In depth Analysis

National security becomes key issue!

Kathmandu: The Congress committee meeting is being closely and carefully watched. Reports are that the party high command is considering a ‘security strategy’ to be pursued by government. In effect, Prime Minister Girija Koirala who commands the majority in the congress central committee is seeking his party’s mandate for a policy on the current security situation in the country.

How this is to tally with the government’s mandate to S.B Deuba to talk with the Maoist’s is where the confusion lies. The past fortnight has been replete with contradictory statements ensuing from the Prime Minister’s lobby and Deuba’s. Girija Babu has been saying that there is no response from the Maoists’ on his call for talks. At the same time he has been saying that the Maoists should shed their violence and come to the table. Deuba has been saying that talks must be held with the Maoists and even the government and pro-congress private media have been used to carry his public admissal that the Maoists’ are ready for talks.

In separate statements, the Maoists’ themselves have repeatedly insisted upon the need for talks, their readiness and their clear preference for the Deuba mandate to function. But confusion lies also on the contexts of a security strategy that must necessarily deal with the total component of national security in the Nepali context and how the Nepali Congress views it.

Bereft of its political angle, the Maoists’ problems are merely a law and order one. It is the political dimension that provides the Maoists’ insurgency the operating grounds in Nepal and the trans-national support that gives it the source of arms, moneys, recruitment and training grounds even outside the country.

It is this political angle that must also be considered in any security strategy.

The fact is that the current system is being questioned regarding its political ability to solve the political aspects of the national security problem. The Nepali congress is being accused of compromising national security to the benefit of its organisational interests. The congress is being charged for ignoring the political consequences of this partisan lapse.

This is to the extent that the UML is now calling for fresh elections almost in line with the Maoists’ demands. The difference being that the Maoists’ have demanded elections to a constituent assembly while the UML is silent on it. The UML have their own partisan interests in the design too. One way of looking at it is that if the current scheme of things prevail, the UML must resign itself to a junior parliamentary role and allow the congress to perpetuate its parliamentary majority by means of its advantage of the government resources. Indeed, continuing congress predominance will most likely mean at the expense of UML numbers in parliament. The charge that the congress is benefiting from co-operation with the UML on matter of the security angle is not without significance.

A security strategy for the country would have to take into cognisance the many compromises that have been made for purely partisan interests. The very fact that the congress and the communists combine launched the movement for the restoration of the multi-party order in the nation when the nation was engaged in highly relevant standpoints on the "national security" issue can no longer be ignored. The significant erosion of Nepali security interests ever since stems from this key compromise. The purposive dis-empowerment of the monarchy then is one key constitutional factor that has led to the current impasse. The dropping of the peace zone proposal has contributed to the befuddlement of a once clear equi-distance

security strategy. The compromises made through even deliberate public confusion on part of government’s’, on Nepal’s independent water policy is yet another example of compromise on the national security front. Even the Indian airliner hijack issue which ultimately led to the presence of Indian security personnel attached to that foreign airlines in Nepal’s only international airport becomes yet another security breach in the country.

These have no doubt increased a national consensus that Nepal’s ability to determine an independent security strategy is being purposively eroded by organised Nepali politicians who for reasons of their organisations must deliberately continue to yield to these compromises.

This in another manner has been reflected in a controversial citizenship bill that was very circumspectly introduced in parliament as a finance bill. Some how the parliamentary parties neglected the need for a whip and so the bill was returned for reconsideration. Indeed, this repeatedly surreptitious use of the finance bill has in the ten years of multiparty democracy attached the national economy to that of our neighbour’s in such a manner as to have the economic sector effected so badly when the Indian airlines refuses to operate in Nepal provoking a response for compromise from the economic sector itself.

Strip News:

Politicians assess a decade of Nepal's 'elite democracy'

Kathmandu : The leader of main opposition party Madhav Kumar Nepal has said "there is a gap between the democratic system envisaged by the constitution and the one in currently in vogue. The democracy in practice, continued Nepal, is just an elite democracy even though elites too were not satisfied with the achievement during the past ten years.

"In order to become inclusive, the polity must orient towards the poor and reach its fruits to the grassroots. The system cannot be deemed democratic unless it maintains peace, enhances public good and promotes equality", added Madhav Nepal.

Nepal said that the root cause lay in the political front and stressed people-centered policy, judicious use of the state machinery and electoral reforms. Stating about the Maoist problem, Nepal, however, said that it was the by-product of the distortion in the system and, therefore, not only exposing the hollowness of the system but also expanding its base.

He was stating this reality in a two-day seminar organized by "A Decade of Democracy in Nepal: Development, Delay and Distortion" organized by Center for Studies on Democracy and Good Governance (CSDG) in cooperation with Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) on June 23-24 in Kathmandu.

Speaker of the Parliament Tara Nath Ranabhat said that political consensus was essential to correct the distortions in the practice of democracy and move ahead effectively. "The state has been unable to deliver to the expected level as political parties failed to forge a national consensus on matters of public interests, lamented Ranabhat. The result, added Ranabhat, is that people at the grassroots level have been deprived of the fruits they deserved." Political parties are the foundations of the democratic system, Speaker of the lower House said adding "multi-party system would not flourish if the major political parties involve themselves in discord." He said, "Monarchy has abided by the constitution." But whether we are enjoying too much liberty? He questioned. Stressing on value-based politics, Ranabhat said that political parties merely concentrated on election and left many issues of public concerns including laws un-addressed. "The state on the one hand has been unable to make laws promised by the constitution while many of the laws have been superfluous on the other." In this context, he appealed the intellectuals and civil society to help political parties play judicious role and proceed in right direction. The Speaker, however, pointed out that there has been no consensus on the government about the solution of Maoist problem. Home Minister says one thing, other ministers other thing. This must end and common approach should be evolved, he added.

National Assembly Chairman Dr. Mohammed Mohasin said that "It is time to review if the system is moving ahead as desired by the people and correct it if it is on the wrong track." He also appealed the civil society to ponder over the disaffection of people and help the political parties in rectifying the distortions in the governance. MP Bharat Mohan Adhikari remarked that CSDG was established by the major political parties with a view to discuss the issues of national concern and forge consensus to consolidate good governance and democracy consolidation. The seminar involved 10 scientific papers on the state of democracy, local self-governance, human rights and social justice, electoral reforms, constitutional development, corruption in public service, weaknesses in the governance, economic development and poverty alleviation, role of media in democratization, etc.

The main focus of discussion was on political parties. Participants sought for a reform in the management, style of decision-making, transparency of fund, party discipline and legitimate leadership succession in the political parties so that they can play critical role in mediating, articulating and communicating the top leadership with the bottom of society. Suggestions were also forwarded in the area of civil service reforms to make bureaucracy neutral of party politics, people-centered, effective and responsive to the popular concerns. Participants discussed about the need for the constitutionalization of society for good governance, institutionlization of civic institutions and sustained engagements of people in the development process so that alienation, deprivation, discrimination and cynicism from the political processes are removed. Is it possible in a climate were civil society and media seemed to be threatened by too much politics? And liberalization of economy, privatization and deregulation has weakened the economic base of democracy and the political loyalty of citizens to the state? Asked the participants.

The beauty of the constitution in granting the citizens’ right to information, right to work and right to development was stated in both the papers dealing human rights and the media. The role of watchdog agencies, such as independence of judiciary, constitutional bodies, Public Account Committee of the parliament as well as civil societies were stressed both for controlling graft and dispensing social justice to the people of diverse social origins, including Dalits, women and poor.

The discussion also stressed on the adequacy and appropriateness of economic development strategies involving poverty alleviation and employment generation through pro-poor policies, decentralization involving the principles of subsidiarity, poly-centric arrangement and the promotion of social capital by developing participatory framework of democracy and development in Nepal. Participants demanded the abandonment of futile political short-cuts to development and spineless political pragmatism which weaken both the devolution of power, local autonomy and democratization from below. They asserted that public policy should be formulated according to local and national priority rather than relying on donors’ prescriptions. They viewed that the local stakeholders must be involved in the project cycle of development so that they feel the accountability of both success and failures. Economic policies must raise the standards of living to make a transition of democracy from procedural to participatory one. The Executive Director of the Center Achyut B. Rajbhandary welcomed the seminar participants.

Box News:

Koirala's first hundred days; a grand failure on all fronts

Kathmandu: The vigor, zeal and the extra energy coupled with little but yet exposed "conspiracy" with which the incumbent Prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala mercilessly ousted his own old colleague appears to have calmed down to the extent that the lot of the congress parliamentary members who supported him during Bhattarai's ouster now have been summarily siding with the latter for the ouster of Koirala.

Acquiring a posture of fierce retaliation instantly after an epoch making event is nothing new in the congress functioning, say those who understand the congress party better.

Thanks the sagacity of the former Prime minister Bhattarai who though possessed several tactics under his sleeve did not take interest in dismantling the set up of his bete noir-Koirala albeit he was pressurized by his colleagues from within and without.

This notwithstanding, there is still a very heavy pressure on the old man who claims that he is not married but yet not is a bachelor from the congress MPs who throng at his private residence and press him hard to take strong initiatives for the ouster of the present Prime minister.

Well after the completion of the first hundred days of Koirala's Premiership, the nation still is longing for the institutionalization of good governance, maintaining the law and order situation and curbing the rampant corruption which were, to recall, the three point agenda of Koirala upon assuming the current coveted post.

The fact is that despite the tall claims made then by Girija Prasad Koirala the country is still reeling under the threat of the Maoists; good governance continues to be an illusive dream and corruption at the government level has practically swelled to an unimaginable extent.

Analysing comparatively the honey-moon period of Koirala's Prime ministership what could be safely concluded that better were the days under his political rival-K.P.Bhattarai save the "hegemony" of Ms. Amita Kapali and two of his political advisors.

Sadly speaking, Koirala became the first Prime minister of the nation who summarily told that the fresh national budget presented by his own government had plenty of defects and that the budget did not take into accounts so many things which were a must.

In essence, the Prime minister should have resigned for having criticized his own government's budget.

At yet another level, during Koirala's Prime ministership, a sizeable chunk of the population were dubbed as ISI agent by one of the most notorious newspaper of India that did not spare even his own half-brother Sushil Koirala. To add insult to injury, the government under Koirala did not find it even opportune and relevant to retort in a befitting manner the wild allegations of that notorious paper.

Koirala's Premiership also could be amply criticized for having introduced certain rough and tough banking procedures for those businessmen who wished to import goods from neighboring Tibet, China for the Nepalese consumers. However, such schemes have been totally scrapped for the Indian goods to be imported to Nepal. This "biased" attitude towards China in all its likelihood invite wrath from an equally competent and reliable neighbor that is China. Here lies one of the blunders of Koirala's government and that is a grand failure indeed.

Insiders of the congress say that Koirala remained all along captive of his indecision, which hampered the easy functioning of the government he, heads fortunately.

The biggest hurdle to Koirala's effective performance to which he claimed some three months back ago comes not from other quarters but from his own family members more so from his own German married daughter Sujata Jost-Koirala. Sujata is a name, say congressites who prefer to keep a distance with her, that causes fear and terror in and among the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation officials. To put it more bluntly, the "heavy commission" deal while leasing or even buying of a new airliner for international flights brings her inevitably in picture every time when such deals are being finalized. RNAC and Sujata have become synonymous, unfortunately. Blood is thicker than water.

Finally the Maoists issue too has attained a new dimension and the government's indecision for going in for talks with the insurgents clearly has prompted the common men to suspect Koirala's real motives in delaying the talks with the insurgents. More so, the congress stalwarts, including the Premier, differ in defining the nature of the Maoists movement. Here lies again a blunder. This delay is surely taking its tolls.

Summing up, Koirala's hundred days proved to be a grand failure, to say the least.

Miscellaneous

Ban LTTE plea to foreign Governments by 19 organisations

Kathmandu: Nineteen Sri Lankan organisations have reportedly appealed to foreign Governments to ban the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a spokeswoman for the Organisation of Families of Soldiers Missing in Action told Lankapuvath, it is learnt.

In a joint memorandum signed by the representatives of all these organisations, they have said that they earnestly request all foreign Governments to respond to this appeal which is made in the name of human decency and a civilised society.

The signatories of this memorandum are supposedly the representatives of non violent, democratic, political and social and civil organisations. They pointed out that this appeal is being made in the wake of brutal terrorist activities, and atrocities perpetrated by the separatist terrorist LTTE organisation on infants, children, pregnant women, and helpless elders in the North and East of the country. The brutal massacre of bhikkhus, destruction of sacred places of worship, services and infrastructure facilities such as air planes, trains, bridges, roads, ports, telecommunication networks, power installations, banks and commercial establishments are carried out by LTTE terrorists.

Tiger terrorists, agencies disclose, were using the soil of many foreign countries to conduct organised and international networks. They have established and maintain offices and centres to carry out propaganda, collect funds and purchase arms to carry out campaigns against the territorial integrity and citizens of Sri Lanka. Therefore these organisations request the Governments of foreign countries which provide shelter to the LTTE to immediately ban all activities of the Tiger Organisation which are being carried out by them.

India today report baseless

Kathmandu : A press statement issued by the Pakistan embassy in Kathmandu dated 21 June, 2000,

states that the contents of the India Today's report titled "Nepal Gameplan" were "baseless".

The full text of the embassy press statement is as follows:

"After carefully examining India today's report titled "Nepal Gameplan" on Pakistan's alleged anti-India activities in Nepal, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Kathmandu categorically rejects its contents as baseless. The report contains highly malicious and fabricated material. It is evidently a handiwork of Indian Intelligence Agencies whose motives are well known. We note that the report has also been widely denounced by Nepalese authorities and Media.

The Government and the people of Pakistan take pride in their close and friendly relations with the people and Government of the Kingdom of Nepal. We are deeply committed to further strengthening these relations in all fields.

It is our firm belief that Pakistan-Nepal relations, which are based upon the firm foundation of mutual respect, common interests and shared history are immune to such baseless propaganda."

CIS fresh declaration

Declaration of the heads of the states- members of the commonwealth of the independent states (CIS) on the issue of maintenance of the strategic stability, adopted at the meeting of the council of the heads of states on June 21, 2000 Moscow.

The heads of the states- members of CIS have considered the situation in the sphere of maintaining strategic stability in the world and the condition of the international agreements, which constitutes its basis.

The heads of the states express their adherence to the cause of strengthening strategic CTBT and the 1997 agreements on ABM. They count on ratification of all these documents by the United States of America.

The heads of the state express their adherence to the cause of strengthening strategic stability and international security. They welcome the ratification by Russia the START- 11 CTBT and the 1997 agreements on ABM. They count on ratification of al these documents by the United Sates of America.

The heads of the states mark the historical significance on the May 26, 1972 ABM treaty as a corner stone for ensuring world peace, security and strategic stability and confirm its imperishable value under the current circumstances. They firmly believe that the ABM treaty will remain the time-tested basis of further reduction of the nuclear arms in the world in which the international community takes a deep interest.

The heads of the states consider that any steps washing out the goals and provisions of the current ABM treaty would have a negative effect on security not only of the participants of this treaty but also on security of all members of international community and would undermine the global strategic stability and steps towards further reduction of nuclear arms.

The heads of the states support the international community’s line to ensure firmness and integrity of ABM Treaty, and call to make extra efforts to preserve this Treaty by means of strict and complete observation in order to keep it as a corner stone of the global strategic stability, international security and peace all over the world.

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