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Kathmandu Saturday May 19, 2001 Jestha 06, 2058.
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Security
threats
What has just happened to a
businessman in the heart of the capital in broad daylight is a highly regrettable incident
that brings to the fore the crumbling law and order situation in Kathmandu Valley. A group
of armed robbers stormed into the office of Sanjay Agarwal and whisked away cash and goods
worth millions. The incident is the latest in a series. Increasingly, businessmen and
traders are becoming the target of crime. Only, numerous incidents, no matter how heinous,
either go unreported or just die down mysteriously at the police stations. Without the
guarantee of law and order, and only carefully chosen words of assurance from ministers,
the citizens are living under the shadow of chilling insecurity and uncertainty. If this
is the situation in the capital, is it any wonder that insurgents are heightening their
warfare in remote parts of the country? With the escalation of Maoist activities,
especially after the Dunai and Rukumkot massacres, the morale of the police force has been
on the wane. Of late, reports of policemen fleeing their duty stations have become common,
bringing into question the very role and responsibility of the police force, now
informally divided into two groups. On one side, we have policemen of low stature who live
at subsistence level. Without political clout and bargaining power, they end up in
Maoist-infested districts, where every day is a toss up between life and death. On the
other side of the divide, are a privileged posse who are safe from the guns and bombs of
the rebels. Surprisingly, these are the trigger-happy and passive bystanders during crime,
petty or horrendous. Incidents where officers of the law turn up too late or observe
strict passivity are not rare or out of the way. The nexus between police and culprits
continues. As such, people are fast losing their faith in the law enforcing agencies. So
much so, a sense of lawlessness prevails.
When Girija Prasad Koirala
donned the mantle of premiership last year, he came not only accompanied by his loyal
lieutenants, but also with pledges of imminent change on the law and order front. One
whole year has since elapsed, and he is still finding it difficult to restore law and
order in the country. It can be said in all fairness then that the Koirala government has
failed more miserably than the Bhattarai-led government, at least on this front. Despite
waning popularity and credibility, the government seems to be more than determined to
tolerate anarchy while political leaders play out their vested interests. Whenever a
serious misdeed occurs, more so under intensive media coverage, the police appear to
handle it with seemingly seasoned efficiency and promptness. Investigations are set up
only to be dumped after the public pressure dies down. Little wonder, criminals remain at
large even after years of manhunt. Under other circumstances, they manage to go scot-free
or are made to pay a measly amount as fine. Due to such practices, immoral elements like
thugs, robbers and criminals have a field day. The government talks endlessly of the need
to deploy not just the armed police force but also the army to restore peace in the
Maoist-affected districts. Which means that the police need to be escorted by armymen. If
this is the case, can ordinary citizens fall back on the police for protection? Or do they
have to call upon the military for maintaining law and order within the country? If the
government finds the task of infusing a sense of security in the public too taxing, it
should hand over to those who have a greater knack. That would serve to undo some damage
done to the reputation of the Koirala government.
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