May 14, 2013
According to an article published this morning by Smriti Rai, Dorje Gurung, who had been imprisoned in Qatar last week on anti-Islam charges, was released yesterday.
CLICK HERE to read my article about Gurung's arrest
This is welcome news but what is interesting is the part the Internet has played in securing his timely release. Thousands of people signed a petition at change.org. Thousands more participated in Facebook and Twitter pages created specifically for demanding Gurung’s release. This exemplifies the extent to which social media has been understood and embraced by the younger generation of Nepalis. It’s a very good sign indeed. And the older politicians of Nepal, who fight among themselves at the expense of Nepal’s well being -- while making sure that the younger set remains on the sidelines -- should take heed. The old patriarchal hold on Nepali hierarchy is actively being challenged and compromised by 21st century dynamics.
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