Over the past 12 years, Subas of Sadhanchaur in Musikot Municipality-13 has coughed up Rs8.6 million to three different agents in his desperate bid to get to the United States. But whether and when he will reach his dream destination is still uncertain.

Subas, who the Post is identifying with a pseudonym for privacy reasons, came in contact with organised human traffickers in 2011. He wanted to reach the US through an illegal channel called the ‘donkey route’. The first agent took him to Kazakhstan via Dubai (UAE), but he could not proceed further. Finally, Subas was sent back to Kathmandu.

“The agent took my son to Dubai after he paid Rs500,000,” said Subas’s father. “Then he charged Rs1.5 million to take him to Kazakhstan. We then paid another Rs1 million. The agent did not take him beyond Kazakhstan despite pocketing a total of Rs3 million. He finally sent my son back to Kathmandu.”

Subas’ father said that he had transferred the ownership of a plot of land in Dang district to the agent’s name as he could not pay the cash.

Despite the failure, Subas did not give up on his ‘American dream’. He decided to try his luck through another agent. This time, he reached Turkey from Kathmandu via Dubai and Kazakhstan. Helping him was an Indian agent who introduced himself as ‘captain’. Subas’s father had already paid Rs3.2 million to the second agent. But he had to return home this time as well.

“Our second bid had also been unsuccessful. My son is now on his way to the US through yet another agent,” said Subas’s father. According to him, a deal was reached with the current agent to land his son in the US for Rs6 million. He said he had already provided Rs2.4 million to the agent. “The remaining Rs3.6 million will be provided after my son reaches the US. I have heard that my son has reached an obscure island nation now.”

Another family from Chhiwang in ward 13 of Musikot Municipality has a similar ordeal while chasing the ‘American dream’. The mother of the US-bound man said that the family had already spent Rs5.3 million ever since her son set off from home 19 months ago. “We borrowed from loan sharks at an exorbitant 25 percent interest,” she said. “But we still don’t know when he will reach the US. We are restless now.”

According to her, they provided Rs3.3 million to an agent who assured to take her to the US at a total cost of Rs4 million. “My son returned to Kathmandu from Dubai after 18 months when the first agent failed to send him to the US,” the mother said. “He met another agent in Kathmandu just a month ago and left for the US again, this time for a charge of Rs6 million.”

She added, “We have provided Rs2 million to the second agent as well. I heard that my son has reached Uzbekistan. Hopefully, he will reach his intended destination this time.”

Many people and families who paid millions of rupees to go to the US illegally are under great stress. On the one hand, going to the US through illegal channels is life-threatening; on the other hand, the families are under large debts.

The grief-stricken families are reluctant to share their ordeals. They worry that if they disclose the matter, their relatives who are on their way to the destination would be at risk or the money they paid to the agents will not be returned.

Many youths from villages in Rukum East and Rukum West have faced hardships and even died while trying to get to the US illegally through Mexico after traversing several countries. Some of them have died on the way while a few others are stranded in America. Moreover, there are some incidents of deportation of some youths who reached the US illegally.

The families who pay hefty sums to the agents do not have regular income sources except for their rural farming plots.

A family in Pokhara in ward 3 of Sisne Rural Municipality is another case in point. The family paid Rs3.5 million each for a son and a daughter to send them to the US through an agent. The family had provided the amount to the same agent called ‘captain’ two years ago. The siblings had reached Spain through Dubai, but ultimately returned to Kathmandu. The family said the agent went out of contact after swindling Rs7 million.

Despite losing hefty amounts, the siblings still have a dream of going to the US. They are in contact with another agent who has ‘guaranteed’ to send them, for Rs6 million each. The brother, according to the family, has provided Rs4.1 million while his sister paid Rs2 million to the second agent to realise their dream.

The victim families who have lost millions neither want to speak openly about this matter, nor do they seek any legal redress.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Nabaraj Pokharel says no complaint has been registered with the police. “I also heard such rumours but we have not received any complaint,” Pokharel said. “We will certainly initiate a legal process if the victims register complaints.”

Husband dies in the US, widow under debt

Urmila Sharma of Sisne-3 lost her husband who reached the US through an illegal route 25 months ago. The bereaved woman is also under a huge debt that her husband took to provide the agent to get to the US. Her husband Basanta, who had reached the US by relying on an organised human trafficker at a cost of Rs6 million, died there after falling ill.

Basanta died on March 1 during treatment. Now Urmila has to raise her two daughters and repay the loan. “How can I raise these children and pay the debt?” said Urmila, tears welling up in her eyes.

According to Asmita, Basanta’s sister-in-law who helped with the treatment in the US, he died of severe tuberculosis. “He could not be saved as the tuberculosis spread to his brain,” Asmita quoted the hospital as saying.

Basanta had entered the US along with his friends. He was unwell during his long journey. “We were together in Mexico. He used to cough frequently on the way,” said Milan Budha Magar of ward 3 of Sisne. “I was sad to hear that he fell ill. We tried to save him when he was at the hospital but to no avail.”

Basanta, according to Laxman Sharma, another friend, was admitted in an intensive care unit of a hospital in New York. “He passed away after three months,” Laxman said. “His treatment was difficult as he did not have any legal documents. Nepali community collected some money for his treatment and sent some amount to his bereaved family.”

According to Urmila, the Nepali community in the US sent her around Rs1.8 million as help. “It was a huge relief,” Urmila said. “But I still have around Rs5 million in debt.”