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Westminster Attack on 22nd March

There was a serious incident in Westminster today (March 22nd) causing death to five and injury to forty more.

Westminster is a ultra-posh neighborhood that attracts thousands of visitors every day. Situated right at the bank of Thames, it houses Big Ben and the UK’s parliamentary house and is also in the walking distance of London Eye, St James Park and Buckingham Palace. It is also host to the famous Westminster tube station where I change trains on my commute every morning and every evening.

As the Scotland Yard works on the “who” and “why” questions and while the media explores any indication of terrorism, one can only speculate.

I, meanwhile, couldn’t help but notice traces of fear, suspicion and disbelief in the eyes of fellow passengers in the tube on my way home.

Understandably, many are reminded of recent attacks in Nice, Brussels and Berlin and there has been a constant fear of one in London as well.

For me, the nature of this attack, a reckless charge on an innocent crowd and involving a lethal weapon, brought memories of two separate incidents in the streets of Akihabara and Sendai a decade ago. The perpetrators in Japan turned out to be mentally unfit.

Terrorism or mental disorder, insane as they both are, whichever way the motive turns out to be will conceivably move the UK’s political and social paths in different directions.

Prime Minister Theresa May has said it’ll be business as usual in London tomorrow and hopefully it’ll be that way.

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On Consequences of #Brexit

What has happened has happened and can’t be undone …

The British people have defied their prominent leaders by opting to walk out of the group.

If regrexiteers were to vote again, it seems as though the results will be the opposite. But it’s safe to assume that won’t happen …

Tough times are expected ahead in the foreseeable future as we can anticipate both prices and taxes to rise.

Many multinationals are already considering moving their headquarters to the mainland – which means loss of jobs and revenue.

Tighter customs and regulations will definitely hamper mobility of people and goods – and consequently, socioeconomic activities. If I ship a box to one of our offices in the mainland today, I can expect it to be delivered as early as tomorrow. But after #Brexit, who knows!

Politically, the far right has gained a lot of confidence and will likely increase its share of representation in the parliament in the next election – which is still a couple of years away though. And that’s not a good sign in a liberal society.

Scotland is disappointed. Despite having voted massively in favor of Remain, it has to live with the results. This is inviting further exacerbation in the island as there are already news of the Scottish seeking another referendum for independence.

The sterling has been badly hit – reaching its lowest in 30 years. That’s good news if you are planning to visit the UK from abroad but not quite so for those who get paid in pounds. 🙂

#Brexit will impact social peace to some extent. Current Euro partnership enables real-time exchange of intelligence between nations – and UK has successfully curbed violence and terrorist attacks on its soil time and again. In light of IS threat and repeated terrorist attacks across Europe, this, however, will be too paramount an issue to be dealt just like another one in the list. We can expect both sides to find ways to continue this relationship, albeit with added restrictions.

Hence UK has a long long road of economic overhaul to walk and tens of thousands of pages of its laws to amend.

But not everything is as grim as it sounds.

As the exit makes UK less attractive for the EU citizens (compared to now), more influx of people (and money) can be expected from the rest of the world – mainly from the far east. Not that regulations will be loose for non-EU regions, but new policies will most probably be more equal for all as opposed to now.

The UK currently pays more to the EU than it receives anyway. So, there’s going to be some surplus there (hopefully).

The UK will be more secure, will enjoy higher level of sovereignty, and will find itself in a better position in the world arena. Additionally, wages will rise and there’s better future for everyone. That’s what pro-Brexiters say; who am I to disagree? …

With rumors of similar referendums in Sweden, the Netherlands, and some more, it could be that the United States of Europe is about to fall apart.

That being said, whatever the mindset and emotion across the continent at any given time, no one can alter geography and neighbours will always be neighbours whether they like it or not. They will find ways to co-exist and move on; history has proved so.

My two cents. Or pence or paisas or yens or whatever currency you use 😀 ! Thanks for reading and have a nice day.

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काम थरी थरीका

पच्चीस-तीस हाराहारीकी एउटी बहिनी, त्यस्तै पाँच फुट पाँच इन्चकी हुँदी हुन् । हेर्दा नेपाली जस्तै देखिने । मलाई नेपाली नै हुन् जस्तो लाग्यो, तर यकिन गरेर भन्न चाहिं सक्तिन । लन्डनको लागि औसतको मोटाइ भए पनि, नेपालीहरूको आँखामा अलि मोटी-मोटी नै लाग्ने । सफा टक्क कपाल, जसलाई उनीले सिनित्त पारी पछाडिपट्टि बाँधेर “पोनी-टेल”को आकार दिएकी थिइन् ।

हिजोको लन्डन, दिनभर मौसम सफा थियो । घामका किरणहरूले उनका देब्रे हातको साहिंली र माहिली औंलाका सुनका औंठीहरू टलक्क टल्किए । छेउमा एउटा ठुलै पोको झोला राखेको थिइन् ।

यहाँसम्म त सामान्य कुरा भयो । आश्चर्य त यहाँनेर छ – उनको दाहिने हातमा “म्याकडोनाल्ड”को कोका-कोला पिउने कप थियो; उनी फुटपाथमा बसेर त्यो कप देखाउँदै माग्न बसेकी थिइन् । मुहारमा दुखभावको छरछाँट बिल्कुलै थिएन ।

हाम्रो आँखा जुध्यो । म सरासर उनी भएको ठाउँ काटेर नजिकैका सपिङ सेन्टर पसेँ ।

दिउँसो हामी नजिकैको रेस्टुरेन्टमा खाना खाएर निस्कन लाग्दा ती बहिनी दाहिने काँधमा अघिकै झोला बोक्दै त्यही रेस्टुरेन्टमा पसिन् । नेपालका बसका कन्डकटरहरू जस्तै गरी उनका देब्रे हातका औंलाहरूले केही नोटहरू समातेका थिए । उनका हत्केलाभरि सिक्काहरू थिए । उनको चाल-ढाल हिंडाइ अरू ग्राहकभन्दा कत्ति पनि भिन्न थिएनन् ।

मैले यी बहिनीको चर्तिकलाबारे श्रीमतीलाई बताएँ । उनी हाँसिन् ।

आधा घन्टा जति पछि त्यही सडक पार गर्दा तिनीलाई फेरि देखियो । तर यस पटक भने उनी नजिकैको भित्ताको आड लगाएर मोबाइलमा गफ गर्दै थिइन् । अनुहार देख्ता लाग्थ्यो, उनी फोनको अर्कोपट्टिको मानिससित हल्का रिसाउँदै थिइन् ।

घर फर्किंदा हामीलाई पुन त्यही सडक पार गर्नुपर्ने भयो । उनी भने अघिकै कप ठड्याउँदै मागिरहेकी थिइन् । अघि जस्तै मुहारमा कुनै कष्टभाव र ग्लानिको छनक थिएन ।

तिनको वास्तविकता मलाई थाहा छैन र थाहा हुने कुरा पनि भएन । तर ती बहिनी र तिनको चर्तीकला देख्ता मलाई केही अनुहारहरूको याद आयो – काठमाण्डौंको सडकमा बच्चाहरू सहित बसेर माग्ने महिलाहरू, घर छोडेका (र निकालिएका) पशुपति वरपरि भेटिने वृद्धाहरू, सानैमा इटहरीमा देखेको मागेको पैसाले चुरोट किनेर खाइरहेको ८-९ वर्षे बालक, र यहीं लन्डनमा मेरो अफिस नजिकैको रेलस्टेसन अगाडि मागेर बस्ने चुस्स दाह्री भएको बुढा ।

अन्त्यमा मैले सम्झें जापानी टिभीमा देखेको एउटा परिवारबिहीन ६० वर्षीय । जो मोफसलको निगाता प्रान्तबाट कामको खोजीमा टोकियो झरेको थियो । उसको मासिक कमाइबाट कर कटाउँदा बेरोजगारभत्ताभन्दा कम हुन जान्थ्यो । स्थानीय वार्ड अफिसमा बुझ्दै गर्दा बेरोजगारहरूको लागि सहुलियत घरहरू उपलब्ध भएको थाहा पाउँदा त्यो “अफर” इन्कार गर्दै थियो, “जिबुन् नो मेसी वा जिबुन् दे !” (आफूले खाने भाग आफैं कमाउँछु)