European Union statement merits attention!

Better late than never, the European Union has come out with its overdue remarks regarding the state of Maoists’ insurgency and the heavy costs the nation has so far already paid on that count and also the police excesses that the Nepali police has committed in the process of containing the threats of the Maoists insurgency. The statement, press release precisely speaking, which has been made available to us through the kind courtesy of the Kathmandu based French embassy has so many things to attentively ponder over not only by the government under Koirala and the police under IGP Kharel whose image in the country has tentatively been more congressite than the ordinary congress but also by the nation’s intellectuals. While the European Union fully endorses the government’s willingness to go in for a military solution to the Maoists imbroglio and authorizes to do so by saying that ‘the European Union upholds the Government of Nepal’s right to defend the country’s newly established democracy in countering the terrorist insurgency and that the European Union notes that the democratic state has the sole right to use legitimate force to preserve the rights and security of its citizens. The European Union believes that the authorities in Nepal must seek to establish basic security and an environment in which developmental efforts to overcome poverty can be pursued, and that the insurgency hinders the development process”. However, the European Union forgets the crude fact that the options of the military forces should every time be the last resort lest all other available options were exhausted. The EU statement also forgets the fact that if the military action fail to contain the ever growing threats of the Maoists in Nepal then should the country go in for seeking such supports from the neighboring nations that is China or India? This notwithstanding, the EUs concern regarding the lives of the citizens and the representatives of the government from the attacks of the rebels is admirable. No judicious people on earth could applaud the killings of the innocent civilians by insurgents and the police force and hence the EUs concern made in this regard also should be taken in the same light. Interesting as it is, the EUs counsel to the establishment to go in for a military solution should the need arise has come at a time when the Prime minister already told a press gathering a fortnight back that he would not mobilize the military for that purpose come what may. However, if the Union’s contention that the government might use the “legitimate force” to contain the insurgency means the use of regular police or even the armed police force then it is quite a different matter and we do not have any thing to comment against. In fact the Koirala administration has already announced that it would constitute an armed police force to take care after the deteriorating security situation of the country and a quite a good amount has been allocated for that purpose which perhaps has reportedly annoyed the nation’s Military forces for obvious reasons. However, this is not our main topic to be discussed in these columns.

One more interesting aspect of the Union’s press release is that it has voiced its whole hearted support for the Deuba commission or at its best has ‘recognized’ the efforts of Deuba in initiating the negotiation with the insurgents in the recent past. Kudos to Deuba indeed. The Union’s stress on the need to resume the now suspended negotiations with the Maoists is also poignant in the sense that the press release attaches real significance to the process of the negotiations which calls upon both the warring rivals that is the government and the Maoists to come to the table and contribute to a “full and permanent peace” in the nation. A good advice indeed has come at the right moment.

It would also be fitting here to keep on record the assertions of the visiting Danish dignitary who last week at a press conference told that the donors including the Danes were willing to invest money through projects that go in favor of what the Danish diplomat preferred to call “deprived and the socially frustrated” Nepalese in those areas where the Maoists rule the roost provided the Maoists do not disturb these projects as they approach to those areas. This perhaps is indicative of the donors positive attitude towards the less developed areas which now rests upon the insurgents whether they wish their areas to be developed though such incoming projects or go their own way.

Summing up, the European Union press release has touched upon so many things in this country and has apparently wished for a negotiated settlement of the dispute going in between the establishment and the insurgents for well above four years. Some of the points raised in the release merits proper attention by the government and the insurgents as well.

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