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Kathmandu Monday January 15, 2001 Magh 02, 2057.
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APF ordinance gets ‘green
signal’
By Tilak Pokharel
KATHMANDU, Jan 14 The government is soon to promulgate an ordinance the
formation of the Armed Police Force (APF) to combat Maoist rebels, Prime Minister Girija
Prasad Koirala announced here Sunday.
Speaking to reporters after a programme felicitating journalists at the
capital today, Koirala said that the ordinance had recently been given the "green
signal" by the Royal Palace. "We are going to bring the ordinance on the armed
police force very soon," Koirala said adding that the force would be used against the
Maoist rebels.
"Our strategy is to deploy ordinary police to fight terrorism. If that
fails, then armed police force is the next step to be taken. If both fail, mobilization of
the army is the final move to be taken," added the PM.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel later said that the
cabinet is busy working on the ordinance forming the APF. "It is on the process (of
being formed)," Poudel, who also holds the Home portfolio dealing with internal
security, said. The DPM however refused to elaborate on the proposed ordinance or the
developments thus far.
The proposed APF has been shrouded in mystery for some time now, especially
after the cabinet, on December 14, sought informal advice about it from the Palace.
Government sources said that the go-ahead on the ordinance came only on January 8.
According to sources, the government plans the APF to number initially 15,000
policemen, which could grow eventually to 25,000. The force will be armed with modern
weaponry and provided training in anti-insurgency operations.
The need for the APF was underscored by a government commission last year,
which argued for such a force to combat the rebels. In recent years, the ordinary police
force have been dealt huge blows by the Maoists in rural districts, putting more pressure
on the government to raise the APF.
PM Koirala also said that the government is trying to curb the insurgency by
following the United Nations strategies of terrorism control. "The UN has already set
a strategy for the control of terrorism. We will comply with that strategy to combat the
Maoist insurgency."
Responding to journalists queries, PM Koirala said that the government was
still keen for a dialogue with the rebels to resolve the insurgency. There are four ways
to fight the Maoist insurgency, he said adding that the first method was through a
dialogue.
"The doors for dialogue are always open for
the Maoists," Koirala reiterated. "The second way is through political
consensus...The third way is by taking economic package programmes to the Maoist-affected
districts and the fourth one is through the administrative way (by using force),"
said the Prime Minister. Though the government can raise and use the APF through a royal
ordinance, according to Nepal’s constitution, the ordinance must win parliamentary
approval within three months of being promulgated.
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