National 1 (Spotlight Weekly)

Exposure of Weaknesses

The fierce Maoist attack on Myagdi district headquarters exposes the inherent weaknesses in security and intelligence

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

Destroyed government building : Growing cost of insurgency

Like so many other past attacks conducted by the Maoists, they attacked Beni bazaar, the headquarters of the western hilly district of Myagdi on March 20. They came in waves. They came at night. They engaged in attacking spree the whole night and well into the morning and melted into the surrounding hills and jungles the following day leaving behind a trail of destruction and deaths.

From their very first major attack in Dunai of Dolpa, the Maoists seem to be using similar strategy of catching the government by surprise. Whether it be the case of Dunai or Mangalsen of Achham district; Khalanga of Jumla district or Salleri of Solukhumbu; Sandhikharka of Arghakhanchi or Bhojpur; they seem to be employing similar tactics.

And each time, it is the lack of information, absence of effective and real-time intelligence, which has resulted in the government getting caught napping.

“Even if you have modern weapons and manpower, you will be nowhere if you do not have communication system in place and more importantly intelligence,” said Dr. Indrajit Rai, a security analyst. “Without intelligence, you will be blind.”

Even the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) officials concede that their intelligence has not been up to the mark. “We did know that they were planning an attack. But we had no idea of when and how,” said Prakash Bahadur Basnet, chief of the western division headquarters in Pokhara, talking to reporters after Beni attack.

Less than three weeks after they launched a bloody attack in Bhojpur, the Maoists came to Beni on Saturday night. Beni is the headquarters of Myagdi – a hilly district of Dhaulagiri zone in western Nepal with the population of 103190. The district borders Rukum – a Maoist flashpoint - in the west, among other district. Their attack was focused on government facilities including the Kali Prasad battalion of the RNA, which was involved in the construction of Beni-Jomsom road section.

Interestingly, the attack occurred the same day the British special envoy Sir Jeffrey James arrived in the capital. Sir James had been appointed as a special envoy by the British government more than a year ago to coordinate international efforts to help Nepal overcome its problems.

Analysts also say that the Beni attack could have been an attempt by the Maoists to disrupt the talk of holding elections by the government. Even Home Minister Kamal Thapa said that the Maoist attack in Beni was aimed at disrupting the poll preparations. “Their actions are always targeted against democracy and constitutional process. But the government is steadfast in its commitment to hold the polls as soon as possible,” said Minister Thapa.

The minister, who visited Beni on Monday, revealed that the reels have suffered huge casualties in the attack. He said 14 RNA personnel, 14 policemen and four civilians died and 64 security personnel were injured in the attack. He added that 12 bodies of Maoists were recovered from Singa and 60 from Arthunge Danda.

On the other hand, the Maoists have claimed that 49 of their fighters were killed in the Myagdi fight. They also abducted chief district officer Sagarmani Parajuli, deputy superintendent of police Ran Prasad Gautam and 33 other policemen, whom they claim of having taken as Prisoners of War.