Dilip Poudel

Youth flying abroad in search of better opportunities has become a common tale in Nepal, and so have the stories of them being caught while trying to cross borders illegally and the Nepal´s government utter apathy to help them.

The latest such story is of four Nepali men who are languishing in an Indonesia prison for the past10 month. They were caught by the Indonesian authorities while planning to enter Australia illegally.

Hoping to earn more in Australia, the four men working in Malaysia, made contact with a broker who assured a safe passage to Australia and paid Rs 500,000 each for the journey.

The four are Raj Kumar Shrestha of Nawalparashi, Dambar Bahadur Pariyar of Baglung along with Laxmi Sunwar and Prakash Puri of Morang.

“They had tried to enter Australia illegally as per the broker´s plans but the whole thing went hawwire and the authorities were tipped off resulting in their arrest," said Manju Shrestha, sister of detained Raj Kumar Shrestha. “There were three other men who managed to flee the Indonesian police and eventually came back to Malaysia, but my brother and three others were arrested."

The families of the detained men say they don´t expected the four to return home any time soon as the government has not made any efforts to get them released.

“After I came to know the whereabouts of my husband, I have been regularly knocking on the doors of relevant authorities for assistant, but they always turn deaf ears to me,” said Subina, wife of Dambar Pariyar. “I have given my statements to foreign ministry but there has been no action till now.”

Subina had also gone to Malaysia to work with his husband but returned after falling ill. “I worked for six months in Malaysia but my health deteriorated and flew back,” said Subina. But for Dambar all his savings as well as money sent to him from home, along with his Australian dream have all gone down the drains.

 Published on: 29 August 2012 | Republica