Govt officials work under severe security threat: Report

KATHMANDU, June 17: A field study report prepared by a taskforce comprising senior government officials has concluded that government employees, especially those working in security sensitive Tarai districts, are compelled to discharge their duties in the face of severe threats from various underground armed outfits.



Prepared after field visits in Bara, Ilam, Banke and Kapilbastu districts and submitted to the Ministry of General Administration (MoGA) Monday, the report says that civil servants are unable to discharge their duties in a free and fair manner due to lack of an environment of safety. [break]



"Civil servants have been facing security threats for lack of efficient and properly equipped security personnel in such districts," states the report, adding, "The government has failed to deploy well-equipped security personnel in highly security sensitive districts despite the occurance of several criminal activities."



According to the report, civil servants are compelled to work in a threat situation as their demands for transfer to safer districts are not addressed promptly.



"While transferring officials, the government should give priority to those who have been receiving serious threats," reads the report.



The report states that civil servants are directly affected by the activities of various underground armed outfits and the government and the political parties have not been able to address this problem.



Various armed outfits have long been threatening government employees through cell phones. "The mobile phone distribution system should be scientific and the authorities should provide mobile phones to applicants only on the basis of their personal details," states the report.



Local administrations have not been able to set up check points along the highways to identify vehicles being used by such outfits, the report adds.



It further states that the local administrations have failed to locate the places that various outfits have long been using to plot and develop their strategy.

"The authorities have also failed to curb crime carried out with the help of the internet," says the report, adding, "The government should introduce IP Address Locate technology to foil crime perpetrated through use of the internet."



Joint secretaries of various ministries and representatives of civil service unions who prepared the report have concluded that the existing legal provisions are inadequate to effectively curb the growing incidence of violence perpetrated by underground outfits.



The report advises the government to deploy adequate security personnel in security sensitive districts. "Police should intensify patrols in areas used by armed groups to plot or develop their strategy."



Security officials are also advised to increase mobility in areas where financial transactions are high. "Security agencies should deploy security personnel round the clock in and around government offices," suggests the report.



The taskforce has advised the government to construct residences within the next five years for civil servants working in security sensitive districts.

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