Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has said it is capable to launch counter-insurgency operations within the country while sparing a few thousand soldiers for the UN peacekeeping operations.
Addressing a press meet at the RNA headquarters in Kathmandu Friday, RNA’s spokesman Brigadier General Dipak Gurung said nearly 80,000-strong RNA was capable to spare a few thousand soldiers in the UN peacekeeping operations. He was reacting to media reports that claimed that top Indian officials would raise the issue during His Majesty King Gyanendra’s visit to New Delhi.
The royal visit to Delhi was canceled in the last minute on December 23 due to sudden demise of former Indian premier P. V. Narasimha Rao.
“No sovereign country can advise another sovereign country like that. So, we don’t believe that Indian authorities may have spoken (Nepal’s participation in the UN peacekeeping force),” said Gurung.
Meanwhile, Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has also said the news reports were not based on fact.
PTI news agency quoted Sanjay Verma, First Secretary at the Indian embassy in Kathmandu, as saying that it was nothing but a play up by the media. “It is India’s foreign policy not to interfere in other country’s internal affairs,” he added.
Nepal has been sending armed personnel on UN missions since 1958 and so far 45 RNA have been killed on their duty abroad.
Nearly 3,000 RNA personnel are deployed as peacekeepers in different countries including East Timor, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Burundi at present. The participation in UNPKF is considered as a source of pride, international exposure and foreign exchange earnings for the country.
RNA spokesman also refuted reports that army personnel had threatened or posed dangers on the lives of human rights defenders in the country.
“The RNA is ready to cooperate with the human rights activists and protect human rights of the citizens,” he added.
According to RNA, a total of 3380 Maoists rebels were killed during security operations across the country since the second round of peace talks broke off on 27 August 2003.
RNA lost over 300 soldiers during separate clashes during this period, according to Gurung. nepalnews.com by Dec 31 04