Mysterious Motives

Attacking national industries and thwarting investments is hurting the cause of national economy

By A CORRESPONDENT

Khetan : Concerned

Of late, the attacks on business interests have intensified. The destruction of Jyoti Spinning Mills, Reliance Mills and shutdown of Unilever have hurt not only the short-term business activities but also the long term environment casting a pall of gloom over Nepal’s economic horizon.

In attempts clearly designed at bleeding the national economy, the insurgents have been increasing turning their guns on ‘soft targets’ like business enterprises where they can derive maximum mileage as well. The military-style ‘blitzkrieg’ attack against Jyoti Spinning Mills in Parwanipur, the closure of tea-estates, prolonged roadblocks and shutdowns have only destroyed the national industries and confidence of foreign investors.

In desperation, the whole business community is coming together appealing for peace and tranquility. After being hit by a series of blows, the bleeding business sector has decided to hold a major peace rally on September 30 in Birgunj calling for the declaration of ‘business as peace zone.’

The umbrella organization of the business community, the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), is holding the rally with the objective of drawing the attention of concerned sectors not to use this sector as a political tool, according to FNCCI president Chandi Raj Dhakal.

Shaken by the recent incidents of violent attacks against business enterprises, the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has called on all the ‘warring parties’, media and civil society to become sensitive towards the plight of the business community.

“Now we have reached to a point where if we do not do anything (to save the business and industries), we might not be able to do anything later on,” said Binod Kumar Chaudhary, president of CNI. “The livelihood of hundreds of thousands of people is now at stake,” he said.

These attacks have directly affected the national business interests and opened up possibilities of increasing imports of even those goods that could have been produced inside the country.

“It is not a question of helping a handful of business community. What happens after Jyoti Spinning Mills is shut down? People will not stop wearing clothes. They will just be wearing those made out of imported yarns. Who benefits from such action? Definitely not the national industries,” said Rajendra Kumar Khetan, vice president of CNI.

He went on to say that if the Maoists adopt peace, CNI will guarantee to help their cadres get proper employment. “We are in a very critical situation. This is not a time to wrangle but to come together for the sake of the country,” added Khetan. The CNI has appealed the concerned parties, at least, to separate politics from business activities and allow the minimum level of business transactions to sustain the lives of millions of people.

Earlier, even the Industrial Security Group (ISG) and the European Union (EU) came out strongly against the Maoist attacks on business enterprises and denounced the rebels for threatening the business owners with violent reprisals.

“The Maoist actions violate the rights of workers and cause great damage to the livelihood of thousands of innocent people, their families and the overall economy of Nepal ,” the ISG said in a press release issued last week. The ISG comprises of Indian, American, British, German and French Embassies in Kathmandu as well as their bi-national chambers of commerce and industry.

“The ISG believes that the Maoists’ claim that they represent workers’ interests is a pretext for extortion and an illegitimate means to achieve political ends,” said the statement released by the US Embassy on behalf of the ISG. The statement further said that no legitimate political force or workers’ movement should resort to such violent tactics. The forced closures and threats of closure of firms, including foreign joint ventures, continue to hurt the commercial interests of foreign investors in Nepal , deterring future investment, it said.