Rabin Man Shakya
Portland, USA
Non-resident Nepalese (NRNs) living across the world are just emigrants, not diaspora, or not even a part of diaspora. Globalization and global migration after the end of Cold War in 1990s have resulted in creating many things. One of them: the NRNs.
The very practice of the people in the NRNA leadership positions to use the word "diaspora" for the NRNs all over the world is not only inappropriate and irrelevant but also misleading.
Why do some people use the irrelevant and inappropriate words to define certain communities and groups of people? Is it because they want to use trendy, big and difficult words to show they are smart and educated?
NRN leaders may have different motivations for using pompous words. They may want to sound more impressive. But NRNs are just emigrants, not diaspora.
In fact, diaspora is a Greek word "diaspeiro" which means "I scatter" or "I spread about". Shortly, it means dispersal.
Diaspora is defined as involuntary mass dispersions of a population from its indigenous territories. The reason for involuntary mass dispersions of a population could be famine, natural calamities, expulsions, extreme poverty, ethnic cleansing, escaping from brutal and repressive regimes
Historical experience shows that diaspora are those people who are forced to move to other countries. Are NRNs diaspora or a part of diaspora? The answer will be: No. As a matter of fact, NRN people were never forced to leave the country.
NRNs are just the emigrants and all emigrants are not diasporas. In the age of globalization, people who move to other countries for business, jobs and studies are not diaspora. They are just emigrants.
And, then the question arises: Are there any genuine Nepali diaspora anywhere in the world? Nepalese who lived in Bhutan, Manipur, Assam, Burma, etc are definitely real diaspora.
Portland, USA
Non-resident Nepalese (NRNs) living across the world are just emigrants, not diaspora, or not even a part of diaspora. Globalization and global migration after the end of Cold War in 1990s have resulted in creating many things. One of them: the NRNs.
The very practice of the people in the NRNA leadership positions to use the word "diaspora" for the NRNs all over the world is not only inappropriate and irrelevant but also misleading.
Why do some people use the irrelevant and inappropriate words to define certain communities and groups of people? Is it because they want to use trendy, big and difficult words to show they are smart and educated?
NRN leaders may have different motivations for using pompous words. They may want to sound more impressive. But NRNs are just emigrants, not diaspora.
In fact, diaspora is a Greek word "diaspeiro" which means "I scatter" or "I spread about". Shortly, it means dispersal.
Diaspora is defined as involuntary mass dispersions of a population from its indigenous territories. The reason for involuntary mass dispersions of a population could be famine, natural calamities, expulsions, extreme poverty, ethnic cleansing, escaping from brutal and repressive regimes
Historical experience shows that diaspora are those people who are forced to move to other countries. Are NRNs diaspora or a part of diaspora? The answer will be: No. As a matter of fact, NRN people were never forced to leave the country.
NRNs are just the emigrants and all emigrants are not diasporas. In the age of globalization, people who move to other countries for business, jobs and studies are not diaspora. They are just emigrants.
And, then the question arises: Are there any genuine Nepali diaspora anywhere in the world? Nepalese who lived in Bhutan, Manipur, Assam, Burma, etc are definitely real diaspora.
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