"Ever cried for your country?"

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"Ever cried for your country?" By BAN WHI MIN Nepalese complain about the caste system and corrupt officers. They openly vent their anger against the government. But have they ever thought About Nepal's real problems? I believe that they have not. I want to say that Nepal's real problems are lack of patriotism among the people and lack of love for one another. This is the conclusion I have reached during my stay. This summer, I did voluntary work from July 5 to July 30 at FHI Ever Vision School, Matatirtha, Kathmandu. Let me first tell you about my country, Korea. This might help you understand my point. Just after the Korean War, which claimed lives of more than 5 million Koreans, Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. Without natural resources, Korea had no choice but to desperately struggle for its survival by all means. Under this gloomy situation, Koreans envied other Asian countries like Japan, Taiwan, and Nepal. Korean government officials were horribly corrupt. With the dual classes of Yangban (nobles) and Sangnom(peasants) , Korean society was sickening day by day. However, Koreans, having determination to become rich, overcame the unfair social structure and put the country onto the track of development. When the former president Park Jung Hee took over the government, there were few factories in Korea. Korea could not attract loans or expect foreign investments. Under these circumstances, President Park 'exported' miners and nurses to then West Germany. The salaries that they earned were used to building factories and promoting industrialization of Korea. In 1964, when President Park visited then West Germany, the miners and nurses asked the president when the Koreans would become rich. The president replied, crying with the miners and nurses, that someday the Koreans would become rich. Many of Korean scientists and engineers, who could just enjoy comfortable lives in the United States, returned to Korea with only one thing in their mind: the determination to make Korea the most powerful and prosperous country in the world. They did their best even though their salaries were much less than what they would have received in other countries. The Koreans believed that they have the ability to change their desperate situation and that they must make the country better, not only for themselves but also for the future generations yet to come. My parents' generation sacrificed themselves for their families and the country. They worked 14 hours a day, and risked their lives working under inhumane conditions. The mothers, who went to work in factories, fed their babies while operating machines in dangerous environments. They always tried to teach their children the true value of 'hard work'. Finally, all of these hard works and sacrifices made the prosperous Korea that you see now. Nepalese! Have you ever cried for your country? I heard that many of Nepali youth do not love their Nepal. I also heard that they want to leave Nepal because they don't like caste system, or because they want to escape the severe poverty. However, they should be the first ones to voluntarily work for Nepal's development, not the first ones to complain and speak against their country. I have a dream that someday I would be able to free the souls from suffering from the underdeveloped countries, anachronistic customs and the desperate hunger. My belief has become stronger than ever after seeing the reality in Nepal. A child with a fatal disease who doesn't have enough money to buy a pill; a child living in what seems like a pre-historic dwelling and not having the opportunity to receive education; and a student who cannot succeed, no matter how hard he studies, just because of the class he comes from. A society, in which wives not only take care of children but also work in the fields, while their husbands waste their time doing nothing; a society in which a five-year-old must labour in a brick factory to feed herself. Looking at the reality of Nepal, I was despaired, yet this sense of despair strengthened my belief. I already know that many of the Nepalese are devout Hindus. However, nothing happens if you just pray to hundreds of thousands of gods while doing nothing. It is the action that you and Nepal need for the better future. For Nepal and yourselves, you have to show your love to your neighbours and country just as you do to Gods. You know that your Gods will be pleased when you work for the development of your country and improvement of your lives. Therefore, please, love your neighbours and country. Teach your children to love their country. And love the working itself. Who do you think will cry for your Nepal? Who do you think will be able to respect the spirit of Himalayas and to keep the lonely flag representing it? You are the ones responsible for leading this beautiful country to a much brighter future. This responsibility lies on you. (The writer is a 15 year-old student of Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies, South Korea).

gyanguru · May 11, 2010 2:01 PM · 14,046 views

11 Replies

This was posted here many years ago. I was totally against it and I even commented many harsh words against him. But now, it seems he's very true. Keep in mind, South Koreans are predomently Christians now and they uphold the Judio-Christian values. They have endured many atrocities in the past, not just from their civil war, but the war with Japanes and American cost them dearly. The Japanese were the worst against the Korean, they made thousands of Korean women as sex slave for their army in the camp.Yet, they moved on.

Rewire · May 11, 2010 2:32 PM

you have to think about the geographical and historical events about s.korea. first, its a peninsula (COASTLINE) and secondly, it's close to BEIJING and SHANGHAI. of course US of A will show interest if there is a country that they can station their soldiers so close to those major cities. i mean s.korea is developed because of USA and both of the countries benefits from each other. korea gets the wealth and US gets the security. but what has nepal got to offer to a foreign land? not much. nothing at all. nepal is on its own and developing a poor country without any resources or help is, well tough. but i do believe that UNITY among the population is the only way to prosper a country. its like a family, you can fight through any financial difficulties if you have the support from the family.

ShaKEEn · May 11, 2010 4:34 PM

We always have to point our fingers and blame it to somebody else. If it is not the spoiled leaders (who we elected by ourselves), then it is India. Sometime it is China and sometime it is water, sometime is the ocean. If none of those work, blame the damn American, EASY. When are we going to take the blame instead? If just being America can make you rich, there are more than 500+ US military worldwide. By that account, the whole world should be as rich as Koreans. I don't understand why Kenya, Ethipia, Ghana and Djibiti which has strong American base cannot prosper after so many years. Hmmmmm

Rewire · May 11, 2010 5:32 PM

Not any more and I am getting used to of it. I mean it is as a part of our life. Once we set a side the ethic then nothing will stop it. How we going to acquire ETHIC, should be the main focus, rest will be taken care.

syanjali · May 11, 2010 5:41 PM

I guess everyone commenting here are missing the point. All we Nepalese do not have love for our country. None of us living abroad are ready to go back and serve the country. Neither the one who are in the country are ready to make "real" contribution. Every country have problem but our seems unique. A hapless nation with no natural resource, ever growing population, corrupt leaders, nothing to offer the foreigners, and lazy/day dreaming citizens. I feel sad but I also fall on the same category.

gyanguru · May 14, 2010 5:04 PM

until and unless whole Nepalese thinks we should make bring a change in Nepal starting form themselves....it is less likely to achieve what is discussed above....only returning of ppl who are living abroad or only their commitment does not gonna change the present scenario...

killer_eyes · May 14, 2010 10:15 PM

korea = 90% korean nepal = bahun, xhetri, tamang, newar, bhotay, madhisay + 1000s other groups conclusion? racially homogeneous societies have less trouble of all sorts.

rid · May 14, 2010 10:21 PM

For those who cant cry for Nepal, at least feeling sorry and sad soul upon this you tube profile is pay homage to the ideal quest and the remarkable history..... 

natyavaruval · May 14, 2010 11:44 PM

i agree with rid. 

shakeen · May 15, 2010 4:54 PM

I seriously doubt that this article is written by a 15 year old korean. first of all, Korean people's English suck. Even phd students flunk ESL classes in the usa and lots of them return after esl classes cuz they can't even get admitted to a regular program. and here comes a 15 year old kid, who being a minor went to some remote place in Nepal and did voluntary work, and suprisingly has a better English than any 15 year old from UK or USA. if it's a translation , then the translator did a very good job of putting their own ideas and compositions to come up with a conviniencing letter. Again, Korean is not the most developed country in the world. go around a few blocks of your neighborhood and you will see how many proud koreans are in their liquor store or dry cleaner chasing dollars just like everyone.It's a nature of humans to try to make their current situation better and immigation is a part of it. what's one of the properties of mammals you learned on the fourth grade? yes , mammals move from place to place to survive or make it better. so are Nepalis just like everyone , so nothing bad on that. North Korea is still starving. see some videos on youtube. they are koreans too, but they did not benefit from the west. if Koreans were such hard workers then why is north korea so under developed? they are same race, same people just divided into two , one gets special treatment from the powerul and other don't. Development has needs more than patrotiasm and there are lots of other factors. citizenary comes with a feeling of belonging to a larger group, you get benefit from being a citizen and in return you contrubute and have some responsibility. in that sense, we Nepali get very less benefit from our citizenary and we contrubute less too. So our country is not poor or backward because we don't love our country like koreans , but there are lot of other factors. Last edited: 15-May-10 08:20 PM

pshrestha78 · May 15, 2010 8:17 PM

मेरो कल्पना म किन् during 1997 economy world pitfall, Korean `s recall their citizen  all around the world to poll help, especialy women, by pawning thier gold and jewelery and send money back home to support the fasten economy recovery....जस्तो थियो , तेमे मान्छे, तिम्रो मन् को नजर् म बहन छ।।.. ....http://www.intercooperation.ch...

natyavaruval · May 15, 2010 11:15 PM

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"Ever cried for your country?"

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