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Tackling Maoist Insurgency By
Khilendra Basnyat EVERYBODY seeks peace above all things because
without peace normal life becomes disturbed and development activities too cannot pick up
pace. In fact, nobody wants such a situation. Alarming Nowadays the people have been disturbed because of
the increasing violence, especially in Maoist influenced areas. The Maoist violence has
become a huge threat for the people, which also includes those living in urban areas. Since the terrorists launched their activities four
years ago, the death toll has been variously estimated to be over one thousand and many
hundreds have been maimed. Apart from this, many have been displaced from their ancestral
land and living in shelter elsewhere. Leaders of sanguinary movement have been openly
challenging the government that the so-called people’s war is aimed at achieving two
basic aims: the total end of the parliamentary system and the establishment of the
government under a “People’s Republic.” Perceiving the enormity of the matter, former prime
ministers Surya Bahadur Thapa, Girija Prasad Koirala, if not Manmohan Adhikari and
Lokendra Bahadur Chand, had tried to end the Maoists movement through dialogues with
Maoist leaders Puspa Kamal Dahal alias comrade Prachanda and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai.
However, the latter two denied their offers of any negotiations with these leaders. Rather
they condemned them in their own ideological jargon as henchmen of exploitative feudals
and reactionaries. The governments in the past had reiterated their
resolve to end the spate of violence unleashedby Maoists in many districts of the country.
However, no achievement has been recorded to bring the so-called Maoists in the mainstream
of country’s development. The ruling Nepali Congress has remained determined
to fight and finally end the Maoist movement as is evident through the related resolution
adopted by the ruling party’s recent central committee meeting. If one takes a cursory look at the Maoist affected
districts, one can see that most of them are in remote areas and hence they have been
neglected to some extent in getting different development projects. The blame for this
should go to planners right from the inception of the planned economy. Terrorist activities, if it continues, will drain
the development budget of our country because funds allotted for development work are
being spent to combat insurgency. In fact, those who want to see the country’s
development and the welfare of the people, must work inside the democratic constitution of
the country for which the people struggled hard and for so long. Creating terror will pull
the country down and not lead it on the road to development. Human rights is one of the main components of our
constitution. This is also the most important provision for people to live in dignity and
without fear from anyone. However, when some group carry out activities that don’t
respect such rights of the people, they are not only endeavouring to ride roughshod over
the basic constitutional guarantees of the people but are also making light the
fundamental rights of the overwhelming majority of the people. The government has called upon the Maoists to come
to the table for talks. Since the government alone cannot tackle this huge challenge,
national consensus should be built to solve this issue. The democratic parliamentary system is considered a
system of governance that has least defects. It took the people over thirty years to
restore this system in the country. Therefore, if anyone goes against this hard won
system, then he or she is actually committing a heinous crime. For this reason, the
government should not spare anyone who goes against it and should not hesitate to
prosecute them in accordance with the laws of the land. It was sympathy that made the government announce
its Ganesh Man Singh Peace Campaign to rehabilitate those involved in terrorist activities
if they surrendered unconditionally. However, no response from insurgents suggest
diabolical pursuance of the path of violence. Although Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai
has promised to change the face of the country in three years, he cannot do so without
maintaining peace in the country. Today, Nepal’s democracy is under threat from
extremist forces because of the inability of the present government that a conflicting
situation has arisen and development activities have stalled. After the restoration of democracy it has been
customary to set up commissions or committees for investigating any scandal or work. In
order to solve the Maoist problem, a high level committee under then convenorship of
former premier Sher Bahadur Deuba has been formed. Since police officials have been killed in
insurgency inflicted areas, it is possible that the government does not have a proper
information system. Local people are of the opinion that police officials assigned in
these areas stay inside the room and send junior staff out in the dark to encounter
insurgency. In fact, the Intelligence Department has failed to
collect necessary information. Since investigation and defence are two different things,
the government should collect information in time and prepare defence strategies. With the restoration of democracy, politicisation
of the police force has led to poor performance. A minor problem like Maoist insurgency
has been out of control due to poor chain of command. The existing problem can be solved
by strengthening the intelligence bureau. Solution By Sunil Prasad Dhital IN NEPAL, the major cement producers are Himal
Cement Company Limited, Hetauda Cement Company and Udayapur Cement Industry. Other minor
cement producers are Annapurna Cement Industry, Tribeni Cement Industry and Maruti Cement
Industry. Production In the fiscal year 1997/98, cement production of
the country was 276,500 mt and 164,844.827 mt of cement was imported. The data indicate
that the total national demand for cement was 441344.828 mt. during that period. Himal Cement Company Limited (HCCL) is the most
important public enterprise of Nepal. HCCL was established at Chovar, Kathmandu district.
HCCL is the first national cement company, which was established under the Company Act
2021 B.S. The Himal Cement Company Private Limited was established in 2023-09-09 B.S.
during the Third Plan period. It had an authorised capital of Rs. 80 million when it was
established. The Government share amounted to only Rs. 10 million at that time. Since 2042 B.S. the government-owned public
enterprises Nepal Industrial Development Corporation and National Trading Corporation have
invested in HCCL share on a ratio of 80 per cent and 15 per cent respectively. After that
HCCL Private Limited was changed into a limited company as a public enterprise. At
present, the total authorised share capital of the company is NRs. 120 million of which
the total issued share capital is Rs. 60 million. The total paid-up capital of the company
is Rs. 4,53,11,700 made up of 453,117 ordinary shares of Rs. 100 each. Now, HCCL’s production has been fulfilling 10
to 15 per cent of the national demand. But this company has not been able to meet the
demand for cement that is growing every year. The company started production since 2031
B.S. The initial capacity was 160 mt per day by a German plant. Another Chinese plant with
200 mt capacity was also installed in 2048 B.S. Now the company can produce 360 mt of
cement per day or 108,000 mt. of cement per year, if operated in full capacity. The cement market in Nepal is substantial compared
to its current production capacity and installed capacity. It is generally a seller’s
market. Again this industry (HCCL) is located within the largest Nepalese market. But due
to various constraints, the company is not in a position to produce up to its capacity.
The company’s annual cement production capacity utilization from the F/Y 1988/89 to
1998/99 are 38.59%, 6.78%, 79.17%, 62.67%, 58.48%, 51.75%, 42.56%, 44.61%, 35.95%, 44.42%,
58.33% (estimates). The major problem faced by the company are low
capacity utilisation resulting from the frequent breakdowns of main and ancillary lines,
lack of proper maintenance andadequate inventory. Other major cause of poor performance
are inefficient management, unmotivated work force, over staffing, high cost of production
and overhead cost, poor work culture, lack of enough working capital, weak accounting
systems, etc. HCCL is in the last phase of privatization process so as to overcome these
problems. HCCL has given direct employment to about 800
persons which include permanent, contract and daily wages basis employees. Indirect
employment has been provided to nearly other 800 persons. Thus, HCCL provides employment
to 1,600 persons. The company’s main production is cement and
minor production is concrete, lime-stone, etc. The company’s raw materials are
lime-stone, jute bags, clay, gypsum, low density oil, coal (breeze coke) etc. Gypsum, coal
and low density oil are imported from other countries. The company’s selling, distribution,
administrative and production expenses have incurred large amount of money. The targeted
market of the company is Kathmandu valley. The HCCL’s major corporate dealer cement
supplier is National Trading Limited and other suppliers are Sajha Bhandar, Tara Village
Development Committee, Sajha Pasal Sewa, National Cooperative Organization and other 30
dealers. The demand for HCCL’s cement is more than it supply in the market. And it
has also to face less competition with Hetauda, Udayapur, Tribeni, Annapurna, Maruti and
Vishokarma Cement Industries and imported cement from other countries. High The maximum profit of the company was Rs.
17,359,646.34 in the fiscal year 2048/49 and maximum loss was Rs. 43,788,308.14 in the
fiscal year 2046/47. The company was able to make profit only for four years but incurred
losses in the other six years, which can be termed as a bad symptom of the company. It
indicates that the company’s management could not operate the company in an effective
and efficient manner. There must be serious problems of internal and external variables.,
So, to overcome the problems, the management should properly apply ‘Comprehensive
Profit Plan and Control’ system in practice. Treatment Worse Than The Disease By Bijay Aryal CONSUMERS in Nepal are an unprotected lot. However bad goods or services you
may force on them, you are almost always on the safe side. The hand of the law is too
short to touch you. And in most cases the law is handless. Those enjoying the greatest
impunity is the medical community. Most doctors here are condescending towards their
patients. They think themselves of being a breed apart, as if they landed here from
another planet. Not only in government hospitals, but in private nursing homes and
clinics, you show great courtesy and respect towards them, but the way they talk to you,
in a majority of cases, shows their mentality. Many cases go wrong at the hands of our doctors either through their
incompetence or through their negligence. But they go scot-free. Neither do they have to
experience detention or prison life nor do they have to pay damages. Yet they behave as if
they were not at fault. The patients are a hapless lot. They have to pay through their
nose, especially in private nursing homes and clinics, but doctors have no stakes in the
treatment. Even if the cases are botched up, the patients have to pay and suffer the
treatment worse than the disease. The doctors are assured of their too high fees even if
anything untoward happens to the like death or being crippled. Our newspapers are too poor in the quality of their health reporting.
Sometimes they extol some doctors to the skies without examining the facts (it does not
mean that they have not exposed the wrongdoings of the medical profession.) Three or four
years ago a doctor named Asharfi Saha had conducted a couple of kidney transplant along
with some other doctors. They did not bother to find out whether the team of doctors were
competent to do the transplant, and whether the medical conditions under which the
transplants were carried out were medically approved conditions. And the newspapers never
followed up the stories. Some time later all the two or three patients had died. In the case of neurosurgeon Upendra Devkota, many newspapers have been
writing eulogistically — only one sided adulation they have been heaping on him. Many
Nepalese newspapers have described him as an internationally renowned neurosurgeon. Being
an FRCS in neurosurgery from a recognised institution qualifies one to practice
neurosurgery. With such a degree from Great Britain may make you eligible to practise the
profession even in Britain. But that does not make you an internationally renowned
surgeon. There are quite a few doctors in Nepal who can practise in other countries too.
But that does not make them internationally renowned. If they were, every doctor in Great
Britain or in the USA should be called an internationally renowned doctor. Moreover, in neurosurgery there is not much competition in Nepal. There are
few neurosurgeons in the country. The only hospital with a neurosurgery department has
been the Bir Hospital (the department at the Teaching Hospital is a new one and in a
nascent stage.) But harrowing is the botched-up case of one Mahendra Gurung from Pokhara who
has now become a cripple because of the treatment meted out. By that very
“internationally renowned” surgeon. The family of the patient, Mr. Gurung, has
appealed for damages. That is how the case has come to light. Almost all the botched up
cases in Nepal go unreported because the victims believe that it is fatile to do so
because their complaints are unlikely to be redressed. The preposterous view of the medical fraternity here, by and large, is echoed
by Dr. Anand Shrestha, chairman of the Nepal Medical Association, who told a vernacular
weekly with respect to the case of Mahendra Gurung. “The doctors should not be
implicated in such cases. If doctors were subjected to legal cases and to media reporting
for their mistakes, why should we doctors take the risk?” If so, do not take the
risk. Then quit the medical profession. You have chosen the medical profession of your own
volition because of the high income and the prestige that accrue. You are demanding a kind
of impunity no civilised nation has given the doctors. |
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