beach in Thailand....) Anyway, have fun. For me (aged 22 -27 yrs), those years travelling were the beginning of my education...and have served me for every day since in one way or another. You will find as you live a long life (Inshallah!) that you can talk to almost anyone.... you'll know where they come from! Good luck and safe - but exciting! - journeys. Rogan - Rogan
18th March 2005

Free mountain photo gallery
Photo gallery - I found some nice pictures on www.visit-nepal.com/freephotogallery.htm. I hope this gallery is useful for many visitors as well as others who are not able to travel Nepal. - Raj
6th January 2006

pics
Hi, I didn't go through your description but I just wanna say that, ur' pics are great..
16th February 2006

OMG
wow...thats nice...im originally from nepal. And havnt been ther in a loooooong time....oh well..

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