Chinese Prime Minister Visits Nepal

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao paid a visit to Nepal on January 14. Wen’s trip was conducted in complete secrecy and under heavy security lockdown with police and paramilitary forces deployed in strengths in and around the capital. The security forces had as a precautionary measure detained large number of Tibetan refugees apparently to bar them from holding demonstration. The trip has proven a milestone in the development of friendly ties between the two neighboring nations
Aid To Kathmandu
During his stay, China offered $135 million in aid to Nepal to beef up its infrastructure and security during a brief surprise visit by the Chinese prime minister.
Holding hectic parleys with Nepalese counterpart Baburam Bhattarai, President Ram Baran Yadav, Maoist chief Prachanda and leaders of other parties, Wen inked as many as eight agreements amid a virtual media blackout.

Strengthening Bilateral Ties

Wen's trip was conducted in complete secrecy and under a security lockdown with police and paramilitary forces deployed in and around the capital. The security forces had, as a precautionary measure, detained a large number of Tibetan refugees.The delegation-level talks headed by Bhattarai and Wen were held in a cordial atmosphere and the two sides agreed to strengthen bilateral relations, expanding economic cooperation.Under a series of agreements, Beijing agreed to provide massive assistance for a number of

Historic Breakthrough in Nepal: Beginning of New Era

Nepal's main political parties have signed a historic seven-point peace deal that includes an agreement on integrating former Maoist combatants into the security forces, to take a major step toward concluding the stalled peace process.
The four major political forces which represent more than 85 per cent strength of the 601 member Constituent Assembly reached an agreement to conclude the stalled peace process within a month and to prepare a draft constitution. Those who signed the deal at the end of a crucial meeting held at prime minister’s residence at Baluwatar include UCPN-Maoist chief Prachanda, Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala, Jhala Nath Khanal, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist [CPN-UML]), and leader of Joint Democratic Madhesi Front and Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar.
The agreement removes the single biggest obstacle in the process of constitution writing, as non-Maoist parties had refused to resolve the constitutional issues until what they saw as a Maoist instrument of coercion was not disbanded.
An agreement on the contentious issue of integrating the former combatants was a major part of the deal which decided to integrate a maximum of 6,500 Maoist combatants into security forces and returning properties sezied during the civil conflict to their rightful owners.
Ending Political Quagmire
Now, Nepal has the opportunity to inaugurate a new era for itself. The country needs every encouragement and support as it tries to give the peace process substantive meaning by following through with the drafting of a post-monarchy constitution. Nepal’s neighbors might do well to avoid the temptation of seeking to interfere with the new systems being sought to be put in place.
The end of the monarchy and the 2008 national election failed to bring peace to Nepal. The Maoists, accustomed to authoritarian ways of running a guerrilla army, emerged as the largest party in Parliament, but found it difficult to conduct a dialogue with other parties aimed at bolstering a multi-party structure. They sought to dictate terms and take over institutions, particularly the Army, without considering their responsibility as the largest party in Parliament to forge the constitution in discussion with other parties. The November 2 agreement ends this disastrous three-year stalemate.
Road to Peace and Progress
Nepal has been finding it difficult to move ahead on the road to peace and progress. The political parties that have their members in the Constituent Assembly had to make a number of attempts to elect a leader to head the interim government. The Maoists who constitute the largest group in the assembly have been the main stumbling block.
However, their attitude may now change with the seven-point historic accord reached between Nepal’s principal political parties — the ruling groups led by the United CPN-Maoist and those in the opposition — on 1 November. Among the issues that have been sorted out is the one relating to the Maoist combatants, members of the militia that fought against the Royal Nepal Army for nearly a decade.
The agreement settles the future of combatants of the Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA), who have been in cantonments across the country for over four years.
It seems both sides — the Maoists and the non-Maoists — have yielded substantial ground. Only 6,500 of the total 19,000 Maoist combatants will be inducted into the Nepal Army. The rest have been offered financial compensation — between Rs 600,000 and Rs 900,000 — under a rehabilitation deal. The other issues like completing the constitution by November-end when the term of the Constituent Assembly will end were not as tricky as the one concerning the Maoist armed fighters.
Advantage Political Forces
Undoubtedly, other parties deserve some credit too for staying the course and not letting themselves be rolled over by the Maoists in the early phase. After the rejection of maximalist positions proposed by the Maoists, the tricky question of integration of the guerrillas into the Nepal Army was resolved through a formula accepted to all in Parliament.
The Maoists also agreed to hand over all the arms in their possession, and return the lands confiscated from the people in an earlier phase. It is important that the other parties in the system — particularly the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML, and the Madhesi Front — now reciprocate and make the system work, and proceed to be reasonable in constitution-making deliberations.
Major Challenges Ahead
There are two key challenges now. The first is implementing the agreement within the tight timelines that have been laid out. The parties have committed themselves to completing the regrouping of combatants into those to be integrated and rehabilitated by the third week of November, and preparing a draft constitution by November 30. This would enable another extension of the Constituent Assembly. The second is resolving constitutional issues, particularly the nature and shape of federalism. A longer term challenge is the democratization of the Nepal Army, meaning institutionalizing both civilian control and the respect for human rights.

Prachanda’s Exible Proposal To Form Maoist Government in Nepal

In an effort to lead a new government, the Maoists are making a new proposal relating to the peace process, constitution drafting and government formation. (The Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M)) Chairman (Pushpa Kamal Dahal) Prachanda announced the new proposal on 25 August, which is flexible than the ‘bottomline’ proposed by the party previously.
Prachanda's new proposal was discussed for more than three hours on 24 August at a meeting of (Maoist) officials. The standing committee (of UCPN-M) met in the morning of 25 August to give final shape to the proposal. The most contentious issue in the peace process is the issue of army integration.
Proposals Regarding Peace Process
Along with the new proposal, the Maoists have said they will continue to strive for a consensus government to the last minute even if they are contesting to lead the majority government. The formation of a consensus government could not be possible by the three days of extended deadline by Nepali President Ram Baran Yadav, leading to the election process for the prime minister beginning on 25 August. ‘The process of electing majority government began, yet our efforts would be focused on the formation of a government on the basis of political consensus, the standing committee of our party is meeting tomorrow which will bring concrete proposals regarding the peace process, constitution drafting and government and this will help facilitate the formation of a consensus government within the majority,’ Maoist Vice Chairman Narayankaji Shrestha Prakash said after the meeting.
The Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML, and Madhes-based parties have informally agreed to the Maoist proposal through different ‘channels.’ The Maoist understanding is that a Maoist-led government is possible if their (other parties) suggestions are also incorporated in the proposal. The Maoist meeting has also decided to go for majority process (in forming the government).
The Maoists are announcing new proposal to take into account all sides at a time when the Congress and UML have been insisting that they would not accept the Maoist leadership so long as it does not provide a fundamental commitment to the peace process. According to a source, the new Maoist proposal is based on the discussions it had on the subject with different political parties and the informal agreement reached with them.
The Maoist preparation is to open the prospects of a government led by the party by making proposals regarding the peace process, constitution drafting and the government. The Maoist plan is to involve all parties in the government to make concrete progress in the peace process even if the formation of a majority government is a distinct possibility.
The proposal by the Maoist chairman also regrets for the failure to form a consensus government. ‘The consensus government led by the Maoists should have been formed on the basis of the proposals we had made regarding the army integration and rehabilitation, other works related to the peace process and the drafting of the constitution but we are sad that the basis for the formation of a national consensus government could not be there,’ said Vice Chairman Prakash.
The Maoist leaders had discussed that the government led by the Maoists would have made remarkable progress within short span of time since the party was unified on the question of the peace process and constitution drafting. Leaders closer to Vice Chairman (Mohan Baidya) Kiran have argued that the party should not be flexible on the question of the number (of combatants) to be integrated.
What is New Proposal?
Maoist Chairman Prachanda's proposal on the peace process, constitution drafting and government discussed at the party officials meeting on Wednesday refers to the integration of 7,000 combatants under the directorate general under the Nepal Army. There would be one brigadier general from among the combatants and the leadership would be handed over to the combatants after they complete the ‘bridge course.’ The last central committee meeting of the party had decided that the directorate general should be led by the combatant.
Similarly, it has been proposed that the central level leaders of the party now in the people's army would be given due honor by the state and they would return to politics and those (combatants) opting for rehabilitation would be given relief amount of between (Nepali rupees) NR 500,000 and NR 700,000. At present, six central level leaders of the Maoists are at the commanding level in the people's army. The proposal also mentions that the keys to the containers where Maoist arms are stored would be handed over to the army integration special committee headed by the prime minister soon after there is an agreement on the government under the Maoist leadership.
Similarly, some flexibility would be exercised regarding people's army (fighters) who opt for integration and for this an expert group would be formed from among the Maoists and Nepal Army. The Maoists have been asking for integration of between 8,000 and 10,000 combatants.
The Maoist central committee meeting that closed on 9 Saun (25 July) had decided to accept the leadership system of the directorate general for the integration, pre determine the number of combatants to be integrated, and honorable rank harmonization. Similarly, it has decided that the integration should be done on the basis of fixed units, organize the combatants as military units, guarantee honorable assignment to them, and promote democratization and inclusiveness of the security agencies.
National Security Policy
Maoist Vice Chairman Mohan Baidya Kiran had argued for the formulation of a national security policy and clear integration modality before army integration was made, 50 percent of the new force must be composed of people's army, and at least between 8,000 and 10,000 people's army should be integrated.
He also wants the new force to be deployed for border security, and argues for group integration, experience should be counted as qualification, the new force must be armed, and those opting for rehabilitation should be provided relief amount of between NR 700,000 and NR 1,000,000.

China's Moves To Disintegrate India Into Many Small Nations

The India-China border dispute was discussed at the 13th meeting of delegations of the two countries held recently. The meeting remained inconclusive without finding any solution to various issues relating to the border dispute. Notwithstanding the Chinese claims of making many endeavors to promote friendship and trade relations with India, there are frequent reports that China is building up cantonments along Indian borders by amassing troops there.

China often stakes claims on the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. China committed 80 violations of Indian borders on the northern region, and has built a naval base in Myanmar to strengthen its naval forces in the Bay of Bengal and Indian Sea. And with the aim to interfere in Arabian Sea, it is building a seaport in the Pakistani area of Gwadar.

Panchsheel Agreement
China established diplomatic ties with India in 1950 and Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru and former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai raised the slogan of "Hindi Chini, Bhai Bhai" (Indians and Chinese are brothers) and the Panchsheel (five principles of peaceful coexistence) Agreement. But by starting an aggression against India in 1962, China captured 60,000 km area of Indian territory.

Following former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's Beijing visit in 1988, trade and cultural ties between the countries were opened and delegations of both countries started exchange visits for trade promotion. Owing to low quality of Chinese products exported to other countries, India banned the import of milk and milk products such as chocolate, and also sugar, mobiles, and toys from China. Not only that, China exported fake medicines to African countries by putting "Made in India" marks on products made in China.

Now, reports are also pouring in that spurious medicines are being exported by China to India. A glut of cheap Chinese products has taken place in Indian markets, with the result that small-scale enterprises have closed or are on the verge of closure. It is commented about Chinese leaders that it is hard to know the real intention behind their smiling faces. In this context, Chinese strategist Zhan Lue has in an article on the website of the Chinese International Institute for Strategic Studies, close to the Chinese military, commented "China should break up India into 20-30 small independent nations with the support of Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. Even a small step by China toward this end would disintegrate Indian union."

In June 2009, the Global Times, the associate publication of China's "People's Daily," also carried an anti-India editorial. It stated that China should extend support to the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) for independence of Assam. In collusion with tribes in Assam, Nagaland, and Kashmir, China can disintegrate India. From this, it is evident that China is at work to harass India by disintegrating it.

In 1963, China received as "donation" from Pakistan 4,660 sq km of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) territory from where China constructed roads up to Kyang and Peshawar and also supplied nuclear and missiles technology to Pakistan for use against India.

Arms and Equipment to India's Insurgent Groups
China has been supplying to northeast India's insurgent groups arms and equipment, apart from imparting training to them. In Nepal, Prachanda and his Maoist supporters have been receiving the proximity of Maoists in Nepal. This can be gauged from the fact that immediately after becoming Nepalese prime minister, Prachanda proceeded on an official tour of Beijing.

After being ousted from power, Prachanda started raising anti-India voices. He is openly opposing Nepal's friendship and trade ties with India, and is also holding out threats to launch an agitation against the existing Nepalese Government. With the support of Maoists of Nepal, Maoists in India also have started spreading their tentacles in the country. At present, nearly one-third states of India are affected by the Naxal violence.

Anti-Indian Strategies
As such, China directly or indirectly is at work against India with the support of its neighboring countries to disintegrate it and cause damage economically through pursuing its nefarious anti-Indian strategies.

India should, therefore, deal carefully and cautiously with China. The government needs to exercise extra vigilance in maintenance of its relations with China, because it is not known when the Chinese dragon would strike India.