In depth Analysis

Krishna Prasad prepares for India trip!

Kathmandu: Prime minister K.P Bhattarai's AFP interview confirms his preparations for an Indian trip that appears likely to be a watershed of his term in office. Inhibitions in the Girija camp are that he is likely to usurp Girija opportunity in Delhi and so KPs rival in the congress are sending signals that a weak KP is likely to grant more concessions in Delhi amidst visible growing Indian assertions in the region and without.

Although not altogether unfounded such signals emanating from the Girija camp forget that Girija babu himself, to recall, also was instrumental in the supposed pro-India slide with the Tanakpur debacle-an outstanding example of lopsided negotiations.

The fact is that a Nepal-India relation merits an overhaul in the context of mutual interests and benefits. The mutuality so far appears restricted to limitations of government and party interests and there is little hope that KPs trip too will be an exception.

One indicator of this is that KPs strong party backer Sher Bahadur Deuba was instrumental in signing the Mahakali deal. The other is that KPs induction of Ram Chandra Poudel as his deputy has hardly consolidated his position in the party in order for to strike an imaginative nationalistic posture designed for win-win negotiations.

It is not surprising then that KP should seek to cover up his systematic weaknesses by lashing out at far Left and far Right as threats to democracy. Clearly, one barter he would seek, then, is an Indian clampdown on Maoists' recruitment and training activities in Indian Territory. What he will give in return is to be carefully watched.

Common security concerns will not only mean cooperation in anti-terrorist activities in each other's soil, the logical extension of this merits attention in view of the much voiced Indian aspirations in course of the Indian airliner hijacking and its aftermath.

Of course, the follow-up of the Mahakali treaty, the SAARC Summit embarrassment to Nepal, trade, transit, aid and a redefinition of what Bhattarai had a decade ago, June 10, 1990 to recall, termed "common waters" appear very much in the agenda.

Indeed, it will be equally interesting to see how Bhattarai will take up the 1950 treaty standpoints from his camp on the question of its much awaited "revision" appear unclear so far.

Of course, experience now appear to have given the KP camp the hindsight for a productive approach on part of India on the Bhutan refugee issue. It is not surprising now that his Girija rivals also ask for Indian participation on solving this question.

The latter particularly in its assumption of the nationalist garb would want to test KPs ability to produce amidst demands that may not be in conjecture with the current realities. Indeed, as is so often in Nepali politics the fear of displeasing India by crossing limits set by India is a game much played to embarrass governments'.

In real terms, however, the Prime Minister's AFP fresh interview is a broadside-aimed at all possible threat with an eye to an all-important India visit. Amidst real charges of non-performance at home he will seek to produce abroad. The strategy appears designed as much to embarrass his critics as to cover up his Himalayan faults.

Sikder is new B'desh Ambassador to Nepal

Kathmandu: Neighboring Bangladesh perhaps for the first time is sending a non-career diplomat as its Ambassador to the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal.

Born in 1938, Ambassador designate Cyril Sikder, is arriving Nepal to present his credentials at the Nepali court very shortly. He succeeds his predecessor Mohiuddin Ahmed.

Mr. Sikder is a very senior lawyer in Bangladesh who has for all along past 27 years been associated with the Bangladesh Supreme Court in Dhaka.

Ambassador designate is concurrently the central committee member of "Bangladesh Hindu, Bouddha, Christian Parishad.

Mr. Sikder is a Christian to be posted in world's lone Hindu country from a Muslim majority nation, Bangladesh.

The Nepalese government has already accepted Sikder's nomination as Ambassador to Nepal and an agrimo to this effect have been communicated to Bangladesh government last week.

Perhaps this amply speaks of Bengali tolerance in religion.

Ambassador Cyril Sikder, reportedly is politically close to Awami League, the ruling party in Bangladesh, it is also learnt.

Telegraph adds: The UNESCO has declared 21st.February as International Language day. On 21 February every year the Bangladeshis observe this particular day as Saheed Divas or the Martyr's Day. From this year, they will also mark this day as language day for which the Bengalis had waged a relentless struggle in the 1950s. In some way or the other, the Bengalis feel honored by the fresh UNESCO declaration.

Bhattarai's AFP interview raises controversy

Kathmandu: The ailing Prime minister of this Himalayan Kingdom has let the cat out of the bag.

Prime minister Bhattarai's fresh interview granted to the French News Agency, AFP, has created ripples in Katmandu's political circles.

Different persons are giving different interpretations to his somewhat controversial interview.

" The real threat to Nepal's democratic order emanated primarily from two quarters namely the Maoists' and those ultra rightists reactionary forces who in the name of the King and the Palace were directing their efforts aimed at maligning the system. I will have to smash these two reactionary forces", said the Prime minister to the AFP.

Regarding the Maoists and their tentative aim of turning the nation to a republican state is understandable. However, the Prime minister did not divulge as to whom were the ones who had been creating problems for the consolidation of the system in the name of the King and the Palace.

Non partisan sources say that the Prime minister through his interview wishes to pass on signals to the Palace as well that some quarters there did not liked the system now in place.

Others say that the Prime minister is straight in alleging the Palace for its covert support to the reactionaries who wish the system to collapse.

Hardly few hours had elapsed of the Prime ministerial interview, the special advisor to the Prime minister Dr. Narayan Khadka told a press gathering that the Prime minister was 'misquoted' by the AFP.

During a tete-a-tete with Kedar Man Singh Tuesday morning at the Hotel Himalaya, the AFP bureau chief in Nepal, told the Telegraph that he stood firmly by his interview. "What the Prime minister said, it is well recorded. I've the proof", added Mr. Singh.

In the meanwhile, practically disturbed by the Prime minister's comments vis-à-vis the King and the Palace, Sushil Koirala-the GS of the Congress party- opined that what ever Bhattarai said were his personal views but not those of the Party.

This amply reflects the two divergent points in the congress camps regarding the interview.

A close look at Bhattarai's statement makes it abundantly clear that like the Maoists, the NC government under Prime minister Bhattarai too wishes to do away with the Kingship in Nepal. When the Prime minister says that he will have to smash the two, the Maoists and the rightists forces who in the name of the King and the Palace were creating problems for the system, it surely means that he too is toeing the lines of the Maoists. However, the bulk of the congressmen remain committed to the constitutional monarchy in Nepal. Moreover, the institution of the monarchy is one of the irreversible patterns as written in the constitution now in force.

The Palace has yet to respond to these Prime ministerial harsh comments.

Though Bhattarai's advisor has come to the rescue of the former, however, official version of the government is yet to come to the open.

Be that as it may, it is for the first time that a sitting Prime minister has come out with such a harsh comments against the Monarchy and the Palace and that too through an interview.

Given the differences in the congress party regarding the premier's interview, what could be best said that the ailing Prime minister has shortened his longevity in the government.

Other political parties have so far made no comments regarding the Premier's interview. All in all, the days ahead in Nepal will be politically worth watching.

1998 N-tests in SA; a set back to disarmament process

Kathmandu : A United Nations  Center for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific sponsored three day workshop began in Kathmandu yesterday.

The topic of the seminar is "Strategic Stability, Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament and the 2000 NPT Review Conference".

The conference has 39 participants from 24 countries belonging to the Asia and the Pacific Region.

Giving his opening remarks at the conference, Jayantha Dhanapala, the Under Secretary General for Disarmament Affairs, UN, said that national rivalries, ethnic conflicts and civil strife have plagued the Asian region and in the recent years Asia's military expenditures has increased by over 27% in real terms over the past decade.

"The Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests in 1998 have set back the progress in nuclear disarmament and non-nuclear proliferation", continued Dhanapala.

He lamented over the attitudes of some nations who possessed nuclear weapons. According to him, these countries do not appear to be in a hurry to give them up, despite the unpopularity of such weapons among the general public everywhere.

"Their leaders talk about ultimate disarmament goals, but balk at negotiating concrete measures to achieve such goals", added Dhanapala.

Lauding the role of Asia, Dhanapala said that in many respects the future of the global disarmament and non-proliferation regimes could undoubtedly be influenced by developments in Asia.

Concluding his remarks he hoped that this meeting generally understood as the Kathmandu process would come out with concrete proposals that would help achieve the global disarmament.

Presenting his keynote address, the Nepalese foreign minister, Dr.Ramsaran Mahat said that peace and security is a paramount concern of the human beings specially when a dangerous arms race looms large on the horizon.

"One wonders how security can be enhanced by possessing ever more lethal weapons which can destroy this world many times", questioned Dr. Mahat.

He also expressed his displeasure of some countries' contention who were declared and potential nuclear states reiterating their nuclear doctrines, posture and plans which envisage reliance on n-weapons for the foreseeable future.

The Nepalese minister also assured the attending participants of Nepal's total commitment in disarmament and for international peace and security.

"Nepal is a staunch supporter of disarmament and long for international peace and security. About 35,000 Nepalese personnel from the army, police and other civilian duties have served in the peacekeeping, peace building and peace making process", the minister concluded.

Whither XI SAARC Summit?

Kathmandu: Chances of reconvening of the now deferred XI SAARC Summit in the near future still appears remote.

The Summit was scheduled in Kathmandu, November last year.

Unconfirmed reports have it that the Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, the current chair women of the SAARC regional body has in the recent times initiated dialogues with the two major countries of the SAARC body, India and Pakistan and reportedly has impressed upon both to mend their differences so that the meeting could be held some time this summer.

Talking to the Telegraph weekly Tuesday morning, the SAARC Secretary General, Ambassador Nihal Rodrigo, said that he had already visited Maldives, Delhi and Colombo in this regard. The SAARC Secretariat is in constant touch with all the countries of the region, added Ambassador Rodrigo.

"The rest of the other capitals will be visited in the near future"', added Ambassador Nihal.

To recall, only recently, the Sri Lankan foreign minister Laxman Kadirgamer met last month with his Indian counterpart in Delhi. After the conclusion of their meeting, both the foreign ministers "reviewed the current political situation" in this part of the world.

In the meanwhile, the Nepalese foreign minister Dr. Ram Saran Mahat told the Telegraph that in the recent months he has not talked with his counterparts in Delhi and Islamabad.

Telegraph adds: Prime minister Atal Bihari Bajpayi has rejected the US offer to mediate between India and Pakistan. Bajpayi said, "We do not need third party mediation. We can solve our problems together".

This statement offers a ray of hope that the two estranged neighbors who have fought three wars after their independence would resume bilateral talks and ultimately ease the tension that has gripped South Asian region.

To recall, Pakistan has expressed its desire for talks with India to which the latter has rejected summarily.

Koirala meets press tomorrow-
Maoists issue; political or a terrorist one?

Kathmandu: By now it has become considerably clear that the congress stalwarts at the top were themselves divided on the issue of the Maoists'.

Narhari Acharya, the congress ideologue as his colleagues in the party camp consider him, only the other day surmised that the Deuba commission must convince first the Congressites themselves as to what the Maoists' issue was and what it meant for the congress men. He also hinted at the congressmen to arrive at a fair and clear conclusion regarding the Maoists' activities as to whether it was a political or a terrorist issue confronting the nation.

Despite such clear articulation from ideologues of the sort of Acharya, the congress stalwarts at the top still appear to take the issue differently.

Clearly, the Prime minister and the Party President still different views regarding the Maoists,

For example, on Monday, President Koirala addressing a gathering in Terai plains said that since the Maoists issue was a matter of national concern and hence an all-party consensus should be arrived at dealing with this particular issue. Koirala further believes these days that tackling the issue should comprise social, economic and political measures by the government.

However, the nation's Prime minister candidly said the other day that he would smash the Maoists reactionaries.

The Prime ministerial avowal has come at a time when a section of the Maoists have hinted that they could come to the table provided their certain conditions were met with by the government prior to the talks.

More or less, mild signals had started emanating from the Maoists camp. A sort of moral pressure was on the Maoists from the human rights activists, responsible citizens and the journalists suggesting the rebels to shun violence and come to talks with the establishment.

With Bhattarai's blunt remarks, the atmosphere perhaps has turned upside down.

How the Maoists would react to government's threat loaded statements should be watched.

"' If such threats were to be served by the Prime minister to the Maoists at this juncture then what was the need for the formation of the Deuba commission", questioned an intellectual on conditions of anonymity.

In the meanwhile, the General Secretary of the UML, Madhav Nepal, has urged the government to become flexible vis-à-vis the demands put forth by the Maoists who have indicated that they were ready for talks with the state. He however declined to comment on the recent decision of Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai to dissolve the Maoists affiliated United People's Front with an aim of attracting potential communist forces of the nation to go in for a comprehensive communist front. "Generally, we are not against various communists factions going together in the broader interest of the nation. However, have they changed their working style and the ways? Asked Nepal.

Telegraph adds: Party President Girija Prasad Koirala is meeting the Nepali press men on 17 February at his party office, it is learnt. Presumably, Koirala will air his official views regarding the Maoists issue and the controversy raised by Bhattarai's fresh interview granted to the AFP, Monday. 

If Koirala airs his mind that is different from his party Prime Minister then it could be fairly said that Bhattarai's days in government are gone.

The lack of clarity among the ruling party members on the Maoists question is definitely confusing the lay men who continue to remain terrified from both rivals-the government and the Maoists. The government is killing the innocent civilians suspecting them as supporters of the rebels. The Maoists kill the civilians thinking them as informers of the state. Both ways the people are being killed.

Madhav seducing Gautam!

Kathmandu : Like other political parties, the UML is also not dispossessed with intra-party feuds.

The rift that widened in between the two UML stalwarts, Madhav Nepal and his political competitor, K.P.Woli, over giving charge to some one else other than Woli prior to Nepal's trip overseas, continues unabated.

During Nepal's foreign junket, Woli left no stone unturned to deride at Nepal stating that the acting GS ship should have gone to him Party rule-wise but instead Nepal offered the same to one of his favorites.

An annoyed Nepal upon his return from foreign tours, yet humiliated Woli when he once again denied the acting GS portfolio to Woli and opted  his favorite Bohra.

Since then a sort of fierce power struggle in between the two communists is on.

Terrified by Woli's clandestine designs, the incumbent General Secretary Nepal is learnt to have talked with his former colleague Bamdev Gautam who is now in the M-L party in order to minimise the Woli threat.

Sources close to Nepal say that bids were on to invite Bamdev back to the mother party and collectively face the threat posed by Woli.

To recall, one of the main reasons Gautam quit the UML was the excessive hegemony of Woli in the party. Rumors then had it that Madhav Nepal ever remained in favor of Gautam continuing in the party, Woli maneuvered Gautam's exit smoothly. The Woli idea was that after the exit of Gautam he can easily outmaneuver Madhav and in the process force him, read Madhav, to resign from the GS post only to be enjoyed later by him, read Woli.

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