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🇳🇵 Nepal /Culture & Society

Vacant stares of children search for missing friends after settlement demolitions

From Kathmandu Post · (6m ago) English Critical tone

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Demolitions of informal settlements in Kathmandu, led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah, have left children searching through debris for salvageable materials.
  • Children who once sang folk songs about the demolitions are now silently sifting through the ruins of their homes, some of whom have had friends disappear.
  • The demolitions, carried out with bulldozers and police, destroyed homes and belongings, leaving families to salvage what they can amidst the rain and despair.

The recent demolitions in Gairigaon, spearheaded by Prime Minister Balendra Shah, have cast a dark shadow over the lives of the settlement's children. What was once a community filled with the sounds of children's songs has been replaced by the grim reality of sifting through the rubble of their former homes. The folk-parody sung by the children, which once depicted Shah's forceful approach to clearing riverbanks, now serves as a poignant, albeit silent, testament to the disruption caused by his administration.

Jhyappai aye Balen Dai dozer liyera…

— ChildrenA folk-parody sung by children in the displaced settlement, depicting the prime ministerial candidate Balendra Shah's forceful demolition of squatter settlements.

Witnessing these young lives, who should be focused on play and education, now engaged in the arduous task of salvaging metal rods from the debris is heart-wrenching. Their quiet determination, devoid of shock, speaks volumes about the harshness of their new reality. The scattering of schoolbooks, clothes, and household items under concrete and dust signifies not just the destruction of physical structures but the shattering of childhood innocence and hope.

We don’t know the rest. He knows it.

— ChildA child's hesitant response when asked to continue singing the folk song after reporters approached.

This situation is particularly galling given the promises made by Shah during his campaign. Many parents, including those of Dev Gurung and Bishal Darnal, had placed their faith in him, believing he would 'build this country.' Now, their hope is shaken as they witness the very leader they supported bring down their homes. The contrast between the political rhetoric of progress and the lived experience of these displaced families highlights a profound disconnect that Nepali citizens are grappling with. The international media might focus on the 'anti-encroachment' drive, but for these children, it is a deeply personal tragedy, a stark reminder of how political actions can devastate the most vulnerable.

If we sell it, we make some money.

— Dev GurungA young boy's explanation for cutting iron rods from the ruins of his former home.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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