| RAW's Support For Nepali Terrorists
Dr. Bikash Thapa -
India is fighting a war in Nepal. Other regional players would not accept such a development if it were an open, conventional war, since it would be detrimental to their own security. But it is a shadow war, a war by proxy and threatening to Nepal's territorial integrity and sovereignty. There should be no doubt that the Indian government and establishment is tacitly and overtly helping the Nepalese terroists in their nine-year 'People's War' through acts of omission and commission.
The Indian Machiavelli and foreign policy advisor to the Indian government, S.D. Muni has gone on record as demanding that Nepal must be 'marginalized' if India is to emerge as an effective 'regional power.' Towards this end, the western powers have already endorsed India's attempt to bag a permanent seat on the United Nation's Security Council, albeit without the veto power. They are now following India's lead in regional affairs.
In his book on the Nepalese terroists, Muni has emerged as their proponent and implicitly stipulated the tactics and strategy of undermining the Nepalese monarchy - which, if led to their logical conclusion, would ultimately mean the demise of the Nepalese nation. For him, the support of the People's War is an extension of Indian diplomacy by other means!
It is astounding that people in the know are unable or unwilling to see through Indian intentions. It is a case of missing the wood for the trees. That is to say, there is an inherent incapacity to differentiate between formal Indian statements/propaganda - their public stand and what they actually do or not do - their actual perceptions and concrete actions. The latest and unnecessary diatribe by the Indian president during his address to parliament is a case in point. For the record, let us recapitulate: first, the Nepalese terroists' command, control and communication centres are on Indian soil. There has been no official denial to this effect to date. Is it at all conceivable that the Indian security forces, the intelligence agencies and by extension the Indian government are fundamentally unaware of this indisputable fact?
Second, although Nepal is surrounded on three sides by Indian territory and the international border is quite long, how is it that the Indian security forces - allegedly 'one of the best in the world' - are so ineffective? The terrorists coming from their safe havens on Indian territory, slip in and out at will.
Third, the free flow of arms and ammunition for the terrorists from Indian territory is continuous - a river of death and destruction. Of course, Indian security forces, to keep a bold face, do inform our own armed forces now and again about 'suspicious movements' and they are then able to intercept such illegal smuggling of lethal arms. However, according to Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) estimates and because of tardy and incomplete communication from the Indian side, more than sixty percent of the arms and ammunition do reach their stipulated destinations. It is, indeed, an uphill task for the RNA and an unacceptable situation for the Nepalese state.
Fourth, India has been continuously undermining Nepal's democratic institutions and corrupting its politicians, intellectuals, and of course, the much touted free press. It is an open secret that many individual Nepalese and organizations are beholden to the Indian government and establishment because of pecuniary and other benefits.
'The Himalayan Times' is a very interesting case. It is undoubtedly an Indian undertaking masquerading under a Nepalese mantle and reflects Indian attitudes and policies. This is not surprising since all the departments of this newspaper are headed by Indians! At the King's recent meeting with editors of daily newspapers, the Himalayan Times was unable (or unwilling) to nominate a Nepalese representative. The cat is really out of the bag.
What are we then to make of the 'broad international coalition' in the 'war against terror'? For Nepal, it is all noise and signifies that we are basically on our own. India regularly accuses Pakistan of encouraging 'cross-border terrorism.' It seems the Nepalese terroists do not belong to this category. Are they then 'freedom fighters' and 'democracy warriors'? India, the UK and the United States have stopped military supplies to Nepal or are poised to do so. The Maoist leaders must be laughing up their sleeves at this unexpected turn of events in their favour. Thanks to Indian machinations and western duplicity and gullibility, the terroists now have the western powers as their undeclared supporters. They already have the self-appointed international champions of human rights and press freedom in their pockets.
In our present critical condition, the Nepalese have to realize that those who are truly against us. We are, after all, fighting a just war against terror. As John Foster Dulles so aptly put it: Of all tasks of go |
