The government raising concerns over anti-China activities along Nepal-China border and influx of Tibetan refugees had proposed with China to deploy security forces along the border during a bilateral security meeting on August 15-16, 2009, in Lhasa. China agreed to Nepal´s proposal.[BREAK]
During the one year period, just two APF teams were sent to Rasuwa and Mustang districts and they too are staying in the district headquarters instead of patrolling the border.
A 60-member squad has been taking shelter in a deserted building in Dhunche, the headquarters of Rasuwa district. In Mustang, the APF squad deployed for patrolling the border is staying at the guesthouse of the District Development Committee in Jomsom, the district headquarters. Both of these places are far from the border, APF officials said.
"The government has not given any new directive for upgradation of the APF units, let alone deploying more security personnel to the border," said a senior APF official. "In the five months since their deployment, the APF teams in Jomsom and Dhunche have only managed to acclimatize themselves to the places. Many things including building their capacity to work as border security force have yet to be done."
The Home Ministry had decided to deploy 11,000 APF personnel along the northern border and the Chinese government had promised support for building infrastructure and technical assistance.
The APF in a report submitted to the Home Ministry has demanded that the government provide land for setting up security bases. "The land prices in locations viable for setting up border security posts have soared unimaginably," officials said.
High-ranking officials familiar with Nepal-China security dialogue said that if the government provides land then the Chinese government could help build the necessary physical infrastructure. "The government has to take the initiative," officials added.
APF has remarkably extended its presence along the southern border with India, having set up its Border Security Offices in 21 districts and 73 border security outposts. Compared to the northern border, the progress on the southern border is substantial, officials said. The government however has not heeded APF demand for constructing road along the southern border for patrolling purpose. Construction of such a road along the souther border would make patrolling efficient and deter the problem of border encroachment, according to APF officials.
Although the government has recently deployed APF teams to ten various districts apart from the Tarai region, the teams are facing infrastructure problems.
The only district having substantial security strength to guard the northern border is Sindhupalchwok, which has two APF bases -- revenue and customs patrolling base in Tatopani that boasts of a 237-strong squad. Another border security office in the district is at Andheri, which was also set-up earlier this year.
An APF proposal presented to the Home Ministry says security personnel should be deployed along the northern border covering 13 districts in two phases. The proposal has put Darchula, Mustang, Rasuwa and Sankhuwasabha for the first phase while Bajhang, Humla, Mugu, Dolpa, Manang, Gorkha, Dolakha, Solukhumu and Taplejung fall in the second phase.
Spokesperson of the Home Ministry Jaya Mukunda Khanal said the government has no immediate plan to extend deployment along the northern border except for Mustang, Rasuwa and Sindhupalchwok districts.
Under pressure from the Chinese government to tighten the northern border, the government last year endorsed recruitment of 5400 personnel for the APF. The new recruits are currently in training.
Additional Inspector General (AIG) Koshraj Wanta, who heads the APF´s Border Administration Department said, "Deploying personnel in the mountainous terrain is an arduous task and naturally takes a long time. We are working with limited resources."
"Yes, it is definitely a difficult task. But the government has not even figured out how difficult it will be because no proper studies have been done," said a Home Ministry official.
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