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Regional Implications As the violence intensifies and the crisis in Nepal grows, western democracies express concern over its implication in the entire region
By KESHAB POUDEL
The US ambassador James F. Moriarty gave two interviews and addressed a gathering of member of civil society, politicians, bureaucrats, media persons and others revealing the policy of American government and observing the possible alarming situation in the region.
Whatever Moriarty said it is not his own views but largely reflects the observation and attitude of the US government.
It shows the seriousness of US government on Nepal's crisis as it seems to have feared that Nepal's internal crisis may convert into regional conflict if it is not settled. The US ambassador clearly pointed out the way out - that is the reconciliation between the King and the political parties. That would lead to the reactivation of the constitution and hold the credible elections.
As the conflict in Nepal intensifies, there have been a lot of changes in the attitude of western governments in recent days. Nepal has been in prime debate in the western capitals and they must have a clear view regarding the center and sources of insurrections in Nepal.
"Obviously right now, the main concern is that the state would fail, the Maoist will take over and Nepal would end destabilizing the entire region. Our interest is to prevent that," said US ambassador James Francis Moriarty. (See Spotlight February 24- March 2 issue)
A great change has come in the composition of government of India also. A forward looking prime minister Dr. Manmohan Singh is slowly and gradually gathering his strength in the leadership, which may have to deal with the notorious and hawkish secret services, which have been major, factor to alienate India from its neighbor. The west particularly, the United States and Britain, seems to have properly understood the complexities of relations between a big and several smaller nations of South Asia.
Nepal 's internal arrangement is not sufficient to settle the crisis as it also seriously needs the regional arrangement - that has yet to come in intensive and extensive debates within the region and outside.
Some journalists from abroad and India, however, seem to be starting generating such debates.
In a recent new report, a US journalist Richard Halloran - formerly with The New York Times as a foreign correspondent in Asia and military correspondent in Washington, writes from Honolulu “the US officials say that unless a turnaround is engineered in six to eight months, Nepal will collapse into Maoist hands. Besides bringing more instability to South Asia, that would enhance ties between the Maoists in Nepal and anti-government insurgents in northern India and possibly provide a new haven for terrorists.”
“If any one has been hurt by the recent statements of US ambassador to Nepal calling for reconciliation between the monarchy and the seven political parties, it is India, which is backing overtly and covertly Maoist and seven parties alliance. The UNITED States and India, never fully on the same page as far as King Gyanendra's illegal seizure of power in Nepal was concerned, have now decisively parted company with Washington publicly opposing a key aspect of Indian policy: the need for the Nepalese parliamentary parties and Maoists to make common cause for the restoration of democracy in the Himalayan kingdom. James F. Moriarty, the American Ambassador in Kathmandu, delivered a blistering attack on the agreement reached last November between the Nepalese Maoists and the parliamentary parties, an agreement that has the implicit support of the Indian Government," writes Indian journalist Siddhartha Vardarajan, who was selected to interview Maoist leader Prachanda in The Hindu.
Vardarajan, goes on to add, “At the same time, the Manmohan Singh Government still finds itself at a crossroads as far as the endgame of its Nepal policy is concerned.”
At a time when concerns are expressed by the US and British officials, China, which recently postponed a high-level visit to Nepal, has fixed the new date for the visit by its State Councilor Tang Juaxian at March 16 (Nepal Samacharpatra daily).
"The biggest problem of this region is to convert the mind of hegemonies into a democratic relations between the nations. The example is of the recent days Europe where bigger and smaller have a close and confident relationship," said a political analyst. "Let India emerge as a leader and a powerful compelling aspiration of the region but not as a hegemony.
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