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"It Is To Deal With Terrorism"
By Ajay P. Nath
Democracy and terrorism must be dealt with separately. If those who destroyed twin towers and killed 6000 innocent people in 9/11 are declared as international terrorists why could not Nepalese terrorists who destroyed billions worth of public infrastructures and brutally kill, kidnap, torture and maim be declared terrorists too? Nepal's so called close neighbors and traditional friends and the European community and Nordic Countries, who champion the cause of democratic institutions and Human Right Organizations should not confuse between democracy and terrorism. Terrorism is terrorism whether that is in Nepal or in New York, Brussels or in Britain. If democracy is to continue and sustain and mature, terrorism has to be dealt with, and dealt with severely. How can democracy function when political institutions, Human Right Organizations, Public institutions, media and general mass are threatened, coerced, tortured, brutalized and terrorized by unlawful elements holding illegal weapons to be used against innocent people and who are declared terrorists by the state? And this menace is not a problem that is confined to the borders of a particular country like Nepal. If terrorists are operating beyond the borders of one particular country or one particular region it is then an international problem. Therefore, an international cooperation and coordination from the strategic to tactical level is needed. Nepal today needs and expects this understanding to deal with it's own brand of terrorism to bring back the derailed democratic process on the right track.
The international community should not and need not confuse or be carried away by emotion about democracy and terrorism. The political development of Feb 1 came to protect democratic institutions, which were badly tainted and immensely bruised by rampant corruptions almost at all level and extremely demonizing terrorism particularly in the far-flung regions of the country. Unless terrorism is dealt with to bring the misled, misguided section of the people to the national political mainstream, however small this section may be, democracy cannot take a proper and tangible course. The new political development is not directed against democratic political institution or individuals. It is rather to give those political institutions a breathing space so that they can conduct their constitutional duties and responsibilities without let or hindrance in any part of the country. Today, they are restricted to Katmandu's Ratnapark because they can not/could not organize themselves to present a united front against terrorism to fight a legitimate intellectual and political battle against it in the far-flung areas of the country.
Well, is it not ironic that the major political parties of Nepal who have solemnly taken oath of allegiance to the constitutional monarchy and functioning democracy (Did democracy really function in Nepal?) well-neigh rejected or ignored at times even the monarch, a head of the state, but compete to rush to an unofficial tea or a dinner hosted by the lowest member of a foreign community. They do not even mind to become a laughing stock there. The leadership and even some members of so-called Human Right based organizations even go to the extent of naming and shaming the country in international forum. The political leadership could shamelessly give a statement in favor of country specific resolution item 9 to be imposed by 61st Geneva Session of the UNOHRC in Nepal. What does this mean? Is it not trying to declare Nepal a failed state like Haiti, Somalia, Burundi, Congo or Afghanistan?
Well, Nepal is not a failed state by any account. Yes, it has problems, problems from crisis of political confidence, corruptions, National political will and strategy even towards ongoing terrorist activities and atrocities. But by and large the country is functioning as an independent and sovereign nation. There is strong, determined, well-led, professionally effective national security force effectively operating under the civilian supremacy. There is a bureaucracy functioning according to civil administrative rules/ laws. There is an independent and effectively functioning judiciary in this country. The lawful political parties are free to conduct their business. There is a vibrating forth estate. Yes, there is a problem on Human Rights and that, too, some of us could not separate unlawful and illegal terrorists and the state security instruments. They judge and place on equal footings the security elements and the terrorists by ill-intentioned elements who see terrorists more responsive than the state security forces.
His Majesty has made it amply clear that democracy is here to stay. It is the demand of the day. To work together in order to put past wrongs right, political institutions, therefore, are asked to form one common strategy on-terrorism; corruptions; administrative re-energizing; and fiscal discipline. The institution of monarchy is more than willing to work with anyone in Nepal who believes in a functioning democracy. It has, therefore, been extending its open hands and all sincere support to democratic political institutions. The political institutions should now decide whether they want to act as rubberstamps of foreign elements who are instigating them in naming and shaming the country or work for Nepalese unity and stability? They even threaten to coordinate their so-called anti-regression movement with terrorist's activities and atrocities to defame, discredit, disorganize and destroy the state security instruments and state institutions. They must now understand that the new political development in Nepal is directed against terrorism, which is a global threat to democratic process and its established institutions. In Nepal it is directed not against democratic institutions but is rather the reflection of a strong and committed desire to bring the de-railed democratic process on the right track.
Why Nepal needs all kinds of support today is to stop the barbaric and brutal terrorist activities and atrocities that is being conducted all over the countryside for the last nine years. These atrocities are not going to be confined within the Nepalese borders. It is going to have a far-reaching impact even beyond the borders of our region. Those who are sheltering and supporting the political elements who were ruling and plundering Nepal in the past 13/14 years are not working for the overall interest of democratic norms and values nor for the larger interest of their own countries. They are simply boosting the morale of the unlawful elements and the terrorist outfits in Nepal, in the region and beyond. Why do our neighbors and friends forget that the house of parliament was functioning, elected government was fully in charge till 2002 when the terrorists were capturing and over-running police posts one after another. They could not come out with one national political or military strategy. They continued fighting against each other while the terrorists kept on exploiting the situation.
Our friends and neighbors should understand now that the political, diplomatic, morale and military support Nepal is seeking is to stop forced child soldiering, abuses of Human Rights, misuses of religious and educational institutions for terrorists activities. Nepal is committed to stop and put an end to terror and violence once and for all in order to put democratic process back to normal and right track. That is why Nepal needs continuous and committed help and assistance.
When all options and opportunities given to the political parties utterly failed to deliver because of infighting, the political bickering and rampant corruption, the institution of monarchy, the only hope and symbol of Nepalese unity, the protector and preserver of the constitution, had to act under extreme conditions and pressing compulsions.
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