NATIONAL 3 -(Spotlight Weekly)

Operation Nuwagaun

As the week-long stand-off between the security forces and rebels continues, the rebellion stands at a turning point

By A CORRESPONDENT

After the abduction of 70 police personnel from the Holeri Police Station by Maoist rebels, the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has for the first time joined search-and-rescue operations against the insurgents.

As the stand-off between the army and Maoists continues, a group of human rights activists have reached Rolpa to find a peaceful solution to the crisis.

"We will bring the Maoists and the security personnel on the table for negotiations to end the siege peacefully," said Sudip Pathak, president of the Human Rights Organization of Nepal (HURON) belfore leaving for the mid-west." The Maoists have already shown their willingness to start negotiations with the government."

The Maoist are demanding the release of their leaders and workers held in different jails in exchange for the police they have abducted. The government is, however, demanding the release of police personnel along with their arms unconditionally.

As the standoff continues, major political parties have called upon both the government and the Maoists to exercise restraint and have urged the rebels to release all the police personnel. The government is also pressing the Maoists to release the captives and ensure safe passage for them. For the Maoist insurgents, releasing the police would have implications for their survival as a movement.

Amid the growing debate over the mobilization of the army, some former army chiefs came out in support of the government's decision. "Army is an integral part of the government and it can mobilize them if the need arises," said Guna Shumsher JB Rana, former chief of army staff of the Royal Nepalese Army. The latest episode also brought to an end to the debate on whether a popularly elected government could mobilize the army. As per the country's constitution, King can mobilize the army upon the recommendation of a three-member National Security Council headed by the Prime Miniter. (Other two members include Defense Minister and chief of the army staff.)

No clear picture of the situation in Nuwagaon has emerged, but the place is said to be a major training base for the Maoists in their stronghold of mid-western Nepal. The army located the area when Maoist-fired bullets hit low-flying army helicopters, injuring three armymen onboard.

Soon after the attack on the army's helicopters, the RNA started to drop additional forces in the area. The RNA has already dropped special commando forces over there. It is said the number of security forces in the area is over 2,000.

Till the time of writing this story Wednesday, security personnel were still cordoning Nuwagaun and the surrounding areas. The RNA began its operation swiftly on Friday following the abduction of 70 police personnel from the Holeri Police Station a day earlier.

RNA personnel are now surrounding the Maoists' Nuwagaun base where the rebels are believed to have placed the abducted police personnel. As the stand-off between the RNA and the insurgents continues, nobody knows how the impasse will end.

"We just want our abducted police personnel back with their seized weapons and other materials," said a spokesman at the Home Ministry." If Maoist continue to take police personnel hostage, the security forces will be compelled to take action against the insurgents."

Following the violent attacks by Maoist insurgents at three police posts early this month, killing 41 personnel, the government finally called out army to quell the Maoist rebellion.

The RNA and government were at loggerheads over the issue of army deployment. In September last year, then home minister Govinda Raj Joshi had resigned, alleging that army did not help the Home Ministry in cordoning the guerrillas who had devastated Dunai, the district headquarters of Dolp. The rebels has looted millions of rupee from a local bank and killed 15 policemen in one of their deadliest attacks.

Interestingly, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel resigned after the gpvernment's decision to mobilize the army in search and rescue operation saying that the rebellion could not be brought to an end by mobilizing police and army. Interestingly, Poudel was one of the key architects of the Integrated Security and Development Program (ISDP) that aims at mobilizing army as a back-up force in the development programs. (See: A Separate Story) "Poudel's exit shows how strong were the forces within the government that were blocking it from mobilizing its own security organ to quell the rebellion," said an analyst.

Amid reports that an influential former ambasador of a neighboring country was in town after the army entered the Maoist strongholds of Rolpa, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala urged the business community, among others, to persuade the Maoists to find a solution within the country. "Please tell them (the Maoists) that we should find a solution (to the insurgency) within the country and should not have to seek foreign help for the same.'

War-raging Maoist leaders, however, looked adamant. In a highly provocative article published in Kantipur daily on Wednesday, chairman of the underground Maoist party, Comrade Prachanda, said his party would not hold talks with the fascit clique' led by GP Koirala. He even urged the army personnel to join with them.

Those watching the recent developments say the use of army against the Maoists may prove to be a turning point in the violent rebellion that has cost nearly 2000 lives since 1996. If the government becomes able to free the abducted police personnel from the Maoist `capital' of Rolpa, it will push the morale of the rebels to all time low. Through a sustained counter-insurgency operations along with development packages, the government could win hearts of local people and isolate the insurgents from them, analysts say.

Given the strategic geo-political location of Nepal, any kind of instability or insurgency in this Himalayan kingom can't sustain for long as it starts hurting the security interests of one of the two bigger neighbors of Nepal. "The insurgency in Nepal has stretched too long and may come to a turning point sooner than later," said a stratgic analyst.

Known for their `hit and run' tactics, Maoist rebels had been targeting the ill-equipped, isolated police posts in remote hilly districts right from the beginning. As the government is yet to raise the Armed Police Force and the army was said to be unwilling to be drawn into a domestic conflict, the insurgents had a field day in unleashing terror. But recent developments may change the scenario entirely.

Meanwhile, the chronic power struggle within the ruling party and crisis of confidence between the ruling and opposition has not helped the matter. Amid repeated call for his resignation, Prime Minister Koirala has exhibited his commitment to face all kinds of challenges-- from within the ruling party and without. It is almost clear that by managing to deploy army against the rebels, he has scored a political mileage against his detractors.

Whatever the eventual result of the army's deployment, it has boosted the morale of the police who have been facing one defeat after another in the fight against the insurgents.

ABDUCTION

The Favorite Game

For the Maoist insurgents, abducting civilians and security personnel seems to have become the favorite game. Here are few examples. In exchange of the release of Thule Rai, deputy superintendent of Police abducted by the Maoists a couple of years back, the government released Dev Gurung, central committee member of the Maoist party. Similarly, in exchange for the release of Shyam Nath Kashyap, a local Nepali Congress leader in Arghakhanchi district, the authorities released Thakur Nepal and Suman Gharti, two Maoist workers. Only a couple of months back, the rebels abducted former Nepali Congress MP, Mukti Prasad Sharma, from his house in Pyuthan and released him early this month in exchange of the release of a senior Maoist activist, Lokendra Bista, who was in jail since 1995. They freed former Minister Reg Bahadur Subedi after keeping him into their custody for several months. In the meantime, rebels have abducted former Nepali Congress MP from Bajura, Devraj Joshi, and are said to be negotiating for the release of some of their workers. The rebels still hold in their custody nearly 100 policemen and a number of civilians, said reports. "Human abduction should not be made a subject of trade. It is crime against humnanity," said Krishna Pahadi, chairman of Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES). "Unfortunately, the Maoists are giving a bad name to human rights movement and portraying rights workers as a supporter of violence and brokers."