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In
a run-up to local elections schedule Feb 8, Nepal is reeling
under continued demonstrations by a 7-political party alliance
and attacks by Maoist terrorists. The monarchy has adopted
harsh methods to contain these events but has only attracted
international condemnation for its undemocratic actions. In
the most recent development, over 600 candidates have
withdrawn from the elections under threat from the Maoists
despite assurances and support from the Government. Despite
these developments, King Gnanendra claims that elections will
continue as scheduled.
Gnanendra
became the monarch of this land-locked country by accident.
The former monarch, his brother, and family were wiped out in
a tragic and mysterious shootout, which catapulted him to
power. After he assumed the monarchy, he was relentlessly
pressing the democratically elected Government for action
against Maoist terrorists who controlled the large rural
areas. He appealed for military, economic, and diplomatic aid
from India and got a mixed bag. The Federal Government of
India handicapped by the number of seats it has in the
Parliament and the support of allies that it needs gave it a
mixed bag. The communists who support the Government threw a
tantrum because the monarchy was attacking terrorists with
communist ideology and managed to reduce the promised aid to a
pittance. Gnanendra, known to be close to China, sought and
received yet unspecified aid.
Not
happy with the progress of the fight against the terrorists
and the ineffectiveness of the elected Government, Gnanendra
sacked his Prime Minister, dissolved the Parliament, and
assumed completed power. This called for international
condemnation and whatever aid was being delivered stopped. The
reduction of supplies, military wares, technology, and
training is making the fight against terrorism that much
harder. While Gnanendra claims that the terrorists are on the
run, there is data to show that his Government is fudging data
in some cases. However, the fight against Maoists is gaining
although there are military reverses with sudden escalation
and imaginative attention-grabbing attacks by terrorists.
In
the meanwhile, 7 political parties banded together into an
alliance and opposed Gnanendra. Although they are ostensibly
opposed to the terrorists, they do not want to make the fight
against terrorism easy work for the monarchy. Thus, the
parties ignore requests from the Government that parties not
to assemble or demonstrated in sensitive areas because
terrorists could take advantage of the congregation to
infiltrate. They have refused to participate in polls. They
refuse to condemn wanton violence perpetuated by the
terrorists. Their only goal seems to be the reversal of
Parliamentary suspension and the abolition of the monarchy.
Seeing the monarchy as their common enemy, they seem to have
implicitly allied themselves with the terrorists.
Nepal
is landlocked and relies on India for military and economic
support. The rest of the world looks to India for diplomatic
policy-making. Historically, culturally, religiously, Nepal
has very strong ties with India. It is also a strategically
located bordering Tibet (now occupied by China) and Bhutan
(another country relying on Indian military support). Maoist
terrorists have taken advantage of the porous boundary between
India and Nepal to slip in and out to conduct raids, attacks,
and inflict damage. Worse, Maoism has now spread to India all
the way down to more prosperous Southern states through
dysfunctional states in the North. Although the Maoist insists
that they do not receive material support from China or have
no links to peer groups in India, there are serious questions
relating to their source of funding, training, collaboration,
and coincidental simultaneous attacks in India. Therefore,
India needs to play a much more active role in Nepal than now.
Firstly,
while India should stand for democracy in Nepal and world
over, supporting Maoists in Nepal because of domestic
political compulsions while fighting similar groups at home
sends wrong signals. The most important and immediate
objective is for India to fight Maoist terrorists at home and
across the border in Nepal. At the very least, a joint
operation with the Royal Nepal Army is required to outflank
and weaken that movement which does not enjoy popular support,
most undemocratic in nature, and extremely harmful to India.
India needs to convince the 7-party alliance of this urgent
need in return for democracy.
Secondly,
India should insist on a timeline from King Gnanendra by which
democracy will be restored. At the very least he should
reverse his suspension of the Parliament so they can formulate
a schedule for new elections.
Thirdly,
the 7-party alliance does not recognize the current elections
and it needs to be called off. Installing puppets in local
positions at great cost to the nation is not an intelligent
strategy.
Fourthly,
India needs to provide material military aid to Nepal to fight
the terrorists against guarantees that the Government will
return to democracy.
Fifthly,
Nepal desperately needs non-military aid such as medicine,
food supplies, and equipment to fight the cold wave. India
needs to supply materials to primarily help rural populations.
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