National 4 (Spotlight Weekly)

‘The International Community Stands Ready To Help Nepal Through Difficult Times’

— Crispin Conroy

Australian Ambassador CRISPIN CONROY has been in Nepal for two and a half years. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Legal Adviser in the Australian Foreign Ministry, and had postings in Geneva and Madrid. Conroy spoke to KESHAB POUDEL at his office on bilateral relations and other issues. Excerpts:

How do you assess the state of bilateral relations between Nepal and Australia today?

Australia-Nepal relations are in good shape. We have had a very positive relationship since diplomatic relations were established in 1960, and we have had a residential diplomatic mission here in Kathmandu since 1984. The embassy's priorities include working closely with His Majesty's Government to achieve its poverty-reduction and development aspirations and promoting trade between our two countries. We also give high priority to providing consular assistance to Australians travelling in Nepal. Some 10,000 Australians visit Nepal every year as tourists and the embassy plays a major role in helping them - for example, if they have health problems, want to contact their families or have passport-related concerns. We work closely with Nepal on a number of international issues, including disarmament and peacekeeping.

What is the volume of trade between the two countries?

Although the volume of trade is small, it is growing, and it is an important part of our relationship. Our major exports comprise metals, beverages and food. Australian wine is becoming increasingly popular internationally and many Australian wines are now available in Kathmandu. Indeed, I am very happy to say that many of my diplomatic colleagues are serving Australian wines at their dinners and receptions. We are also active in the service sector, including telecommunication, education and tourism. An Australian company that is associated with our Reserve Bank has agreed with Nepal Rastra Bank to provide banknotes utilising a Australian polymer technology. The currency printed using this innovative technology is durable - it lasts at least 5 times longer than the current technology - and is clean. We are working with Nepal Rastra Bank to print new Rs.10 notes later this year.

What is happening to the West Seti Project?

This is a private-sector project, and the embassy is therefore not intimately involved in the negotiations. However, as part of our trade and investment promotion activities, we are working with the Australian company involved, the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC) to develop the project as soon as possible. We believe that this sort of private sector project is key for the future of the hydropower sector in Nepal, and many international investors are keenly watching developments. The project will provide considerable benefits for Nepal, and it has support across the range of the political establishment.

Are you satisfied with the state of bilateral relations?

Very much so - relations between our two countries are strong. One of the reasons for this is the strength of people to people links. We have active Nepal-Australia Friendship Societies in many cities in Australia, and a flourishing Friendship Society in Kathmandu. Indeed, I would encourage people with an interest in Australia, especially professionals who have studied in Australia, to join the society and participate in its activities. We also have a growing number of Nepalese students in Australia. I believe that the Australian education system has number of benefits over other more traditional education providers. For example, it provides a high quality of education at a relatively low cost, and in a country that is close to Nepal and part of the Asia-Pacific region. Australia is a successful multi-cultural society and provides an easy and welcoming atmosphere for students from a number of different countries.

What role has the embassy played in the success of community forestry in Nepal?

One of the main roles of the embassy is to work with the Nepalese government and people on meeting their development aspirations. We have been doing this successfully for quite a number of years and one of the best-known and most successful initiatives is the community forestry project. This project operates in two districts, Kavrepalanchowk and Sindhupalchowk, and has established a strong reputation not just in Nepal but also all over the region. We are also pleased to see a number of other countries working in similar way in Nepal and they have picked up some of the lessons learned from our project. It has been so successful because it has evolved over the years - as we and our Nepalese partners have learnt more about the needs of the communities - from a project that aimed to promote the growth of forests to one that encourages community participation in managing the forest and its products. It has provided useful spinoffs as well - for example, there are literacy classes for women to enable them to participate more fully in the forestry user groups. †At the moment, we are in the bridging period between two phases of the project.

What is Australia's role in the health sector?

We are concerned about the rise of HIV\AIDS infection levels in Nepal and are working closely with His Majesty's Government and a consortium of donors on this issue. Our principal focus has been on the issue of harm reduction; in other words, how to limit the increase in the epidemic among the vulnerable groups so as to avoid the epidemic spreading to the general population. Australia has also been actively involved in the development of the Tilganga Eye Hospital and Lens Production facility, which remains an enduring symbol of the warmth and cooperative nature of the relationship between Australia and Nepal. The Hospital was the inspiration of the highly skilled Nepali opthalmologist, Dr Sunduk Ruit, and the late Professor Fred Hollows, an Australian doctor. I admire Dr Ruit and his staff for both their skill and dedication, and for the major change they bring to their patientsí lives. The Tilganga Lens Production facility provides world class interocular lens at a fraction of the price of lens produced elsewhere in the world. This is something that all Nepal can be proud of. We also work in number of other areas, such as a highly successful Vitamin A program that provides supplement to mothers and children. The Nepalese NGO involved in the project, NTAG, has won an international award for its participation. Although we have done a lot of work in the health sector, we also are involved in projects in the environment, human rights and good governance fields. For example, we have been actively supporting the Nepalese National Human Rights Commission. We also have a youth volunteer program in Nepal, called the Australian Youth Ambassador program. A number of young Australians with skills relevant to development issues are chosen to work with local organisations on specific projects. The Australians clearly gain a lot from the experience, and hopefully their Nepalese colleagues also get benefits of the Australian way of doing things. So Australia has a rich portfolio of interests in relation to Nepal's development. One of the rewarding parts of my tenure in Nepal has been visiting some of our projects and meeting our Nepalese partners, and seeing that by working together we can make a real difference in people's lives.

What are your views on the recent London meeting on Nepal?

As you are aware, British Development Secretary, Clare Short, called the meeting so that discussions could be held in an informal environment on the current situation in Nepal. Like many friends of Nepal, Minister Short, was concerned about the deterioration in the security, economic and the political situation, especially since the breakdown of government-Maoists talks last year. I think it was an excellent and timely initiative, and as a friend of Nepal Australia was keen to be involved. The meeting provided an opportunity for Nepal's development partners and regional countries to exchange views with a delegation from the Nepalese government and civil society. The usefulness of the meeting was that it focused on an integrated approach to resolving the current situation, linking development with security, political stability, strong leadership and increased efforts on the government's reform agenda. Participants condemned the terrorist activities of Maoists and their use of violence to attempt to achieve their political goals. Many countries, including Australia, have made such statements before. And the participants also sent a strong message of support to the Nepalese people in their fight against the Maoist insurgency and of solidarity with the victims of the conflict. The meeting also sent a timely reminder to both sides in the conflict to respect human rights norms and international humanitarian law. There was general agreement that the current crisis could not be resolved through military means alone. Many of us believe that ultimately there needs to be a political solution. But the question on the minds of many, including the Nepalese government, is whether the Maoists would come back to the talks and negotiate in good faith at this time. I am not in a position to make a judgment on that. It is judgement call for the government of Nepal, who are in a much better position than I am to assess the Maoists' bona fides. However, if dialogue were to begin again, I believe the international community would be more than ready to provide assistance as required.

What other issues did you discuss at the meeting?

As I said, the participants focused on the need for an integrated approach to tackle the present crisis. The root causes of the conflict - like poverty, corruption and exclusion - need urgent attention. Efforts must be made to improve the lives of the rural poor in remote parts of the country who have not benefited from the development of the last five decades through better service delivery (for example, education and health). There is a need for real and concrete action to ensure better governance, to combat corruption and to minority groups in the political process. The government has reaffirmed its commitment toward these issues. But as one participant who had been working on issues relating to Nepal for sometime commented, these priorities are not new. The focus must now be on achieving outcomes on the ground, not on identifying or defining the issues - in other words, more action, less talk. We all know what the issues are that need to be addressed.

How concerned are you about political instability in Nepal?

It is obviously of deep concern to the many friends of Nepal. And the principal cause of this instability is the Maoist insurgency. As I have mentioned earlier, we condemn Maoist violence and the means they are using to try to achieve their political ends. But their is also instability in the mainstream political parties. During times of crisis, one of the important things is strong leadership and clear vision about where the country is going. The situation is not helped by a lack of unity and by political infighting. Indeed, it is unfortunate that these issues take up so much energy and in turn distract attention from the main tasks at hand.

You are in a country where democratic institutions are yet to develop and the level of literacy is very low. How easy is it to implement reform programs?

Of course, it is easy to preach, and to throw about words like reforms and good governance. The real challenge is to put these concepts into practice. This is the same in any country. And it is not easy - there are always obstacles, no matter what the system. There have been many positive moves made by successive governments in Nepal, but more needs to be done, and with a sense of urgency and determination. The international community stands ready to assist the government and people of Nepal with this challenge. This was the clear message from the Nepal Development Forum earlier this year, and from the London meeting. One of the participants at the NDF suggested we should take away three main ideas from the meeting: implementation, implementation and implementation. This is true. Friends of Nepal can assist, but Nepalis must act.

You have been here for more than two and half years and have studied our political process. What is your observation on the democratization process?

Nepal is a young democracy. Australia and other friends of Nepal are keen to help the people of Nepal and the government to make the democratic processes work more efficiently and effectively. That is the challenge in every country, not just in Nepal. The major challenges are to ensure that all individual citizens are able to participate in the democratic process and that the government is able to respond effectively to the needs of the people.

Do you think Nepal will overcome the present crisis?

Yes. I have a great deal of faith in the Nepalese people and in their positive attitude. The government is aware of the challenges ahead and is taking the right sort of moves to address the situation. His Majesty the King, I believe, is showing strong leadership, and the institution of the monarchy has proved to be a positive and unifying force for the country. As demonstrated by the London meeting, there is a wealth of goodwill in the international community for Nepal to help the government and people of Nepal resolve the current crisis.

News reports said participants at the London meeting were anxious not to allow Nepal to become a failed state. In what context did the issue of failed state appear?

This is a rather extreme term, and while I have seen it mentioned in the press, I would not say it was a theme of the meeting. Participants did express concerns that the current crisis was a threat to the integrity of the state of Nepal, and that it represented a broader threat to regional stability. But the main topic of discussion at the meeting was how to resolve the current situation. The conflict in Nepal is relatively young, and I believe there are ways it can be resolved. We have all seen, however, many examples throughout the world of countries bogged down in intractable conflict for years and years, countries where conflict seems simply to feed on itself, and on hatred and self-interest. Recognising the seriousness of the situation in Nepal and acting decisively now is the only way of preventing the current situation becoming a long, drawn out and tragic conflict.