Militarization: real or illusory?

September 1, 2004
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Kathmandu: Ill-fated nation, as it is now, has once again plunged into an unfortunate crisis. What should not have happened under any circumstances has come about whose political ramifications could embrace the entire nation if not handled with proper care.

The fact is that President Koirala was not allowed his free movement to Bhairahava last Saturday by some security forces on some pretext is a serious matter that has almost created a wave in the political circle of the country.

Interested quarters have tried to interpret this sad event in their own manner befitting with their political interests.

Koirala has reasons to fume with the bosses of the current establishment on the count that he was restricted by no less than an agency that is the army which, as is presumed, should not have come in his way of free travel to any parts of the country as guaranteed by the constitution.

Reports have it that the security organs have had expressed their apologies repeatedly and have also made it known that certain technical faults did allow such sad events to occur and that whatever happened was simply an “unintentional” one.

Koirala and his party colleagues in the congress and some other major political parties too appear not to digest the security forces’ explanations and dare to dub the entire move as a process “geared” towards “rapid militarization” of the country.

Whether it is militarization or not, political scientists will have to initiate debates, however, what is for sure is that if Koirala and his party men so desire, this sad episode contains the seeds of a more serious confrontation in between the party concerned and the establishment more so the security forces.

It is not a matter of secret that Koirala and his party men since long time been suspecting the very nationalistic and patriotic credentials of the security forces in one pretext or the other. This party considers that the RNA is more loyal to the Royal institution than what it should have been for the system and the people and hence been demanding that the armed forces should come under the parliament.

The RNA denies this allegation and reiterates that they have ever remained loyal to the people and have time and again acted under the instructions of the government in Singh Durbar. The party men do not take the RNA’s clarifications at its face value.

Be that as it may, the sad event has already taken place. Analysts opine that the issue has got to be sorted out in the larger interest of the country or else it might create a sort of dangerous rift in between the political parties, in this case the NC, and the nation’s security forces which in no way could bode well for the nation.

The man who was hurt this Saturday, Koirala, has said that he has taken this event in a “serious” manner which means that Koirala will not settle for less unless the matter settles in his favor politically. Ultimately, how the security forces react to Koirala’s overtures and what findings the government formed commission provides to the public will have determined the posture of the angered congress and its party boss, President Koirala.

Yet another set of analysts presume that this sad event might damage the prospects of an early dialogue with the Maoists. The Maoists have yet to offer their comments in this regard.

Wisdom demands that the issue is sorted out amicably and the ones who have exceeded their duty functions should be penalized so that the presumptions of the growing militarization of the country is put to rest once and for all.