Excerpts:
Myrepublica.com: Your visit to Nepal marks your first trip to any Asian country since you assumed the portfolio of Danish Minister for Cooperation and Aid. Does it mean that Nepal is in the top of the priority list of the Danish government?
Soren Pind: Nepal is very much in our priority. I can even say that we can consider engaging even more. We [Danish government] have recently launched a new strategy where we are going to concentrate our efforts in fewer countries. Nepal is among those countries. It is a strategy that focuses very much on democracy, human rights and freedom. We have five goals in that strategy. We want to enhance the first goal that I mentioned.
Then we have a private sector approach, which might be relevant here as I have seen some business to business projects today. I think the question of energy area combined with the question of private sector growth could be an interesting thing to look at. I will have to go back home and try to think through my impressions and [decide] what we could do [in Nepal].
But I can say to Nepali people that they have friends in Denmark. We will continue and probably strengthen our efforts here.
Myrepublica.com: Would you please elaborate the basis on which Nepal made to your priority list?
Pind: Basically we want to be in countries where we can make a difference. In Africa and also, for instance, in Nepal, we will try to focus on areas where Denmark has special competence. That is very well in the whole NGO area, question of human rights, among other things. That is why I bought a note [from the Danish government] concerning disappearance to the prime minister, and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Disappearance, we think, is a very important question. It is an issue of right to justice. The reason for which we will keep on coming to Nepal and also probably strengthen our efforts is that we can see we can move ahead. It is great to work together with Nepali people and with Nepali politicians.
Myrepublica.com: You just said that human rights is an area where your country has concentrated in Nepal. But impunity has remained a major concern for our government as well as other governments such as yours.
Pind: It is a great concern. We can discuss the issue directly with the politicians involved. We have done that. But what we can also do is to support NGOs and those struggling in these cases. Impunity has to be stopped. I mean justice and rule of law is one of the fundamentals of a working democracy. Now it is not that I am blind to the fact that you have two parties who had fought a war and where there are deep-rooted feelings and even anger. I do recognize that. But injustices have been done to the innocent. Politicians of all parties have to recognize that to change Nepal means to help the victims of injustices.
Nepal, during the worst period, had the most cases of disappearances. I have heard politicians saying that [disappearances] commission will be made to look into this question. But there are still cases in the police. There are also cases in which people have reported the crimes against them and in which the police and the authorities do not do anything. This is wrong. You have also cases where political parties are hiding people from prosecution for the crime they have committed.
Myrepublica.com: Would you please elaborate the other areas that your strategies cover?
Pind: The second area of the strategies is growth of private sector. Gender rights is the third area of our focus. We have decided to go more into failed states. But Nepal is not a failed country but bad things can happen. Environment is another area.
Myrepublica.com: Like other countries, Denmark is also concerned about impunity in Nepal. Successive Nepali governments have failed to address the culture of impunity. Will continuation of lack of actions to address this problem affect Danish aid to Nepal?
Pind: If this continues and if you do not see democratic reforms in Nepal, time will come when we must consider what to do. Democratic reforms also involves rule of law. In other countries, we have made the decision to work through NGOs and not the government. We did this in Zimbabwe. I do not think Nepal will be in that situation because as far as I can tell, progress is being made. Political forces in this country do understand they have to change and they have to take this country forward. But, of course, if things do not change, then we will have to reconsider. There is no doubt about that. If things do not change, then why should we continue spending money?
Myrepublica.com: One aspect of the Danish cooperation is aimed at promoting good governance. Recently there was a high-profile alleged corruption in the education sector where the largest chunk of your assistance goes. What do you have to say?
Pind: One of the things I will take back home is that our development aid is not risk free. I cannot promise my people that all aspects of development aid will always be spent where I want that to be spent. That is impossible. But I can make a promise to do our best. On the other hand, we have to be willing to take risks.
I strongly commend our ambassador for the action that was taken in that matter. He bought the donors together and went to the government and ended the matter by actually firing the minister. Whether there are legal proceedings, I do not know. The essence is when we see something unacceptable we will pursue the matter. We have done so. It is my great satisfaction because it will also serve as an example for others.
Myrepublica.com: Are there any new avenues of cooperation on the cards?
Pind: The ambassador said that we are concentrating on the peace process for now. Let us see how that goes. Even though I am a careful optimist, things can still go terribly wrong. So it is impossible to answer your question now.
But we would like to concentrate more. We have to be sure that the peace process will end as it should.
Myrepublica.com: When you met the prime minister, you raised the issue of extending the mandate of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) . What did he say to you in this regard?
Pind: He told me that the mandate would be extended.
Myrepublica.com: For how long?
Pind: He did not say that precisely. I think OHCHR should be here for one year after the peace process ends. We certainly need one year and we have also recommended that. OHCHR has two jobs to do – monitoring and capacity building [of national human rights institution]. When Nepal can manage itself, there is no reason to have OHCHR here.
Myrepublica.com: Where did you find Nepal’s peace process after meeting political leaders in Nepal?
Pind: It seems to be a complicated matter. I had an opportunity to discuss this aspect with different actors. There seems to be a certain level of distrust which is understandable after an insurgency. It is very hard to build something when there is no trust.
It seems that there are talks going on among different parties to solve the major problems. I urged them to try to solve the problems quickly because there is a constitutional deadline coming up. The Chairman of the Constitutional Committee Nilambar Acharya, during my meeting with him yesterday [Friday], used the word miracle [to refer to the possibility of meeting the May 28 deadline to write the constitution]. I mean there are quite a few challenges left.
kiran@myrepublica.com
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