Failed states have no right to exist

Niraj Aryal

By reinstating the incompetent (dubbed) Deuba as the Prime Minister, King Gyanendra has certainly used his last card.

The one-week old cabinet and the already visible differences between the coalition partners certainly suggest failure of this card as well.

What effects it will have on the state of Nepal being a sovereign nation is yet to be seen. Perhaps with the failure of the present government this scenario could well develop, which is not what common men expect.

But on the issue of Deuba's reinstatement as the only option available before the King, analysts could differ.

Whether the King still has few more cards left under his sleeve could well be seen in the future, which will determine the uncertain course of the kingdom.

But question always remains what if Deuba government fails?

At that point in time it will be good for the country if the King will still have few more moves left to stop the inevitable collapse of Nepal as a nation state, which is what he himself rebuffed while talking to one international magazine few months back. However, things have become different off late.

Whether the King, who would have obviously done what he could have done to prevent the inevitable or non-performing Deuba as a P.M or the UML chief Madhav Nepal, whose hot and cold blow against the coalition partners would bear the responsibility for the failure of the Nepal as a nation state, is also to be seen in the future.

Not to forget Girija Prasad Koirala during whose repeated period in power the total democratic values eroded would also be held responsible.

Again on the assumption of few more moves left before the King, will Madhav Nepal be appointment as the P.M or the King himself under his direct guidance run the country?

Though answer to this question is unknown at this point in time but this possibility cannot be directly ruled out.

Given the slide in the country politics, economy and the security situation if things continue to deteriorate and if the Maoists continue to be on the rampage then the worst is sure to happen which is only a failed state.

Then comes the threat loaded statement of the US administration, which has been best described by a senior US official on how the US would treat such failed states if any.

To recall, Martin Khor, on his 4 March 2002 dated article entitled "FAILED STATES" THEORY CAN CAUSE GLOBAL ANARCHY describes, (sic) "The senior official started his talk by informing the audience that the US administration had now developed the theory that there were "failed states" in the world and that these states did not have the right to exist, since they posed a threat to other countries.

If it were so in our case, it would be interesting to note how our leaders, our monarch, our international friends and more so the Indian establishment take up the Nepali situation.

Adding further Mr Khor notes, "In the new theory of failed states, the "international community", or a set of countries, or even a single country, can intervene in another country, including changing its government, if that country is a failed state.

On the contrary such interventions have devastated effects as well.

According to Mark, Theories of "failed states" and other justifications for unilateral intervention by a single country or a set of countries can bring about a global situation even more dangerous than the one we now have.

Then how India and China and the entire democratic world will face the entirely different phenomenon in their vicinity is to be observed.

The author can be reached at niraj_aryal@hotmail.com

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