[ 177 ]

[ Philip Blenkinsop ]

[ 178 ]

[ 179 ]

Women at warAs photographers we are witnesses and messengers. I endeavour to preserve moments which faithfully portray the people and the situation in which they find themselves in as accurately and compellingly as possible. My photographs say, unambiguously: ‘this is the situation’. This is what these people face each and every day of their lives.The underlying question is always the same: what are you going to do about it? The closer you can come to feeling a place and immersing yourself in a situation, the more revealing your images. It is very rare that I do not feel moved by the people I spend time with. Moved to the point of tears and anger, and so many times left in awe of their spirit and selflessness.If my photographs, taken in these pathetic theatres, fail to disturb and anger viewers where I myself have been so disturbed and angered, the work is of no merit. My search for the image is always free of thematic or storyline constraints. Arriving in a place with a fixed idea of what you expect to see and photograph is a recipe for disaster.What do you do when, no matter what you try to isolate within your viewfinder, the reality outside is ten times more shocking and threatens to swallow you up as you pick your way through it.

PhiliP BlenkinsoP

[ 180 ]

I returned to the hospital after a week in the Delta

area and entered an empty hospital room. Sunita

had died that morning. In her village, by the side of

the road that would eventually lead her to her final

resting place, relatives grieve by her corpse.

© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal

[ 181 ]

The road out of Nepalgunj to Bardiya is scarred by

Maoist ambush sites. This particular blast claimed

the lives of two women.

© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal

[ 182 ]

Policewomen stand with batons ready,

during anti-monarchy demonstrations.

© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal

[ 183 ]

Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) women recruits

outside of their Kathmandu barracks.

This represents the second batch of female

recruits into the RNA.

© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal

[ 184 ]

RNA recruit, Karki Puspa, age 20

“My husband, Karki Jeevan (age 20), was killed

in an ambush by Maoists at the birthplace of Lord

Buddha, Kopil Bustu in southern Nepal, ten months

after we were married. I joined the army to fulfil

my husband’s dream of saving the nation.

We are not scared to be ambushed. We will fight.”

© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal

[ 185 ]

RNA recruit, Shrestha Ram Kumari, age 20

“My husband, Shresthaa Rambahadur (age 26),

was ambushed by Maoists while on patrol

in Shinduli Bhadrakali 15 months ago.”

© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal

[ 186 ]

Comrade Rojana, age 19

“I have seen women being beaten by security forces

at a religious fair in Malakot, Kalikot District

two years ago. Nirmala (another female Maoist

combatant) and I were in the cultural team and

decided to join the armed movement together.”

© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal

[ 187 ]

Comrade Nirmala, age 19,

Chetri from the Mid-west hills

“I joined the cultural wing of the movement when

I was 16 years old. It was Rama Roshan people’s

cultural group. I joined because I was aware of

western cultures supporting the old government.

My uncle was killed by RNA troops two years ago.

He was in a cultural team and was sheltering in

a village in the Kailaali district. He was 26 years

old. He was captured at 07h00 by RNA and taken

away with two others and tortured. They had nails

pushed under their fingernails. Their hands and

feet were tied and they were shot. I heard that my

uncle’s body was found in the forest. That is what

my friends informed me of. I joined the military

wing about six months ago, but I took part in an

attack on Atcham HQ Mangalesen in the North-

western hills in 2002 while I was still part of the

cultural team. I was slightly back from the front

wave, playing my madel (drum). I felt no fear…

I received encouragement from the leaders and

brothers who were becoming martyrs. The blood

of the people made me more angry. Where I was I

saw 26 people killed. We celebrated by telling the

villagers we had won the battle and showed them

the sophisticated weapons. The villagers welcomed

us, giving us garlands and playing musical

instruments for us. That day there were 175 dead

military and police. After the war I would like

to liberate all the women of Nepal. They have no

income or status.”

© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal

[ 188 ]

Comrade Bargiya, age 20, of Taru ethnicity

“The security forces knew I was a Maoist activist

with the women’s organisation. Two years ago, at

09h00, 150 RNA arrived in my village in Rajapur.

They beat 20 to 22 villagers and encircled our

house to ask my mother where I was. She told

them she didn’t know where I was. They beat my

mother and my brother’s wife with guns and kicked

them. This was in November 2002, and in January

I joined the military wing. I have participated in

one raid, numerous encounters and five ambushes.

I am not sure how many people were killed by

my bullets but I am sure they died. In an ambush

in Ghariha with another group, they blew up a

vehicle and I have seen seven dead bodies. Those

I have killed deserved to be killed. I was excited to

see their dead bodies and encouraged to kill others

because they [security forces] are the enemy of the

proletariat. I’m married. My husband is also in the

military in the hills. It was less than a year ago

that we got married. The last time I have seen him

was a month ago. We have no plans for children

at the moment. I haven’t even thought of it. If I am

pregnant, the Party would assign me to a different

position in the political wing. It would make no

difference to me.”

© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal

[ 189 ]

RNA recruit, Tharu Mina Kumari, age 20

“My husband, Tharu Patiram (age 23) was killed

in an ambush while patrolling in the Chitwan

area. I will marry again after the war if I can

find a good man.”

© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal

[ 190 ]

Comrade Rekha, age 19, Kamaiya

(members of the system of bonded labour

in Nepal go under this name)

“I joined the women’s wing of the Communist Party

of Nepal (Maoist) three years ago. One year later I

joined the armed wing of the Maoists. The senior

comrade visited our village and convinced us of the

persecution and suffering of the poor. I saw the

chance to join the party and achieve things from

within the party. I have taken place in two raids,

in Lamki and in Beni. In Lamki it was my duty to

care for the wounded and oversee the disposal of

the dead bodies. In the Beni attack I was part of the

defence group, supporting the main assault group.

I saw the lights in their bunkers. The RNA knew

we were coming and ambushed the main assault

group but they managed to overrun them and we

attacked from all sides. My brother (age 25) has

been with the RNA for the last six years. He used

to be in Kailali barracks but not any more. We used

to write to each other but not anymore… he stopped

a year ago. My parents asked me in the beginning:

“why did you join the Maoists if your brother,

Rambahadur Choudhari, is with the RNA?” They

do not ask me anymore. I don’t want to meet him

again because he is our enemy. If I meet him on

the battlefield I am in a position to kill him, I will

kill him.”

© Philip Blenkinsop / Agence VU / Nepal