The national army that faces allegations of failing to address the conflict-time human rights abuse incidents allegedly commmitted by its personnel, will have to meet two conditions to be eligible for US military assistance under the Foreign Military Financing Program proposed in the Appropriations Bill of the fiscal year 2011. [break]
The first condition proposed in the bill that is currently under discussion in the US Senate requires the NA to cooperate fully with investigations and prosecutions by civilian authorities of violation of human rights, including the 2004 murder of Maina Sunar.
This latest US condition has echoed widespread concern over the Nepal Army´s reluctance to hand over Major Niranjan Basnet, one of the accused in the 2004 murder of Sunar and warranted by a court, to the Nepal Police for investigation. Despite several atempts made by Nepal Police to grill Basnet into the murder of the 16-year old school girl in Kavrepalanchowk, the army has been protecting him.
Basnet was repatriated to Nepal in December 2009 after Republica disclosed that he was serving in the UN mission in Chad.
The second condition says that Nepal Army should work constructively to redefine its mission and adjust its size accordingly and implement reforms in its organization. Such reforms include strengthening the capacity of the civilian Ministry of Defense to improve transparency and accountability of budget; the army should facilitate the integration of Maoist combatants into security forces, including the army itself; the national army is also required to be consistent with the goals of reconciliation, peace and stability.
Conditions:
- Cooperate fully with investigations and prosecutions by civilian judicial authorities into violations of internally recognized human rights including the 2004 murder of Maina Sunar
- Work constructively to redefine the Nepal Army´s mission and adjust its size accordingly, facilitate the integration of Maoist combatants into the security forces including the Nepal Army.
The US had put similar conditions for the national army even in 2010. But the terms for the next year have some additions. For instance, the 2010 conditions were implicit in mentioning the name of the Nepal Army. National Armed Forces was used to refer to the Nepal Army and other security agencies collectively. But the proposed 2011 conditions have categorically mentioned the name of the Nepal Army.
Similarly, the Maina Sunar case has featured in the 2011 terms. So has been the issue of right-sizing of the national army.
But the proposed conditions say that the US will continue to provide assistance to the Nepal Army for peacekeeping missions, humanitarian relief, and reconstruction operations.
The US has continued its embargo on the supply of lethal military assistance to the Nepal Army since 2005 following the power seizure by then King Gyanendra and amidst allegation of human rights violations by the Nepal Army, which was at war with the Maoists then. The US used to provide the Nepal Army light weaponry like small arms and grenade launchers.
kiran@myrepublica.com
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