Spooky summer on the horizon I’m gazing at
from my window into the streets
That’s where it’s going to be where everyone
is
walking around, looking around out in the open
suspecting each other’s heart to open fire
all over the streets
like
streets you read about every day
who are the network we travel through on the way to
the center
which is energy filling life
and bursting with joy all over the screen
I can’t sit still any longer!
- Extracted from "Revolution" by Anne Waldman
I can’t sit still any longer. There are few who can
so proudly but at the same time benevolently come upfront and share that they
can’t sit still any longer to all the negative energies surging around. It’s
extremely difficult to be fierce and at the same time forgiving. I always try
to find a balance between these two natures within me and have found out that
it’s a challenging task. However, there are some people who have been able to
carry both these qualities within themselves and project it even in the most
difficult situation. Amazingly, I do have them in my friend’s book even among
those few. Undoubtedly, it’s none other than Arjun Kumar Acharya whom I met
seven years ago.
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| Arjun Kumar Acharya |
Arjun reflects, “The condition of my village was
really frustrating. Having to face all those problems, I was already turning a rebel.
I wanted to be a change.” That drive for social change was the triggering
factor that led him to choose the struggling life as a Maoist cadre in his
tender age of 16. Being influenced by the philosophical speeches and beautiful
dreams of Naya Nepal (New Nepal), he
along with 12 other friends joined the rebel force.
Arjun still gets goose bumps when he recalls the
second day as a cadre, “We were attacked by Nepal Army and with no any
knowledge of how to save ourselves, I ran through the alleys and terrains for
several hours and finally when I realized I was safe, my legs and knees started
to hurt with the wounds that he had got when we were fleeing. I hadn’t imagined
war would be so frightful.”
When he revealed this, I asked him, “Didn’t you feel
like leaving the movement after that incident?”
“I was highly driven by the thought that I would be
of some help for my country. Several other tragic incidences befell even after
them but leaving the movement never came on my mind. I was there during the war
and till today I abide by the philosophy of Maoist”, shared Arjun. Working as a
cadre, he learned about the other bitter realities of societies, the injustice
people are compelled to live with and it made him recognize the importance of
youths to join the politics. Then, it also led to a turning point in his life
when he got an opportunity to get involved in the radio station run by Maoist “Radio
Janagadatantra”. Then, slowly he started writing in Maoist’s weekly newspapers
and after the peace process, he stated his career as a journalist.
Arjun inspires me with his several traits. He mentored
me while I was working as a journalist and what I really like about him is that
he is never judgmental and frustrated. Even when it comes to the issues of his
background, he acknowledges the opinion people have towards him and he tries
his best to never let his philosophy and life come in his work. Now, the
Executive Editor of “Janabidroha Daily” and Page Layout Designer of “Nagarik
Dainik Purbeli” has indulged himself into the revolution of agriculture of
Nepal through “Mukti Krishi Co-operatives”
When he reminiscences those days of civil war, he
thinks whatever happened then, it was good for that time being but things have
changed now and a peaceful approach are to be considered. He shares, “Now, it’s
the youth who need to work in the development of Nepal and thus, I am trying
best from my side.”
I can imagine
how his life had been when he had to face all those turmoil. Yes, his life hadn’t
really been a red carpet walk and here in these few hundred words I can only
relay some few experiences and what he has transformed into from what he was
but behind those there are definitely the painful emotions, the tears, the hard
choices and the difficult steps he had to undertake.
To conclude our
conversation, I asked him a final question, “What is life for you?”
He answered, “Life is experience. Life is truth.
Life is struggle. Life is occasion.”
