The news of the riot in Kailali really unsettled everyone and led to serious contemplation about the situation of our nation. With at least 9 persons killed and more than 40 injured, this is one of the worst cases of mob unrest ever seen in Nepal. What disturbed me most about the entire incident was the brutality and indifference with which lives were taken. The weapons used were savage--spears, sickles, axes and even fire. It’s shocking that the protestors were so blinded by their convictions that they cold-bloodedly murdered a two-year old child. It is unacceptable that any cause should sanction this kind of violence. Indeed, I fear, human civilization was built on violence and it continues to be an inseparable aspect of humanity.

Since the dawn of human civilization, our time on Earth has been marred by bloodshed and violence. Be it the ancient battles between the Romans and the Greeks or the great World Wars, combats stand out in human timeline. While the parties involved in these conflicts have varied, the underlying cause in almost all the cases have been the people’s reluctance to accept someone of different appearance, race, religion, nationality or opinion. Humanity has always struggled with differences and still does. For all the big talks about progress and civilization, we are not much better off than our ancestors. Technological advancements have made our weapons more potent but the weapon-wielders still have the same mindsets, dogged disinclination to even consider the possibility that someone else might be as much, if not more, correct as we are.

Regardless of our reservations, there is no denying the fact that differences occur consistently in nature and it is best to accept them. There are many people who appreciate the diversity of various terrains on Earth. The subtle variations in our bodily features stand testimony to the wonder of human evolution. The vast array of rituals, cultures and religions underline the attempts made by isolated communities to understand the universe and form guidelines to live a good life.

This line of thinking needs to be followed by more people in Nepal as we wrestle with our ethnic divisions. Even the ethnic groups have further sub-divisions of castes and family names. If we go into it, we will only create more fractions. If these small factions can be unified by their ethnicity, why can’t the ethnic groups in turn be united by our nationality?