Nepal: The Maoist Dream

"The hills are not mere hills now

They are red warriors

The jungles are not jungles now

They are mass of people’s armies

The villages are unified

In the camps of retaliation

In this peak of the land

Everest is glowing as red flags"

Salute Jelbang

Krishna Sen Ichhuk

That is how this story begins: with a poem describing Nepal's Maoist Dream. This interesting report elaborated by Al Jazeera focuses on that -too often forgotten- dream. Some people may not know where Nepal is. They may even wonder why we should care about the History of an underdeveloped country. Fine. If you have identified yourself with these ideas, please, do not waste your time and stop here. If not - and I hope you did not- keep on reading!  

Asia is a huge continent. As such, it is composed of lots of wonderful states, each and every one of them with a historical, political, social, cultural and economic background. Yet, we tend to forget that. Social movements did not only have an impact on Europe. Nepal is a clear -unknown- example of that. 

Nepalese History is long and complex. Let's summarize it a little bit, shall we? 1950. Up to this year, Nepal had been governed by different dinasties. Finally in 1951, Nepal started to be administered by an hereditary government- similar to the monarchical system. 

After many struggles for democracy throughout the 20th century, in 1991, Nepal held elections. Despite the constitutional reforms, the system was still corrupted. Five years later, in 1996, the UCPN (M) (Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)) led a violent insurrection that marked the beginning of a bloody Civil War which lasted for 10 years.

In 2006, the new government and Maoist rebels finally signed a ceasefire and began the negotiations for the establishment of a Republic and the constitution of an Assembly, therefore putting an end to monarchy and hopefully setting the first steps for a democratic state. In September 2015, a new constitution was promulgated. 

Al Jazeera's article tells the stories and testimonies of different people that were somehow affected by this Civil War. Students, warriors, teachers, writers. What they all had in common was that Maoist dream. A dream of hope, a dream of change, a dream of opportunities and, above all, a dream of justice.

Did they succeed? Did they achieve anything at all? Was it really worth the suffering ? 

Maybe these questions can be answered. Maybe not. Just in case you want to try, here you have the article. You can download it as a pdf :-) 

Nepal: The Maoist Dream

Have a nice weekend!

Oliver Sacks

Seguro que os suena este nombre. Algunos lo conoceréis por sus libros sobre la mente humana y la relación entre la vida y la enfermedad, como Despertares o El hombre que confundió a su mujer con un sombrero. Otros, seguramente lo habréis visto en los titulares de los periódicos. Sea como sea, lo cierto es que estos días este prestigioso neurólogo está presente en todos lados.

Hace nueve años, diagnosticaron a Oliver Sacks un tumor ocular con una probabilidad extremadamente baja de metástasis. Hace solamente dos semanas, se enteró de que estaba entre ese desafortunado 2% y que solo le quedaban unos meses de vida. Viéndose en esta situación, se dispuso a escribir una emotiva despedida que fue publicada ayer en The New York Times.

Se me hace muy complicado describir cómo es este artículo. Sencillamente, te deja sin palabras. Oliver Sacks te transmite su optimismo, su confianza en el mundo y su gratitud de una forma tan intensa y delicada a la vez, que hace que reflexiones sobre la vida, sobre TU vida.

Aquí os dejo algunos fragmentos de este increíble artículo, ¡disfrutadlo!

“No puedo decir que no tenga miedo. Pero mi sentimiento predominante es el de la gratitud. He amado y he sido amado; he dado mucho y me ha dado bastantes cosas; he leído, viajado y escrito”.

“Por encima de todo, he sido un ser con sentidos, un animal pensante, en este maravilloso planeta y esto, en sí, ha sido un enorme privilegio y una aventura”

Aunque no es posible encontrar su despedida completa en español, podéis leer diferentes extractos de esta en El  País, El Mundo y ABC.

I am completely sure that you have heard this name. Some of you may know him because of his books about the links between illnesses and life such as Awakenings or The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. Perhaps you have seen his name on the newspaper. Regardless, it is undeniable that this prestigious neurologist appears everywhere these days.

Oliver Sacks was diagnosed with a rare tumor of the eye nine years ago. It was very unlikely to metastasize. Nevertheless, just two weeks ago, he was told that he was among the unlucky 2%. He does not have more than a few months left. That is the reason why he decided to write a farewell which was published in The New York Times yesterday.

I find it extremely difficult to describe this article. It is simply breathtaking and thought-provoking. You can feel his optimism and thankfulness by reading it. He opens his heart and speaks his mind in such an honest and intense way, that it will leave you speechless.

Here there are some of the most interesting and beautiful parts of it. Enjoy!

"It is up to me now to choose how to live out the months that remain to me. I have to live in the richest, deepest, most productive way I can."

"There will be no one like us when we are gone, but then there is no one like anyone else, ever. When people die, they cannot be replaced. They leave holes that cannot be filled, for it is the fate — the genetic and neural fate — of every human being to be a unique individual, to find his own path, to live his own life, to die his own death."

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