The Nepalese who joined the Russian army and joined the war against Ukraine will be freed from the confusing daily life of life and death. After Russia did not renew the contract, Nepali youths are slowly returning to Moscow from the battlefield.
Now their journey will be towards Nepal. It will also end the nightmare created in the Nepalese community by the Russia-Ukraine war. However, it is not seen that this matter will be settled easily and immediately because even though Nepali have withdrawn from the war, the family of the deceased and the injured are still concerned about compensation. The role of the Government of Nepal remains to make Russia accountable in these matters.
Russia and Ukraine have been at war since February 2022. Nepali youth also went to participate in the same war on the Russian side. Young people working in various professions at home and abroad came to Russia, joined the army and joined the war against Ukraine. Nepali students studying there also joined the war. In this way, it is illegal to recruit the citizens of Nepal, a neutral country, to join the war. Russia contracted institutionally for manpower and Nepali youth individually for jobs and supposedly attractive salaries. Some Nepalis were excited by the money received as a salary, citizenship and passport after one year of service or contract period. That's why they went on an uncertain journey by relying on brokers and investing millions. However, after reaching Russia, they had to be deployed in the 'Red Zone' without receiving adequate training. As a result, the Nepali family had to suffer human losses. Some of the youth were injured, out of contact and had to become prisoners. It has been confirmed that 49 Nepalis died in the war there. Similarly, the family has submitted a petition to the government to find that 118 people are missing.
Now it is certain that no more Nepalis will be recruited in the Russian army and the contract period will not be renewed, so it can be believed that the Nepalese society will not suffer any more human losses in this war. But the confusion is the same as when and how to get the compensation due to those killed or injured in the war so far. Although financial compensation is said to be certain, it is not certain what the process will be. It is Russia's responsibility to pay reparations. He should arrange a procedure for the concerned to get it as quickly and easily as possible. For this, diplomatic dialogue between Russia and Nepal is expected. The wounds of war may not heal, but reparations will act as a salve. Especially the Nepalese side should intensify its initiatives for this and convince the stakeholders.
Similarly, it is estimated that around 1500 Nepalis have joined the Russian army for the war against Ukraine. But the Nepal government does not have the official data about it. Russia has also not provided official figures. Therefore, there is a possibility that there will be a gap about the real data of Nepalese who joined the war, died and returned home or came in contact, what to do about those who have not come in contact or disappeared? How to determine their number and condition? Some even went to Russia without consulting their families. It may take time to open their details. Some may be known only to a limited number of people on the battlefield, where informed individuals may have been killed. It is only possible to disentangle such complexities when Russia provides official details of the number of Nepalis recruited in its army, the areas where they are deployed and the human casualties there. For this, there should be continuous initiative on the part of Nepal.
Some Nepalis have been arrested in Ukraine during the war and have been made prisoners of war. The official number of prisoners of war so far is seven. According to the latest information, they have said that they will not return to Nepal directly from Ukraine, but will return only after going to Russia. It is understandable that they are interested in compensation from Russia, which is not unusual. The government of Nepal should also take initiatives for the repatriation of prisoners of war as much as possible so that the legitimate interests of the prisoners of war are addressed. At the same time, even after the end of the contract period, some young people want to stay there, because of the benefits and the expectation of a happy future, including the current salary, that mentality may have formed in them.
However, it is the duty of the Nepalese government to make them aware of possible risks. In the long term, the state of Nepal and the Nepali community should take the Russia-Ukraine war and the human losses suffered as a lesson. Whatever the reason, the tragic fate of war between other countries and Nepali young people losing their lives must end now. For that, ending the unemployment problem that forces Nepali youth to go to such wars should be the primary issue of the state and political parties. However, unemployment is not the only problem. Because, while going to join the Russian army, it should not be forgotten that they are earning a good income by joining different professions to earning abroad. Instead, the government should be sensitive to the persistent misrule, rampant unemployment and growing frustration in the country. We can be freed from such a nightmare only through a lively dialogue between the state and citizens, common dreams and common resolutions.
