Nepal on War Footing
23 Feb, 2002 · 706
Brig Chandra B Khanduri provides an update on the events that have dominated the political scene in the Himalayan Kingdom
The world has remained glued to
Afghanistan
but has ignored the developments in
Nepal
during November 2001- January 2002, which remain grim. Three major developments have occurred during this period: declaration of a national emergency on November 26 by King Gyanendra, after the Maoists abandoned their ceasefire and targeted the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) and police; two, issue of a directive to the C-in-C RNA to undertake counter insurgency operations with the Police under his command; and three, conducting the SAARC Summit in the first week of January 2002.
Western Nepal
and in Gorkha, Dailekh, Surkhet, Dang and Dholka areas.
India
and
China
, have agreed to augment surveillance on their respective borders. The Chinese action could be effective since very few crossing places exist on its 1,103 km border, very different from the open 1,400 km India-Nepal border in the south, despite the deployment of some 16 battalions of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and reorganized Special Services Bureau (SSB).
Nepal
and agility of the Maoist guerillas requires the Nepalese security forces to possess helicopter mobility. Little wonder that the RNA has demanded four squadrons (48-60) of armed helicopters with ability to fly and flight by night. This demand has partly been met by
India
,
USA
, and
China
;
India
has provided 4 MI 8s and the
US
, the same number of Cobras/Apaches. The Chinese assistance is yet to materialise.
Assam
) and in Western countries, but the RNA will have to derive its own doctrine to fight insurgency and terrorism.
Kathmandu
in early January has added a plume in Prime Minister Deuba’s hat. Ignoring personal and inter-state differences, an impetus was given to their battle against terrorism when the seven-nation association accepted UN Resolution 1373, and committed themselves to fight terrorism in a ‘comprehensive and collective manner.’
Nepal
is gearing up to combat terrorism caused by the Maoists and might succeed if its ISPD is implemented with resolve and SAARC joins hands by expressing its solidarity. All these countries must share intelligence, exchange expertise and create a coalition to provide human and material resources to
Nepal
. The lessons of Operation Enduring Freedom have much to offer to
Nepal
’s war against Maoists.
Summit
: the South Asian Preferential Trading Arrangements (SAPTA), which had stagnated for the past three years; poverty alleviation of some 1.5 billion people; trafficking of women and children; inequality and discrimination. These grievances provide the agenda for the Maoists who are trying to change the constitution of their country.
The RNA, in aid to civil authority since May 2001, is operating under the Government’s Integrated Security & Development Plan (ISDP) to undertake CI. It has increased its presence in
The RNA is a small force of about seven to eight brigades; it had, therefore, to redeploy its strength to create a force of some 10 battalions (approximately three brigades) for CI. Both its neighbours,
CI calls for an immediate response; hence tactical mobility and communications are vital. What the RNA lacks is aerial mobility to lift troops by helicopters. The mountainous and high altitudes of
The RNA also requires to be trained in CI, and improve the quality of its small arms, radio communications, logistics and psychological operations. Its officers, JCOs and men get trained in the Indian Army’s CI and Jungle Warfare School (CIJWS), Vairangte (
Politically, the successful holding of the eleventh SAARC Summit in
What requires to be prioritised is the other objectives set by the
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