Combating Terrorism in South
Asia
-
Dr. Prem Singh Basnyat
2
Acknowledgement and
Clarification
First of all I would like to confirm it that this
books contains several articles, previously
published in different occasions, it is a
bunch of a collection. On the other hand, it
aims to communicate the message of
personal
understanding,
may
get
grammatical mistakes. I request to overlook
this weakness to the readers. Writing this
book is my personal interests and I will be
responsible for every detail.
It is also true to note that the word
TERRORIST has been used in the chapter
Counter Terrorism Operation: Nepalese
example in several places for the liveliness
of the history as it is the universal culture of
academic writing. This scribe respects the
Nepali Congress Party and its glorious
history as well.
Finally, I would like to pay my sincere
thanks to Prof. Dr. Tulasi Ram Vaidya, ,
Prof. Dr. Yuvaraj Sangraula, Prof. Geeta
Pathak Sangraula , Prof. Dr. Vijaya Kumar
Manandhar, Dr Lhamo Yangchen Sherpa,
Asst. Prof. Dr. Binod Thapa for their support
for my academic research. My gratefulness
and thanks go to my spouse Laxmi Basnyat
( MA Sociology and MA History) for her
unlimited and valuable support in every step
of my life.
Prem Singh Basnyat, PhD
Golfutar Bus stop
Bansbari, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Phone: 009-771- 4370539
[email protected]
3
Publishers and other
details………………
ISBN – 978-9937-2-6184-5
4
Contents
Page number
5
Some Limitations of the South Asian Region
South Asia is rich in natural beauty
and resources, cultural and religious
diversity
and
Basudhaiba
Kutumbakam.1 It also possesses the
potentiality of being an economic
powerhouse in near future in this
century. However, it suffers from
some limitation in
pursuing
Basudhaiba Kutumbakam within the
subcontinent with some vulnerabilities,
including limited state capacity and
overlapping geopolitical tensions,
which undermine the prospects for
regional
cooperation.
The
convergence of limited institutional
capacities in governments and lawenforcement agencies with grievances
about
widespread
corruption,
underdevelopment, socioeconomic
marginalization, and at times the
problematic role of the state, make
South Asia an attractive operating
base for terrorist groups and
constrain the capacity of states to
respond. 2 Further, the ongoing
consolidation of postcolonial national
identities,3 and the mutual distrust
and suspicion among the states of the
region, which is not limited to the
lingering tensions between India
and Pakistan, have so far inhibited
the level and degree of regional
cooperation necessary to address the
threat effectively.
1
2
3
Similar meaning in English would be the entire
earth is my family or Universal Brotherhood.
Eri c R osand, Nau reen Chowdhury
Fink, and Jaso n Ipe , Countering
Terorism in South
Asia: Strengthening
Multilateral Engagement, (International
Peace Institute, 2009), pp. 1-2.
Only Nepal was not under any colonial rule in
South Asia.
Indeed, SAARC region gets mainly
two aspects in terrorism as: first, these cases
all involve indigenous uprisings that turned
to the use of terrorism and second is ; every
case saw external intervention frequently
exacerbating
the
original
conflicts,
prolonging their duration, and dramatically
expanding their scope. It is also true to note
that there are few examples of effective
regional counterterrorism cooperation in the
region. South Asian states have been more
prone to use terrorist proxies to achieve
foreign and security policy goals rather than
evince any willingness to engage in viable
counterterrorism cooperation. On contrast,
the weak regional institutional frameworks,
the long history of discord, conflict and
distrust among the SAARC states, and
organizational
weaknesses
of
counterterrorism
capabilities
present
significant
barriers
to
regional
counterterrorism cooperation. On the other
hand, the prospects of counterterrorism
cooperation in South Asia are distinctly
mixed. Though the possibilities for IndoPakistani counterterrorism cooperation in
the foreseeable future are negligible, there
are limited prospects for cooperation
between Bangladesh and India, Sri Lanka
and India, and Nepal and India.
It goes without saying that terrorism and
political violence are not new
challenges in South Asia. They have
long been used by groups espousing
a wide variety of causes, including
national
self-determination
or
separatism, both right and left wing
politics, and militant religious
extremism. In many instances, the
fragility of relatively young political
systems and nascent democracies
has also generated a permissive
environment f o r the use of political
violence. In addition, militant
religious groups are exploiting local
grievances
and
drawing
on
international events to promote
6
radical and extremist causes, though
the underlying objectives of many of
these groups remain the capture of
state power and the radical
transformation
of systems of
government. It is quite obvious that
the events of September 11, 2001,
brought terrorism to the forefront of
the
international
community’s
security agenda. However, while this
has highlighted the threat posed by
“jihadist”4 terrorism, South Asia has
been a victim of violence perpetrated
by a myriad of groups with diverse
objectives and v a r i e d ideologies.
There a r e very many motivating
factors for boosting the homegrown
and externally supported terrorism.
However, some of the common
factors in South Asia are as follows:
a. P o v e r t y
and
Unemployment:
The
South Asian region consists of
high level of poverty; almost
38 percent of people are below
poverty line, they combat
against hunger, illiteracy and
diseases.5 It goes without
saying that those are the
highest vulnerable groups for
provocation,
subversion,
mercenary work, criminal
4
Jihad is simply the process of “exerting the best
efforts,” involving some form of “struggle” and
“resistance,” to achieve a particular goal. In other
words, jihad is the struggle against, or resistance to,
something for the sake of a goal. The meaning of the
word is independent of the nature of the invested
efforts or the sought goal.
5
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL
/TOPICS/EXTPOVERTY/EXTPA/0,,contentM
DK:20040961~menuPK435040~pagePK:148956
~piPK:216618~theSitePK:430367~isCURL:Y,0
0.html
activities and,
drug
trafficking, and transporters of
small arms and Improvised
Explosive Devices, etc. In
other words, their honesty
might be misused by any
wealthy gangs/groups for their
vested interests, including
promoting
intrastate
or
interstate
conflicts.
The
primary issue or goal in South
Asia
is
to
enhance
development and other socioeconomic opportunities. In
contrast, most of the nation
states in the region have got
weaponry rivalry for their
military might rather than
fulfillment of basic needs of
needy people. This is definitely
a neglected or overlooked area
in this subcontinent.
b. Nuclear Rivalry: In fact, the
colonial power departing from
the region divided South Asia
with its long-term effects on
ethnic and religious conflicts.
Many interstate and intrastate
wars/battles have been fought
and still there are possibilities
of
ongoing
problems
continuing
unresolved.
A
major drawback of the ongoing
conflict is nuclear rivalry in
South Asia. Risks of nuclear
terrorism and blackmail have
increased
significantly
in
recent years mainly because of
three factors: the growth and
spread of nuclear weapons, the
expansion of civilian nuclear
programmers and the increase
in extremist political groups
waging campaigns of terror.
7
The
growing
danger
encompasses much of the
world. Lack or inadequate
security over nuclear materials
and weapons in one country
could be exploited to trigger
atomic blackmail and terrorism
elsewhere. Inadequate security
at nuclear facilities also could
provide extremists waging a
campaign of terror within a
nation, an opportunity to create
a situation of national terror by
seizing or sabotaging a civilian
nuclear power plant or a
research
reactor
or
a
laboratory. Obviously, it is not
easy to keep the balance of
security
against
threat,
especially in this super terrorism
arena. However, a nation should
be capable, at least to challenge
against its external conventional
threats, in general situation. If
the protector is small, the asset
is big and the threat is bigger?
Then adverse situation arises. In
this situation, the nation could
go to join either into any
alliance or it may try to get
Weapons of Mass Destruction /
Nuclear,
Chemical
and
Biological
tools
as
its
compulsion of national security.
The example:
 S = F (APT) = SI
 S = security, F = function, A
= Asset (country, vulnerable
point and vulnerable area) P
=
protector
(security
capability), T = threat
(capability x intent (I) of
adversary) and
SI =
situation.
For an example, in South Asian
context the same theory could
be applied to other SAARC
nations in adverse political
situation since India is an
asymmetric military giant. The
model
applies
to
the
imbalanced security situation
between any nation state as
following6 ;
India
(T)
Pakist
an
(A)
Pakista
ni
Securit
y
Capabi
lity
(Module Source:
(P)
(T)
(A)
(P)
PS
Basnyat)
If protectors (P) do not protect
the asset (A) against the threat
(T), then either nuclear or
military rivalry arises. In this
case there is more possibility of
nuclear rivalry in South Asia
within national capability.
c. N ationalist Politics: Patriotism
and nationalism are absolutely
essential pillars to a nation
state. However, it should be
used for national unity,
national
sovereignty
and
international harmony. In the
South Asian context, it would
be prudent and pertinent to cite
the example of Kashmir and
Nepal. The political future of
Kashmir and the dispute over
this territory between India
6
The example has given of India and Pakistan just for
easy understanding but not as adversaries.
8
and Pakistan reflect an integral
link between contemporary
political violence, regional
history including the legacy of
colonialism and the ongoing
enterprises of nation and statebuilding, as both states struggle
to fulfill their foundational
ideals i.e., a secular union in
the case of India and a
homeland for South Asian
Muslims in Pakistan, through
the acquisition
of Kashmir
since the Line of Control was
established following the 1971
India-Pakistan War.
On the other hand, the Communist
Party of Nepal (presently the
United Communist Party of
Nepal, Maoist), which was
responsible for an insurgency
that lasted more than ten years.
Combined with this insurgency
the democratic movement in
Nepal
led
to
the
transformation of the last
remaining Hindu Kingdom into
a democratic republic in 2006,
which is another instance of
political development in South
Asia. Drawing on longstanding
grievances, the Maoists engaged
in a “people’s war” designed to
put in place a government that
would address chronic poverty
and inequality, and eliminate
the caste system and the social
i n j u s t i c e s inherent in the
system. The Maoists believe
that nationalism provides an
emotional rallying point for
violent struggle: ‘The Nepalese
people are very conscious and
sensitive to the question of
nationalism, and they feel proud
to lay down their lives while
fighting rather than submit to
the pressures of the foreigners.’7
However, the Maoist Party has
not been able to carry out its
promises, although it led
government two times, and is
presently
enjoying
virtual
monopoly on state resources in
the absence of both the
Constituent
Assembly
and
Legislature-Parliament.
Nepal
today finds itself in a fragile
ethno-political juncture, which,
hopefully, may not lead to the
renewal of conflict by way of
ethnic cleansing in Nepal.
d. Religious extremism: It is
very true that any religion
stands for the sake of
individual's discipline, social
harmony and Basudhaiba
Kutumbakam. And it should
not be for political use. In
contrast, religious extremism
defines a second set of groups
employing
terrorism.8
Unsurprisingly,
with
late
Osama bin Laden and some of
his closest associates still at
large, al-Qaida remains a
primary concern of the
international
community.
However, the core of al-Qaida
remains intact; it has suffered
7
8
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), “Strategy
and Tactics of Armed Struggle in Nepal,”
March 1995, quoted in International Crisis
Group, “Nepal's Maoists: Their Aims, Structure
and Strategy,” Asia Report No. 104 (Brussels,
October 27, 2005), p. 8.
Of course, it may also be argued that the conflict
over Kashmir is intrinsically tied to religion and
religious
identities, also.
9
a backlash within Muslim
communities against the forms
of violence it inspires and has
proved unable to clarify and
project its goals following
military actions against it.
Nonetheless,
the
one
geographical area in which it
retains influence is the
Afghan-Pakistan
border.
Activities in this region
demonstrate that al-Qaida
continues to threaten the
stability of Afghanistan and
Pakistan, as well as South
Asia and the international
c o m m u n i t y .9
Militants
being and then deployed to
target others, is a worrying
trend with the potential to
challenge South Asia more
widely, and it exemplifies the
evolution of some groups’
ideologies from political to
religious.10Although Pakistan
and Afghanistan attract the
most
of i nternational
attention,
the threat
of
religious extremism is not
confined to just these two
countries. In recent years, there
have been concerns regarding
an emergent threat in
Bangladesh too. In 2002,
Bertil Lintner of the Far
Eastern
Economic Review
observed in an article that a
9
10
Richard Barrett, “Seven Years After 9/11: Al
Qaeda’s Strengths and Vulnerabilities”
(London: International Centre for the Study of
Radicalisation and Political Violence, 2008),
available at
http://icsr.info/files/ICSR%20Richard%20Barre
t%20Paper.pdf . .
Conference speaker, "Implementing the UN
Global Counterterrorism Strategy in South
Asia," International Peace Institute, New York,
November 13-14, 2008.
revolution is taking place in
Bangladesh that
portends
trouble for the region and
beyond if left unchallenged.11
This was most visible to the
international community when
a series of some 400 bombs
went off in all but one of
Bangladesh’s sixty-four districts
on August 17, 2005, for which
Jamatul
Mujahedeen
Bangladesh
(JMB)
was
held
responsible. South
Asia consists of many other
religious groups which enjoy
political power: the Rashtriya
Swayamsevak Sangh, Vishwa
Hindu Parishad and its youth
wing, the Bajrang Dal in India
and Shiva sena – Nepal which
have been inciting much
communal and
religious
violence over the past few
decades.12
e. Ethno-nationalist separatist
groups: End of the World War
II and the end of the Cold War
are the two major contributors
to political and human rights
awareness in the world. Ethno
politics is the consequence of
demand
for
equitable
treatment.
Unfortunately,
many of them have turned into
nationalist separatist groups
due to political limitations of
respective nation states. This
11
12
Bertil Lintner, “Bangladesh: A Cocoon of
Terror,” Far Eastern Economic Review, April 4,
2002, available at
http://members.tripod.com/cruelbengalbeast/re
ports/040302-cocoon-of-terror.htm .
BBC News, “Gujarat Riot Death Toll
Revealed,” May 11,
2005,/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/453
6199.stm .
10
trend crisscrosses the world
and much of the violence and
disintegration of the states
relate to ethnic ferment as
witnessed in the dissolution of
the erstwhile Soviet Union
and Yugoslavia. In South
Asia, most notably, the
previous struggle between
minority Tamils, whom the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) purported to
represent, and the government
of
Sri
Lanka,
which
represented
a powerful
Sinhalese majority, remains
one
of the bloodiest
insurgencies in South Asia,13
Separatist movements are also
present
in
Pakistan’s
Balochistan
and
Sindh
provinces, India’s Punjab and
Northeastern
provinces,
Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill
Tracts and Nepal also might
face this problem in near
future, especially in the Terai
region.14 For instance, Nepal
presently gets a lot of voices
for federal states with self
determination
rights
on
ethnical basis, which is very
serious demand in multi
ethnical and multicultural
societies, consists of more
than 115 casts, in such a small
country,
lacks
financial
13
14
K. Alan Kronstadt and Bruce Vaughn,
“Terrorism in South Asia,” paper prepared for
the US Congressional Research Service,
March 8, 2004, p. 37.
Kishore Dash, “Explaining the Dynamics of
Domestic Preferences for Deep Cooperation
in South Asia,” paper presented at the
International Studies Association
Convention, San Diego, CA, March 22-25,
2006, p. 13, 2008.
viability. I hope the demands
will be more matured rather
emotional, which means the
scribe has not blamed them as
separatists. Although much of
the violence in each of these
conflicts is internal, it has the
potential to spill over into
neighboring
provinces.
Moreover, “cross-border ethnic
sub-nationalism” is one of the
main sources of mistrust in
15
the subcontinent. Since ethnic
minorities in all states in South
Asia have close affiliation with
their kinfolks in neighbouring
states, cross-border ethnic
identities widely prevail in
South Asia. As a result, ethnic
conflicts in one state draw
natural support from the coethnic groups in neighbouring
states. Not surprisingly, the
spillover effects of these ethnic
conflicts have led each country
to blame the other for assisting
separatist movements on its
soil.16 Furthermore, it has an
impact on other regional
challenges, such as migration,
where
concerns
about
terrorism and separatism have
caused a backlash against
immigrants, exemplified by
the violence in Assam against
mostly Muslim settlers thought
to have emigrated from
Bangladesh.17 It is important
to
note
that
terrorist
violence in the subcontinent
15
16
17
Dash, “Deep Cooperation in South Asia,” p. 13.
Ibid.
BBC News, “Violence Spreads in Assam State,”
October 6, 2008, available at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7654012.s
tm .
11
often blurs the distinction
between
domestic
and
transnational, single-actor and
collective movement, and
nationalist
and
religious
objectives.
f. Refugee and unrecorded
Migrant Problem: It is true to
note that "Atithi Deo Vaba"18
is the traditional culture of
South Asia and by observing
their cultural values people
welcome and respect any
native or foreign guests at
home. However, the time has
changed to review such
practices one’s own national
security
and
national
sovereignty. On top of that,
South Asia has become more
and more vulnerable to
intrastate
and
interstate
conflict, since it is beset with
so many ongoing problems
such as influx of thousands of
refugees and migrants from
neighbouring and transnational
nation states. This has become
a more dangerous area to
harbour terrorism from several
vested interests of national and
international
actors.
For
instance,
Tibetan
refugee
problem has become a
“Trouble Triangle" between
China, India and Nepal.
United States and European
Union have been eying this
problem
seriously
and
motivated to turn this crisis to
their
benefit,
whereas
Bhutanese Refugees in Nepal,
comparatively speaking, are
18
Guest is like god/goddess
being ignored. For instance,
Nepal launched a massive
military operation to defuse the
Tibetan Khampa Terrorist
activities in 1974-75.19 The
same problem may revive
itself, in the days to come, as
“Free Tibet Movement" in the
form of “Trouble Triangle” is
in offing.
Combating Terrorism
It goes without saying that terrorism
has indeed become a global menace,
and today no nation or region or
community is totally immune from
terrorist violence or from its effects.
Political will power supported by
dialogues and confidence building
measures counters any form of
violence. It is also true to note that
South Asian conflicts have been
boosted because of failure to meet the
basic needs of the people. The region,
which had experienced very low
levels of organized terrorism until the
early 1980s, has undergone dramatic
transformation to become the scene of
the bloodiest terrorist violence in the
world. In terms of maximum
casualties up to today, it ranks easily
as the world's most terrorism 19
Prem Singh Basnyat, Nepaleese army In Khampa
Disarming Mission ( Kathmandu:
Sarwochcha Mansingh Basnyat,2007),
pp.14-16.
12
battered region. On the other hand,
the growing nuclear aspirations of the
two major powers in the region place
a heavy onus on Indian and Pakistani
leaders to adopt effective methods to
counter the dangers of nuclear
blackmail and terrorism in the
subcontinent. It also would be just to
mention that if China, India and
Pakistan nuclearize their military
rivalries, despite their hunger and
poverty, other small nation states may
be compelled to have nuclear war
tools to protect their national
sovereignty as deterrence against their
potential adversaries, in worst cases.
Because small nations will not be able
to compete in infantry, air force, navy
and other capability and nuclear
induction would be much cheaper
than other means. In this case, it
would be a sad message to the poor
people of South Asia in the days to
come. However, this scribe is totally
against of nuclear rivalry in South
Asia and globe as well.
Secondly, South Asian terrorism
reveals that in the past years it has
evolved toward more grisly and
indiscriminate actions. Terrorists
appear to be looking for bigger and
more dramatic actions to draw
regional and world attention to their
causes.
A
regional
initiative,
therefore, needs to be launched as part
of preventive measures, which should
be based on “human security"
approach. It consists of political right,
food, housing, education, medication,
individual
security,
opportunity,
equality and equitable treatment.20The
conventional approach may not be
20
www.humansecurityinitiative.org/definitionhuman-security
fruitful. The level of threat analysis
has focused on the state and its lawenforcement,
intelligence,
and
military capabilities. The information
super high way is very much faster
than military appreciation so that
counter measures should be based
on a regional approach a s "One for
all and all for one- A united South
Asia" that includes both “hard” and
“soft” and short- and long-term
measures, to combat an international
and
transnational threat with
emergent non state actors.
Thirdly, South Asia remains one of
the most volatile regions on the globe,
with the persistent threat of
widespread transnational Islamist
terrorism. Clearly, the response
mechanisms evolved thus far have not
been sufficient or effective. Indeed, a
valid concern has often been voiced
on whether the countries of the South
Asian region have any coherent,
consistent or effective policies against
Islamist terror. The same question
could also be extended to the conduct
of US foreign policy, given its
increasing role in the region in the
post 9/11 era. On the other hand, it
may be uncomfortable to say that no
SAARC state, of its own accord, can
devise a mechanism to overcome the
considerable challenges that thwart
regional counterterrorism cooperation.
Indeed, external drivers; such as the
UN,USA ,NATO,
EU may be
required to play a substantial and
sustained role to initiate such a
process. Similarly, sustained pressure
on Pakistan is needed to shift
Islamabad’s policy
regarding the
intrastate jihadi forces against other in
order to achieve any goal. In fact the
key external powers could play a vital
13
role in policing and counterterrorism
cooperation, such as training, border
control
management,
electronic
surveillance, and intelligence-sharing
as well.
Finally, some of the suggestions given
below may be considered as viable
preventive measures against terrorism
in South Asia:
a. SAARC Empowerment: The South
Asian Association of Regional
Cooperation or SAARC has become
mature with more than 27 years of
its establishment. It was born with so
many good aims and determination,
including Regional Convention on
the Suppression of Terrorism
which incorporates a definition of
“terrorist acts” for the betterment of
this region. In contrast, it is the
weakest organization on the ground
that
is like an "Honorary
General" is given to a foreign
national. It is obvious that the
instruments have not been
effectively enforced owing to a
lack of enabling legislation in
most member states. But we
can believe i t b e c o m e s
an
effective mechanism to combat
terrorism, provided there is a
strong
political
will
to
implement decisions, including
enhancing judicial measures,
promoting greater interagency
counterterrorism coordination at
the regional level, enhancing
border
controls,
providing
training, and sharing information
and best practices; and promoting
strategic cooperation. In other
words, South Asian leaders
should develop a regional strategy
for addressing the terrorist threat
that should involve not only all
members of SAARC, but also
partner countries and the United
Nations as well. Such a strategy
could include the reiteration of
SAARC leaders’’ commitment to
building a better future for their
peoples and recognition that
terrorism poses a challenge to
human
security
and
the
achievement of their development
goals.
b. Establishment
of
Regional
Counterterrorism Team: A regional
team should be formulated as soon
as possible for preventive measures,
which should consist of experts of
international
relations,
social
scientist, conflict management and
counterterrorism experts,
social
psychologist,
country
expert,
international lawyer, conventional
military, all types of police, all types
of intelligence agencies, economists,
mass media, representation of all
types of religious leaders of major
religions, medical doctor, disaster
and crisis management, and experts
and activists from human rights
field, etc. All experts need to be
independent
or
retired,
not
representing existing governmental
job of member states. It may be
pertinent to suggest that the office of
the team needs to be based in India
due to availability of resources and
advanced technology.
Indian Role: It goes without saying
that India is an upcoming giant in the
global power equation and at present
a superpower in South Asia. No other
power is comparable to it within the
subcontinent.
Moreover,
India,
14
Pakistan and Bangladesh are single
mother's babies, that is, they were part
of the Indian subcontinent until
partition in 1947. Nepal, India and Sri
Lanka
have
socio-religious
relationship since ancient times and
Bhutan and Maldives are also not far
from India's historical relation. On the
other hand, most parts of Afghanistan
were also not different from then
colonial British - India and they come
under India's political and strategic
interests. In fact, Indians have
expanded themselves across the globe
and they are having meaningful holds
in different countries. Similarly, India
needs to stand on its own to make
trustworthy relations with China,
which is very important to launch
preventive counterterrorism measures
in South Asia. In the 21st century with
information super highway, youth of
this subcontinent are aware of
political rights, human rights and
other bilateral linkages; nobody could
hide such realities in any corner of the
world. In this regard, I would suggest
reviewing of Indian multiple relations,
especially with South Asian countries
including China because it is an
emerging super power of the globe.
South Asia definitely becomes a
peaceful and developed subcontinent
if China and India embark on
exemplary relations. For sure, 90
percent of terrorism/conflicts would
go off through the human security
development of this region. Finally,
India needs to use its might for
regional development and undertake
preventive
measures
against
terrorism, as European Union does in
an equal footing, well-planned and
organized
manner
with
all
neighboring countries. It would not be
overanalyzing is that India needs to be
stressed that it needs to rethink on the ongoing trend of China being able to
outmaneuver India’s foreign policy in South
Asia. India thus gets strategically diminished
on the global stage and disrespected in its
own neighborhood. Some observations from
the foregoing discussion that need to be
stressed in deduction are as under:21





21
China and Pakistan will continue
as military adversaries of India
for decades to come and this
should be the prism through
which India’s foreign policy
formulations should take place
and the bedrock on which India’s
South Asia foreign policy options
are devised.
China- checkmating by India
from making strategic inroads in
South Asia at India’s expense
demands that India too should be
careful on China’s peripheries
and its outlying regions, more
specifically Tibet. Like Chinese
acupuncture India’s needles
should be applied further afield
in
Afghanistan,
Myanmar.
Vietnam and Mongolia.
In the rest of South Asia, Indian
foreign policy formulations the
conventional
diplomatic,
economic and cultural strands
should be pursued.
Maintaining
the
minimum
modicum of diplomatic niceties
with China and Pakistan, the
strategic component in Indian
foreign policy formulations
should be the dominant strand.
With China and Pakistan being
strategically
and
militarily
pervasive in South Asia, India’s
foreign policy formulations in
South Asia should no longer be
politicized and dominated by the
personal
inclinations
and
obsessions of its apex political
leadership.
http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/node/972
15
Chinese Role: Of course, China is not
in South Asia but almost half of this
region is connected with China. Its
multiple influences on South East
Asia and South Asia can in no way be
undermined. Especially, many small
South Asian nations have been trying
to be much closer to China, although
India is close by physiognomic
feature. India needs to be more aware
of this reality. In this regard, China
needs to give its helping hand for the
betterment of this region, including
counterterrorism initiatives as well as
in the interest of good neighborhood
especially with India in order to have
a "United Asia". It is also obvious to
say that at present, China is the only
force which can make stability and
balance of power as well as peace and
prosperity in the South-Asian region.
With the increasing influence and
interference of USA in the SouthAsian region and after the rapidly
growing US-India closeness, world is
looking towards China for a more
vibrant and lively role to play. Even
in Pakistani, Nepalese, Sri Lankan
and other people are expecting the
Role of Balance from China in South
Asian subcontinent. Because, China
and India both are emerging economic
giants as well and they have to come
on common ground for the betterment
of Asia. Finally, China, India and
Japan would be the builder of the
United Asia.
c. Refugee
and
Migrant
Management: It is true to note
that "Atithi Deo Vaba"22 is the
traditional culture of South Asia
and by observing their cultural
values people welcome and
respect any native or foreign
guests at home. However, the
time has changed to review such
practices
one’s own national
security and national sovereignty.
On top of that, South Asia has
become
more
and
more
vulnerable to intrastate and
interstate conflict, since it is beset
with so many ongoing problems
such as influx of thousands of
refugees and migrants from
neighbouring and transnational
nation states. This has become a
more dangerous area to harbour
terrorism from several vested
interests
of
national
and
international actors. For instance,
Tibetan refugee issue has
become a “Trouble Triangle"
between China, India and Nepal.
United States and European
Union have been eying
this
problem seriously and motivated
to turn this crisis to their benefit,
whereas Bhutanese Refugees in
Nepal, comparatively speaking,
are being ignored. For instance,
Nepal launched a massive military
operation to defuse the Tibetan
Khampa Terrorist activities in
1974-75.23 The same problem
may revive itself, in the days to
come, as “Free Tibet Movement"
22
23
Guest is like god/goddess
Prem Singh Basnyat, Nepaleese army In Khampa
Disarming Mission ( Kathmandu:
Sarwochcha Mansingh Basnyat,2007),
pp.14-16.
16
in the form of “Trouble Triangle”
is in offing. So that it needs
systematic management to avoid
endangering security of a
particular nation. These are very
vulnerable groups to be misused
by any subversive, religious,
ethnic, including terrorist agents.
For instance, Bhutanese and
Tibetan refugees in Nepal,
Burmese Muslims in Bangladesh,
Afghan refugees in Pakistan, and
Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan and
Tibetan refugees in India belong
to this category. On the other
hand, millions of Nepalese
migrants are living in India and
some lesser numbers of Indians
are in Nepal as unrecorded
migrants.24
d. Permanent border management:
One of the recognized political
principles is to have permanent
and distinct border between two
neighbouring nation states, which
is one of the best measures to
prevent
terrorist
activities,
including border encroachment,
unrecorded migrants and other
unwanted activities. For instance,
India, Nepal and other South
Asian nations should have proper
border management instead of
blaming a small neighbour with
security grievances. It should be
noted that Nepal-India borders are
open by treaty obligations
between the two countries
whereas India has a closed and
fenced borders with both Pakistan
and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
e. Enhancement of human security
24
www.migrationinformation.org/feature/display.cfm?I
D=733
and non military rivalry: It goes
without saying that hunger,
illiteracy and unemployment are
the main source of anti-social acts
including terrorism, smuggling,
kidnapping, killing etc. A human
being cannot survive with an
empty stomach, nor in the absence
of rule of law. As stated earlier,
this region contains more than 38
percent people under poverty line.
So, South Asia needs to enhance
its Human Security paradigm and
rule of law rather than military
rivalry,
including
nuclear
weapons. On top of that, military
top guns of this subcontinent need
to be very much honest to solve
the intrastate and interstate crisis
by other means rather provoking
military might. It is the era of
wining the hearts and minds of
people and conventional military
paradigm may not be fruitful as it
was essential during the Cold War
Era and earlier. I hope it would
also be relevant to mention about
the upcoming rivalry in "military
mussel show" between America,
China and India in Asian
Continent , America has already
announced it to contain Chinese
economic energies with its
military presence. Which is not
good indication for South Asian
subcontinent and it definitely
results the unhealthy military
alliances and induction of war
tools instead of welfare of the
poor people of South Asia. In
other words "War is a profitable
business" for top guns of the
globe and it falls under political
strategy too.
f. Settlement of Kashmiri and
17
Afghan problem: Problems in
both Kashmir and Afghanistan are
of international dimension and
appear to be never ending in this
subcontinent, which continues to
be confronted by identity and
need issues since its history. Of
course, we should respect the
political reality and its inherent
issues.
However,
the
key
stakeholders need to come
forward to settle problems with a
broad and open heart. Otherwise,
problems will linger on for
unlimited
periods
costing
thousands of lives and providing
space for unethical intrastate and
interstate actors as winners,
whereas the people of Kashmir
and Afghanistan will be the real
losers. Finally, the hostile
situation, including acts of
terrorism will increase day in and
day out. Basically, the Kashmir
issue is a chronic problem and as
a result, SAARC has become
very weak due to the turmoil in
Indo- Pak relations. SAARC
cannot decide or even deliberate
on any political dispute ignoring
Indian Interest. On the other hand,
USA has urged India to lead in
South Asian disputes management
including Afghanistan, at present
days. This would be an
honourable global responsibility.
Indian role would be very much
practical since it is in the next
door however, India needs to be
very careful to handle the Afghani
problem since it
would be
against Taliban and Al-Qaida as
ethnical interference, India may
get more troubles and it spreads
across the subcontinent, finally.
g. SAARC Defense Diplomacy
Forum: Every country gives
first priority to its sovereignty,
and
governmental security
agencies remain ever ready to
provide suggestions on national
security matters to their
governments. In this regard, if
South Asian defense institutions
including police and Paramilitary forces could form an
integrated forum for exchanging
information on security issues
with a view to promoting clear
misunderstanding
and
strengthening
regional
security, it would be very much
helpful to prevent terrorism in
South Asia. On the other hand,
this would also help political
diplomacy for smooth going in
this region.
h. BIMSTEC Effort: Bay of
Bengal Initiative for MultiSector Technical and Economic
Cooperation, which includes
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India,
Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka,
and Thailand also, could play an
effective role in devising counter
terrorism measures and for
enhancement of Human Security.
It has already established a
Counter-Terrorism
and
Transnational Crime
Sector
(CTTCS)
responsible
for
coordinating the sub-region-wide
response.25
i. United Nations Support: The
United Nations could be more
helpful with its
increasing
25
BIMSTEC, “Counter-terrorism and Transnational Crime Sub-Sector,”
2008/www.bimstec.org/counter_terror.html .
18
recognition of the importance of
combating terrorism, conflict, and
political violence in South Asia and
to forge stronger cooperation on the
implementation of the UN Global
Counter-Terrorism
Strategy
between the UN and South Asia,
and within the region itself.
terrorism has become the biggest
political challenge to the national
leadership in Afghanistan, India,
Nepal and Pakistan. And if present
trends are any indication, terrorism
may remain the main political
problem in all countries at least for a
decade. This trend serves to highlight
the growing dangers of atomic
blackmail and terrorism in a
subcontinent which is home to about a
fifth of the world's population.26
Conclusion
To conclude, terrorism is a
destructive act. It is quite difficult to
predict the size, shape, type and
means of terrorism. Many ethnic,
religious and separatist groups have
used it as their weapon against
different communities and countries.
But we cannot prove whether it is
legitimate or illegitimate. Many
people and writers have explained it
as a legitimate tactic or as customary
law. By natural law, every person
belonging to a group, religion or
ethnicity is free to protect his or her
identity. If they are threatened, they
can use any appropriate means of
defense .So, terrorism, violence,
uprisings, sabotage can be used
against
powerful
adversaries.
However, it destroys social ethics
and undermines law-abiding the
community. The state horror created
by terrorism is condemnable as it is
illegitimate.
On the other hand, it is painful to say
that South Asia is a region where
terrorists are displaying increasing
sophistication in their strikes, not only
in weaponry but also in ways of
carrying out attacks. Combating
At the end, the November 2008
Mumbai attacks serves as a stark
reminder of the regional dimension
of the terrorist threat in South Asia,
whereby terrorist groups can exploit
the political fragility, development
challenges, and violent religious
extremism that are increasingly
prevalent across the subcontinent. The
incident highlighted the lack of a
meaningful regional framework to
facilitate the cooperation necessary to
respond to and prevent future terrorist
acts and the need to develop an
effective regional counterterrorism
response. Consequently, this paper
has argued that SAARC will be wellplaced to stimulate greater regional
Human Security Paradigm
and
cooperation on counterterrorism,
especially given its comparative
advantages as a result of its neutrality,
expertise, and the strength of
intellectuals from the region provided
we are honest to practice "One for all
26
www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1057
6108808435744
19
and all for one- A united South
Asia”.
Counter Terrorism Operation:
Nepalese example
Background27
Immediately after the lapse of a few
months of the introduction of
Panchayat System, on 1st Poush
2017(December 15, 1960) following
the dissolution of the interim
government by His Majesty late King
Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah , different
terrorist28 activities were carried out
against the then Panchayat System
through the united efforts of the
dissatisfied political parties in
different places of Nepal. Except the
planners staying in foreign land,
Commander Yagnya Bahadur Thapa
can be cited as an example of an
active worker in this act of terror. He
27
The information have received from the talk with
retired Major General Mr.Raghuchandra Bahadur
Singh, then Brigadier General ( Chief of Army Staff
at present ) Mr.Rukmangad Katawal, retired
Brigadier General Mr. Keshar Bahadur Gadtaula and
other army officers who had participated in the above
military operation. Similarly, from the Soorya
(Monthly) -Year 2, Complete issue 11, Falgun, 2050
(mid-Feb. to mid-March,1994 ),Page 29 and Copy of
the letter dated 2031/9/11/15 (1974/12/26/5 approx.)
written to the Police Hq. from the Police Inspector's
Office, Okhaldhunga.
28
The words, “terrorist, terror, insurgents and
insurgency” have been used according to the then
Panchayat Government and the scribe has not any
interest to dishonour to any person or political party.
All those political parties and anti-Panchayat
elements, who fought for democracy have become
freedom fighters after 1990. Please do not
misunderstand with those words at present. They all
are no more terrorists and insurgents after 1990.
was born at Chisankhupakhe Village
of Okhaldhunga district, entered the
service of the then Royal Nepalese
Army (now Nepalese Army) and was
promoted to the post of Captain.
During his posting at Shree Junga
Company (now battalion ), Taplejung
district, he was sacked from service
without a title to pension in 2018
(1961) on the charge of plundering
arms and ammunitions in close
contact with the political leaders at
the spot of Thumphedin of the same
district. After dismissal from service,
he went to India to pass his exiled life,
and turned to insurgents’ organization
by establishing close relation with
different political leaders.
At that time, armies and policemen
were mobilized at the national level at
different entry points in order to
suppress the terrorists' activities that
were spreading widely in different
districts of the country. At that
moment, Captain Yagnya Bhadur
Thapa
of
Nepalese
Army,
commanding
the
Shree
jung
Company, had settled at Thumphedin
village in Taplejung district. Captain
Yagnya Bahadur, being inclined
towards political parties, colluded
with the leaders and arranged a
sumptuous dinner (Bada Khana) to
the entire troops of the Company. He
was sacked from service on the
charge of letting the political workers
plunder weapons by serving excessive
liquors to the entire troops in the
feast. In accordance with the
traditional Customs, on the auspicious
occasion of Bada Dashain and Chaite
Dashain, the feast, which is organized
in the Nepalese Army at the specified
20
spot for all the soldiers right from the
officers to the lower rank and file is
called Bada Khana (sumptuous
dinner). In this connection, following
reasons can be ascribed to the
Okhaldhunga incident:-
a. Ex-Captain Yagnya Bahadur
Thapa’s dismissal from service
and hisfull dedication towards
the Nepali Congress.
b. Captain Yagnya Bahadur
Thapa’s arrival to establish
contact
with
thepolitical
workers at the time when they
were organizing armed forces
in the foreign land.
c. Insurgents’ involvement in
the organizing and collection of
the arms and ammunitions with
the objective of establishing
their station at an appropriate
spot of Nepal.
d. Full assurance extended by
Jamdar (Wo-2) Karna Bahadur
Basnet working in the district
of then Okhaldhunga Army
barrack itself to provide help to
political workers.
Objectives behind the Okhaldhunga
Incident
a. To plunder the Bank and
collect money after capturing
the Barrack in the
district of
Okhaldhunga .
b. To capture the districts
Headquarters of Solukhumbu
and Diktel and put them under
their control.
c. To cause obstructions in the
governmental
development
works.
d. To create an environment of
instability in the country by
causing unrest and terror
among the people.
e. To thwart the auspicious
coronation of His Majesty King
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.
f. To show the might of the
political parties at the national
and international level through
aggressive terrorism.
g. To restore the multiparty
democratic system in Nepal and
overthrow
the
partiless
Panchayat System.
Initiation of Okhaldhunga Incident
While going on training to Biratnagar
Barrack from Okhaldhunga Army
barrack Jamdar (Wo-2) Karna
Bahadur Basnet, who was working
with
Vishnudal
Company
in
Okhaldhunga district, met Ex-Captain
Yagna Bahadur Thapa and political
workers, and assured them of his
cooperation in case an attack is to be
made in the district of Okhaldhunga.
For this purpose Karna Bahadur
Basnet had received a sum of Rupees
12,000 (Twelve Thousand) Indian
Currency in two installments from the
workers and after his arrival at home,
he had written letters to the Nepali
political workers in India.
21
In accordance with Jamdar Karna
Bahadur’s plan, he intended to remain
on duty as Junior Commission Officer
(duty JCO) at the time when the
insurgents would come to loot the
Nepalese Army Barrack and he would
depute the personnel selected by
himself to the duty of the quarters
guard. Quarter guard is the main store
of
weapons,
ammunition
and
explosives. Since it was planned to
extend help in the capturing of the
barrack under such a situation, the
terrorists fully planned to move
towards Okhaldhunga in the month of
Marga 2031(Nov 1974).
On 10th Marga, 2031(25th Nov.,
1974), a group of 35(thirty-five)
personnels including Ex-Captain
Yagnya Bahadur Thapa
had
assembled at the house of Narayan
Babu Tiwari at the Chandanpati
village of Bihar, India to meet with
the political leaders . They were
instructed to attack Okhaldhunga
district of Sagarmatha Zone, capture it
and plunder the Bank. Then with the
aim of capturing the headquarters of
Solukhumbu and Diktel districts,
Captain Yagnya Bahadur Thapa was
made tactical Commander, and
briefings were given to Gopal Rai,
Ram Laxman and Mahesh Karmacha.
On that very day, they were seen off
by the Congress leaders after getting
garlanded with flowers and auspicious
red vermillion 'tika' put on their
foreheads from Aanpgachhi of
Farbesganj, India. At 18:00 o’clock in
the evening, a group of thirty-five
armed forces set off to enter into the
Nepalese territory. Prior to this, the
Ex-police Head Constable Shamsher
Bahadur had taken Ambar Bahadur
Gurung, Corporal of Bishnudal
Company to Chandanpati in India
around 23-24th Kartik 2031(8-9th
October 1974). At that time, Captain
Yagya Bahadur Thapa had taken
information about the arms and
ammunitions stored at Bishnudal
Company located at Okhaldhunga
from Ambar Bahadur and that the
Congress leaders had also interviewed
that person. Thus the insurgents
armed in a group of thirty-five, being
fully assured and accompanied by the
military personnel fully acquainted
with the situation in addition to
getting full cooperation and assurance
even from the incumbent military
personnel, arrived at Aanpgachhi
(next) near Jainagar, the bordering
area of Nepal.
At Aanpgachhi, some Congress
workers had distributed arms and
ammunitions and clothes required for
those 35 persons. Details of arms and
clothes were as follows:-
Weapons
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
Rifle-10 pcs
Stengun-5 pcs
12Bore gun-5 pcs
Pistol-3 pcs
No.36 Grenade-10 pcs
Ammunitions rounds ; 150each
of the list a, b, c,and d.
Walkie talkie-4 pcs
Compass-1 pc
Gelatin-8(materials
for
exploding bridges)
Mark 5 rifle-5 pcs
22
k. Explosives, detonators etc.
Clothes
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
Woolen shirts-35 pcs
Khagi woolen vests -35 pcs
Rubber vests -35 pcs
PT Shoes-35 pairs
Woolen sock -35 pairs
National caps-35 pcs
Woolen Caps-35 pcs
Woolen jerseys-35 pcs
Tumlets-35 pcs
Kitbags-35 pcs
Details of Incident
On 2031/8/11(1974/11/23) while
the team of the thirty-five terrorists
were
proceeding
towards
Okhaldhunga after receiving the
above- mentioned weapons and
clothes , three of them ,viz Gopal
Rai, Mohan Kumar Gurung and
Ganesh Dhimal arrived at the night
time, and hence were left at the
same place. While coming secretly
en route to Kamala river via
Jainagar from the Nepal border,
the team of the remaining 32
persons dispersed at the sight of
the peasants who were guarding
the paddy, when they arrived at
the nearby Badarwa village. As a
result of losing the way, again the
two armed personnel named Dhak
Bahadur and Deep Dewan got
separated from the group along
with the weapons and Captain
Yagya Bahadur ,being unable to
trace them in spite of a wide search
,moved ahead with the remaining
thirty persons. While crossing the
Kamala River enroute, Ambar
Bahadur dropped one piece of
Mark 5 rifle and 50 rounds of
bullets into the river and the
terrorists along with their weapons
arrived at
Grass village(near
Katari) of Udayapur district and
took
their
lunch
on
2031/8/14(1974/11/29) at the
house of Birsha Bahadur Rai, a
relative of Lok Bahadur Gurung.
Birsha Bahadur had served the
terrorists with a meal of mutton
and already given them assurances
of collecting the ex-servicemen for
further extension of help to the
terrorists. But as the preplanned
assistance could not be provided,
they set off for Mayakhu via
Harithumka, wrapping the arms
and ammunitions under their
possession in a cloth and getting
them carried by a porter and
passed the night at a shop over
there.
On 2031/8/15 (1974/11/30) the
terrorist had sent a four member
team secretly from there without
arms under the leadership of
Ambar Bahadur to enquire about
the situation of the Solu district.
Other members were Ambar
Bahadur, Harka Bahadur Karki,
Ram Kumar Sunuwar, Bhim
Bahadur Katuwal and Keshar Rai.
Of the weapons, except those of
the persons sent to Solu district,
the uncertified and excess weapons
were hidden at a spot of the forest
called Balaute Chhango. On being
informed about these weapons by
the terrorists arrested later, the
23
army and police traced and
submitted them to the Police
Office. Details of weapons
available are as follows:a. 303 rifle -10 pcs
b. Mark 5 rifle -2 pcs
c. 12 Bore gun -1 pc
d. Explosives -27 pcs
e. Gelatine—16 pcs
f. Bag (made of cloth and
full of documents)- 1 pc
At
dawn,
3
a.m
on
2031/8/16(1974/12/1) the terrorists
crossed Toxel ghat (embankment)
and entered
the Okhaldhunga
district. Of them, Madan Bahadur
Rai, being confined to bed, was
left at the lowland house
(confluence of Bholung streams)
of Bhim Bahadur Adhikari and the
terrorists moved ahead. In order to
know the situation of the
headquarters of the Okhaldhunga
district, Tika Rai was sent with a
walky talky and they had reached
the forest of Majhigaon for the
night
haltage
on
2031/8/16(1974/12/1).
In
the
morning of 2031/8/17 (1974/12/2),
they set off from there, took their
lunch at the farm house of Buddhi
Man Tamang located by the side
of Molang stream and reached the
forest of Simlebeshi for the night
haltage.
In the morning of 19th Marg,
2031(4th December, 1975), they set
off for the Dhodre forest crossing
the Melung stream en route to Para
Dovan and reached the Dhodre
forest on 20th Marga (5th
December) and stayed one night
there. The next day 21st Marga( 6th
December) they crossed
the
Palung stream in the night and
stayed in Thare at Sahinli’s house.
The woman was known as Thare
Sahinl. On 22nd Marg a (7th
December)
morning,
Peshal
Kumar Dahal, a terrorist, with the
letter of Chandra Kanta Sharma
and Bal Bahadur Rai alias Bhairab
was sent to meet them.. He (P.K.
Dahal)
came
across
the
Okhaldhunga-based
Nepalese
Army and the Police Troops at a
place called Khaltekholchhi at the
Prapcha Village Panchayat. While
they intended to capture him, he
(Dahal) attempted to escape and,
in turn, the Army and Police shot
him dead on the spot.
In the morning of 21st Marga
2031(6th December ,1975), the
terrorists who left the home of
Thare Sahili, spent that day and
also the 5th December in the Thare
jungle. Next day, 22nd Marga,(7th
December), they crossed
the
Banseko stream, entered the Khinji
Panchayat and ate boiled potatoes
at the residence of Kami Sherpa. In
the meantime, Mahesh Karmacha,
also a terrorist, set off towards his
home at Khijibhuji and his inlaw’s home after taking a sum of
Rs. 1200 from ex-Captain Yagnya
Bahadur to make a gathering of
people and
to buy
woolen
carpets. Other teams reached a
24
place called Thapa Danda on 24th
Marga,(9th December) , made
hamlets and started residing there.
They divided their team into four
groups from this very place and set
an ambush on the top of the hill.
The same day, Hari Saplacha,
brother-in-law
of
Mahesh
Karmacha, who was on a mission
to gather people, reached the
ambush site, met Yagnya Bahadur
and said, “ Woollen carpets are
being carried by the people, who
will arrive here by tomorrow and
the carpets will be handed over to
you. My brother-in-law, Mahesh
Karmacha and I will arrive here
with men". Hari Salpacha stayed
there one night and started waiting
for Mahesh Karmacha till the
morning of 27th Marga, 2031(12th
December, 1975). Since Mahesh
Karmacha did not turn up till 27th
Marga,
2031(12th
December,
1975), the team led by Yagnya
Bahadur left for the Solu district
enroute to a place called Tolu.
That team reached a village called
Aangmang on 28th Marga(13th
December) and they stayed one
night in a desolate house, and
reached the residence of Netra
Bahadur next day, 29th Marga(14th
December). There they took their
morning meal and these terrorists
spent their night in a natural cave
which looked like a bunker located
at the Tilpung forest.
Beginning of the Military
Operations for Stopping
Terrorist Activities
From the very formation of the
Nepalese Army, military service
has been regarded as a prestigious
profession.. Everyone working in
such establishments has remained
loyal and true to salt in its true
sense to every Government of
Nepal. To a soldier, the order from
the higher level is more important
than his own life. Military
personnel work with trust in their
Commander’s integrity and faith in
the Government’s 'SINDUR' (a
mark of saffron powder paste
pasted on the soldier's forehead by
the King (now Prime Minister)
with his fingers as a sign of his
grace to take them in his fold).
This is a profession in which
everyone makes a promise not to
flinch from slaying even his own
father and hang his own mother if
the country so demands. If
someone commits a betrayal by
remaining in such a profession, it
will be a heinous crime, an
abysmal sin and a high treason
contrary to the salt of the land in
accordance with military ethics.
The major religion of the army
everywhere in the world is to stand
by the code of military ethics.
In whatever way may it be defined
from one's political and personal
point of view and however best
may it be adjudged in the world, if
a military man betrays institutional
religion and get swayed at the
instigation by outsiders, he is an
outright traitor ,disloyal to the salt
of the land. No political odor is
permissible
within
military
confidence, law and discipline. For
25
example, a veteran statesman may
formulate policies and regulations
and make decisions but if the
Army commander who goes to
implement these decisions, works
in favour of the enemy, and acts
contrary to the order, even the
national sovereignty may remain at
stake or the nation will have to
lose its territory. In times of peril,
the entire country is likely to get
extinct due to the misconduct of a
military leader. Hence there is no
room for any compromise at all
between an army and its integrity.
So that this military ethic and
discipline applies to then Captain
Yagnya Bahadur Thapa too.
The then Captain Yagnya Bahadur
Thapa who held the prestigious
post of Company Commander,
wore the uniform of the Nepalese
Army
with the Government’s
SINDUR(a mark of grace} on his
head, and was responsible for the
security of two to three districts,
committed an act which was an
outright treachery to the Army. No
one in an Army uniform should
remain engaged in political
activities. Army personnel are also
citizens of the country, they are
also entitled to political rights, but
political activities are possible for
him only when he is relieved of the
military service. The handing- over
of
the Company’s arms and
ammunitions to the political
parties declared
anti-national
elements by the Government by
getting all the rank and file
working with the Taplejung -based
Shree Jung Company drink heavily
at the time of a sumptuous dinner
organized on the occasion of the
Dashain Festival, is totally an
illegal
action.
Its
political
interpretation could be otherwise
but from the military point of
view, it is an act of sedition against
the nation. If such personnel
continue to work, it is likely that
they might even offer the keys of
the arsenal to the enemy during the
times of crisis. There can be no
less heinous crime than this in the
chapter of the military law of the
world. It is in this context that the
Nepalese Army had taken an
action to avert the activities of the
terrorists
that
occurred
in
Okhaldhunga.
Actions taken from the then
Government's side
On 17th Marga ,2031(2nd December,
1975), the then Bishnu Dal Company
located at Okhaldhunga knew through
a special source that a terrorist group
with arms and ammunitions had
already entered via the Toksel river
bank located at Okhaldhunga at 3
o’clock in the morning of 16th Marga,
2031(1st December, 1975). This news
was circulated to the concerned
department and the police and army
personnel in civil dress were deployed
to acquire detailed information about
the terrorists.
The concerned Brigade Officer
circulated an order to the Bishnu Dal
Company Commander Captain Indra
Bahadur Sijapati to make special
26
security arrangement. Accordingly,
the Company made a plan to destroy
the terrorists by setting an ambush in
the proper place in pursuance of the
opinion of the Company Commander.
Based on the news that a group of
25/30 terrorists have been staying at
the residence of Buddhiman and they
were moving ahead through the
Bholung stream, the Company
Commander sent a section troops
under the leadership of Jamadar (WO2) Karna Bahadur (who was a paid
agent of the terrorist group)to destroy
the terrorists by setting an ambush on
their route. The police officers and
other policemen also accompanied the
team. However, Jamadar Karna
Bahadur, without setting an ambush
in the fixed site, set it near the bridge
of Chyanam with the intention of
letting the terrorists escape. The
terrorists knew about this plan since
they had an efficient means of
communication. They gave up their
planned route and proceeded towards
the Para village via Para Dovan and
thus the ambush was a failure.
Thereafter, a team comprising of the
Army and the Armed Police in civil
dress was sent again through Prapcha
to set up an ambush at Thare. The
ambush team shot dead Peshal Kumar
Dahal, a terrorist, in the morning of
21 Marga, 2031(6th December, 1975)
at a place called Khaldekholsi in
Prapacha Village Panchayat when
Dahal tried to escape the ambush
team.
As per the message that the terrorists
are entering via Toxel Ghat, Karna
Bahadur’s team was deployed on 18
Marga, 2031(3rd December ,1975) to
set an ambush in Toxel Ghat to wipe
out the terrorists assembled in the
Para Gaun. However, Jamadar Karna
Bahadur fetched the army straight to
Toxel Ghat and the terrorists got a
chance to escape Para Dovan. As per
the prior information that the terrorists
are heading towards Solu via Para
Dovan, one section troops was sent
to set up an ambush. As per the
information that the terrorists are
heading towards Pattale Height to
capture the Salleri Bank, their
intention was intimated to the
concerned department as well. The
concerned department instructed the
Company Commander of the Bishnu
Dal Company for operational
readiness for an immediate move of
more than one Platoon troops to
protect Salleri. Accordingly, one
platoon of the Bishnu Dal Company
was deployed towards Salleri.
On 28 Marga, 2031(December 13,
1975), Raghu Chandra Bahadur Singh
,the then Major (later Major General),
along with one Section troops of the
Pashupati Prasad Battalion went there
by helicopter. As per the order of
Major Raghuchandra, a team under
the Command of Captain
Indra
Bahadur Sijapati (father of present
Colonel Surendra Sijapati) , the
Company Commander of Bishnu Dal
Company moved towards Salleri by
helicopter on 29th Marga, 2031(14th
December, 1975). As planned by
Raghuchandra Bahadur Singh, upon
the fleeing and disappearance of
Captain Yagya Bahadur in course of
27
search for a person competent enough
to launch further operation, the then
Captain Rukmangadh Katuwal29 (
later COAS)
was summoned to
Okhaldhunga. Katuwal took the risky
step. The overall commander of this
task
was
the
then
Major
Raghuchandra Bahadur Singh, who is
a retired Major General at present. All
of the Army Officers (Singh, Katawal
and Sijapati) did a very good job by
the order of the then Government.
They must be appreciated for their
courage but should not be criticized
from the political viewpoint at present
Action upon arrival at Solu
A team led by the Commander of
Bishnu Dal Company upon arrival at
Solu, selected a proper site, prepared
defense position and arranged strict
security
and
was
receiving
information from various sources.
Next day the deputy chief of local
Panchayat that the terrorists were
staying in Tilpung forest areas
informed the team. A team consisting
of a few army and police personnel in
civil dress, concealing arms and
ammunitions and supposedly familiar
with the place, was deployed on an
espionage mission. This team came
across a member of the terrorists gang
called Shamsher Bahadur, an ExPolice Head Constable, who was
proceeding towards the Headquarters
of Solu, pretending to buy a he-goat
and he (Shamsher Bahadur ) was
caught by this team. He gave all the
details concerning the terrorists'
residential sites. The on-the-spot
details were reported and a plan was
made to destroy the terrorists who
were living in the cave of Tilpung
forest and save the main position. A
NCO’s (Billadar) team was sent to set
up an ambush in the Solu Bridge.
Subedar Tap Bahadur was ordered to
remain on stand – by.
Accompanied by Shamsher Bahadur
who was captured at 15:30 on 30th
Marga, 2031(15th December, 1975), a
move was made towards Tilpung cave
en route from Solu to Salme. Making
a halt at a distance of 150 yards, a
reconnaissance of the cave was made.
No activity except fire light was
observed then. Upon the second
observation, the shadow of a man
moving became visible. The team
left this site for a while and came
back again giving some directions.
Accordingly, a grenade was thrown
from the uppermost hole and the team
entered the cave, firing from right and
left sides. In this way, an attack was
launched until 5 a.m. in the morning
of 1st Poush, 2031(16th Dec, 1975) and
the site was under the control of the
army. The following persons are
reported to have been killed in the
army operation:a. Mahesh Koirala- Sena Village
Panchayat
29
Captain Katwal did an appreciated job and he was
a real soldier. He was proven as a military hero of
that operation. He did everything by the order of
higher authority and there is no more his personal
interests. So that he should not be pointed out from
political viewpoint at present. The scribe presented
all the facts for national history.
b. Ram Upadhya- Sirah
c. Laxman Chandra- Sirah
d. Padma
Prasad
Puri-
28
Aiselukharka
g. Mark 5 Rifle -2
e. Man Bahadur Limbu
h. 38 Bore Pistol -2
f.
i. 303 Bullet -1390
Mahilo Rai- Halesi
g. Netra Bahadur Karki- Ex policeman, Dingla
h. Lal Bahadur Tamang –Dharan
i.
Praja Lal Rai
j.
Shyam
Dumre
Bahadur
Gurung-
Ram Prashad Rai was the one who
escaped from the cave during the1st
Poush (16th December)'s army
operation. He was found wounded in
the forest and died on the way while
being taken to Solu. Though some
terrorists fled from the cave, a police
team led by Police Inspector Bhakta
Bahadur Pradhan who was kept in the
cut-off position shot them dead in a
place called Thade. Those killed at
Thade by the bullets of the team were
Agam Mani Rai, Man Bahadur Thapa
Magar, Chandra Bahadur Tamang and
Krishna Prasad Limbu. The following
sare the list of weapons and other
equipments found at Thade including
the Tiplung forest during search
operation carried out at the suspected
areas:a. 303 Rifle-3
b. Sten Gun-1
c. 12 Bore rounds -152
d. Sten gun Bullet-200
e. 36 Hand Grenade -4
f. Mat -2
j. Walkie Talkie -1
k. Detonator -4
l. 12 Bore Gun -1
A few others who escaped from the
military operation carried out at
Tilpung Jungle and Thade are as
follows:a. Ex. -Captain Yagya Bahadur
Thapa
b. Mahesh Karmacha
c. Jasodhan Rai
d. Keshar Thulung
e. Shiva Kumar Rai
Arrest of Captain Yagya Bahadur
Thapa
Nepalese Army and Police were
stationed at all the passes of the
district to capture the terrorists who
had dispersed and escaped. The
Nepalese Army and Police returned to
Solu in search of the places where the
terrorists had escaped. After it was
discovered that the Team Leader
Captain Yagya Bahadur Thapa had
escaped from the cave of the Tilpung
forest and proceeded towards his
home, he was pursued and meanwhile
a message was received that he was
29
hiding himself past the way to Kuivir
village in a hay stack near a Brahmin's
home in a place called Chisankhu and
it was relayed to a platoon of the
Nepalese Army which was one of the
many teams stationed at the potential
passes and was now being deployed
to set up an ambush at the
Rasuwaghat quay. The team captured
Ex-Captain Yagya Bahadur Thapa in
the hay stack. In this way the
terrorists team leader Yagya Bahadur
Thapa was captured with the help of
the Nepalese Army, some Police
personnel, and local Administration
and with the support of the local
people .Upon the divulgence of this
matter, the following personnel from
Kathmandu were deputed on 6th
Poush, 2031(21st December ,1975) to
take statements, make enquiries and
investigate into this matter at the
central level :a. Home
Secretary
Birendra
Parsad Shah- Chairman
b. D.I.G.P. Chaand Bahadur RaiMember
c. D.I.G.P Durlabh Kumar Thapa
–Member ( later IGP)
d. Colonel
Keshar
Bahadur
Gadtaula-Member
(later
Retired Brigadier General).
e. Advocate
Bhairab
Prasad
Lamsal –Member
Yagnya
Bahadur
Statement
Vishnudal Company and Corporal
Bhupendra Bahadur Basnet of Barda
Bahadur Battalion who had been
transferred there from Vishnudal
Company . So both Captain Yagnya
Bahadur Thapa and Jamdar Karna
Bahadur Basnet were brought to
Kathmandu
by
helicopter
for
Government’s
action.
Corporal
Bhupendra Basnet was arrested from
the duty-station at National Museum ,
Chhauni, Kathmandu when he was
there on duty, and was put under
detention for legal action.
Of the thirty-five terrorists solely
engaged in Okhaldhunga incident,
sixteen died from the military and
police operations. Nine of them
including Yagya Bahadur were
arrested and Gopal Rai, Mohan
Gurung and Ganesh Dhimal also
crossed the Indian border and never
came back and Deep Dewan Rai,
Dhak
Bahadur
Rai,
Mahesh
Karmacha, Lok Bahadur Gurung,
Jasodhan Rai, Keshar Thulung and
Shiva kumar Rai escaped from the
clutches of military operation and
remained absconding. Thus, the
Okhaldhunga episode started and
ended.
Thapa’s
When the senior officers deputed to
the investigation task probed Yagnya
Bahadur Thapa and took his
statement, he involved
Jamadar
(WO-2) Karna Bahadur Basnet of the
Security Situation of Asia
Pacific Region may lead to
Terrorism?
30
Asia Pacific Region (APR) is a part of
the world which lies near the Western
Pacific Ocean. The region varies in
size depending on context, it includes
much of East Asia, Southeast Asia,
and Oceania. The Asia Pacific Region
constitutes 50 countries including
major emerging countries like China,
India, Japan and Korea and also the
rest of the other countries of North
East Asia, South East Asia, and
Western Pacific countries like
Australia and New Zealand. The
United States of America is not
geographically connected with this
region; because of its strategic and
economic engagement with all these
countries its presence keeps a great
importance. Russia’s inclusion has
also always been Significant due to its
geographical presence as well as its
stature and role in the UN Security
Council.30
This region is strategically important
for countries like China, USA and
other countries in the periphery for
the security of the Sea Lines of
Communication (SLOC) which is the
lifeline for the economic development
of the countries in this region.
Countries have beefed up their
military efforts and have shown
offensive posture to guard against the
perceived threats from other countries
which in turn has made the region
volatile.
30
This chapter is mainly based on the Brig Gen
Bijaya Kumar Shahi's talk paper "An analysis of
security situation in Asia Pacific Region, Its Impact
and the Possible Ways out" while he was working at
the National security Council secretariat, Kathmandu,
Nepal.
Major global players especially USA
and China are in race to contain the
activities of one another and exploit
strategic importance of the region.
Increasing military activities are
adding in making the region more
volatile & insecure.
Security Imperatives of Asia Pacific
Region
The Asia-Pacific’s strong response to
the worldwide economic crisis, its
growing
military
modernization
programs and growing integration are
evidences of the region’s expanding
global power. At the same time, the
region has became home to growing
transnational
crimes,
developed
nations
and
emerging
states,
authoritarian regimes and democratic
politics – as well as a resident power
which has long enjoyed supremacy in
the region, the United States. Due to
the emergence of Asia Pacific as the
strategic region USA has shifted its
attention from Atlantic and Iraq to
show a stronger presence in this
increasingly vital region.
The challenge for the contesting
countries like America and China in
showing the strong presence and
safeguard national interest will be
twofold: first, to understand that the
balance of influence is shifting; and
second, to achieve a fundamental
evolution in thinking that can advance
national interests in a rapidly
changing
international
arena
dominated more and more by Asia.
Understanding this shift – anticipating
it, comprehending the implications of
it and helping to manage it will be
31
among the most pressing challenges
for the coming generation of
strategists of all involved countries.
identified in the region are as
follows:North Korea's Nuclear Ambition.
Transnational
threats,
interstate
conflict, nuclear proliferation and
various other reasons have increased
the concerns of security in the region.
Assertive posture of the countries and
increasing military spending has also
dictated increased security concerns
in the region. Asia Pacific Region has
been emerging as a volatile region
mainly due to the military buildup and
offensive posture of the countries in
the region which could trigger new
conflicts bringing in global concerns.
Multilateralism,
regionalism,
transnational challenges and rising
powers demand new types of
engagement from superpowers and
new contributions from Asian
Nations. The tug of war of uni polar
and multi polar world between super
powers and emerging countries in the
region has also shown increase in the
security concerns.
Security concerns in the Asia-pacific
region
The Asia-Pacific Region is no
stranger to threats posed by weapons
of mass destruction
(WMD)
proliferation, terrorism or weak and
failing states. In recent decades, East
Asia
has
attracted
increasing
international attention as the center of
world economic growth. The regional
peace, upon which that prosperity
rests, however is fragile. Although
there has been no major war for
decades, several simmering issues &
conflicts have the potential to boil
over into larger clashes within the
region. Top security concerns
The Kim dynasty, in its third
generation, is trapped between
economic stagnation and the fear that
reform will lead to overthrow of the
regime. North Korea’s survival
strategy of acquiring nuclear weapons
and demonstrating a willingness to
fight has made reconciliation with
South Korea and the U.S. nearly
impossible. In the meantime, the
danger persists that Pyongyang will
spark a war either by carrying out one
too many acts of provocation against
South Korea, or by providing nuclear
material to a state or group that is
hostile to the United States.
U.S. - China Friction.
The U.S. is still the most influential
power in Asia and the Pacific, and
wants to keep it that way. China is a
rising power that wants more of a say
in the conduct of regional affairs.
Managing this transition peacefully
will require U.S. willingness to
accommodate some of China’s
demands and Chinese willingness to
be patient. This will not be easy for
either government, especially under
the pressure of public opinion. One
particular rubber-meets-the-road issue
is U.S. Navy surveillance near the
Chinese coast; China insists that it
must stop, while the U.S. Navy insists
it will go to the mat to defend the
principle of freedom of the seas.
South China
Disputes.
Sea
Territorial
32
China, Vietnam and four other
countries
(Philippines,
Brunei,
Taiwan and Malaysia) are involved in
disputes over ownership of a number
of small islets, reefs and rocks in the
South China Sea, which are important
because they anchor claims to
fisheries and seabed fossil fuel
resources. China’s claims being the
most prominent it needs to be
addressed in detail. In 2010, China
perceived that Vietnam was growing
bolder in its moves to recover
resources in disputed areas and that
the U.S. had intervened on Vietnam’s
side. This produced an alarming
outburst from Beijing, and have
brought even more escalating rhetoric
and nationalist public demonstrations
on both sides. The other claimants are
Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and
Brunei. Their claims are small and
well within their coastal waters.
Taiwan, which is also in occupation
of some reefs, holds a position same
as that of China as per the old
Guomingdang
(Kuomingtang)
doctrine that the two will unite some
day
when
China
gives
up
communism. China initiated the Code
of Conduct Declaration (COD) in
2002 with the other claimants that
issues will be resolved peacefully and
till then there should be joint
development of resources.
China-Taiwan Relations.
Cross-Strait relations are much
calmer
since
pro-independence
Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou, who
supports the principle that Taiwan is
part of China. The economic
relationship is booming, and Beijing
hopes this will lead to political
unification. Ma, however, has some
interest in negotiating political issues
with Beijing and insists that Taiwan
must continue to buy arms from the
U.S. China’s patience has limits, and
Chinese missiles are still aimed at
Taiwan.
Japan-China Relations.
Lacking resources or a large
population, Japan is a medium-sized
power. Its historical rival China, by
contrast, is growing fast and seems to
have almost limitless potential. If
China becomes the strongest power in
the region, Tokyo will face the choice
of sticking with the U.S. alliance
(assuming that option is still
available) or appeasing China, which
would mean Beijing would have veto
power over major Japanese policies.
The Chinese could likely demand the
expulsion of U.S. bases. The Japanese
have aligned with Britain and the
United States in the past, but they
clearly are not comfortable with the
idea of submitting to domination by
an authoritarian country they perceive
as anti-Japanese. The outcome could
conceivably be a nuclear-armed Japan
and a Sino-Japanese cold war.
Recently, Japanese activists raised
flags on Uotsuri Island, part of the
small archipelago known in Japan as
Senkaku and in China as Diaoyu as a
result of it, Chinese patriotic activist
spontaneously came on the street and
destroyed the Japanese goods and
items including Japanese made
vehicles which shows the sentimental
clash between the population of these
two countries.
On last September 24, four Chinese
ships briefly entered what Japan
Considers its territorial waters near
33
disputed islands in the East China
Sea, prompting an official protest
from Tokyo and renewed diplomatic
efforts to cool tensions between the
rivals. So, same day Japanese Vice
Foreign Minister Chikao Kawai
visited China to discuss SinoJapanese relations with Chinese Vice
Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun.
Nuclear Issue in the Region.
India and Pakistan are frequently
testing missiles capable of carrying
nuclear
warheads.
These
two
countries which are in the race of
ballistic missile is worrying event in
this region. On the other hand North
Korea's contradictory nuclear test also
rising another security threat in this
region.
Sea Lane
(SLOC).
of
Communication
China has adopted strategies to
increase the influence in Indian Ocean
Region and South China Sea by
adopting ‘String of Pearl’ strategy by
making port Gwadar in Pakistan, a
fueling station in Hambantota, Sri
Lanka, container facility with
extensive and commercial access in
Chittagong, Bangladesh and porting
right in Aden (Yemen), Shalala
(Oman) and Djibouti, naval base in
Myanmar, electronic intelligence
gathering facilities on islands in the
Bay of Bangal, funding construction
of a canal across the Kra Isthmus in
Thailand, a military agreement with
Cambodia and building up of forces
in the South China Sea. China tried to
persuade the US in 2010 to accept its
sovereignty over the South China Sea,
but US made it clear that it was in
US’s national interest to keep the sea
lanes of the South China Sea free for
international navigation. The South
China Sea is a critical navigational
waterway in this region which is used
from the west of the Indian Ocean to
East Asia. If China controls this sea
space it will dictate maritime traffic,
both civilian and military. To ensure
free navigation and control over the
South China Sea, US have established
its marine base in Darwin, Australia.
Terrorism.
Terrorism has long been a factor
influencing interstate relations in Asia
Pacific. Terrorism is a persistent
regional concern, where terrorist
activity in one country is detrimental,
destabilizes and jeopardizes to the
security of the entire region and the
world. Asia Pacific Region is
becoming insecure to growing
terrorist activities. As in the rest of the
world, terrorism is largely a byproduct of armed conflicts and Ethnic
politics which fuels as many as 70
percent of armed campaigns today.
Besides the traditional security issue
of North Korea and the China-Taiwan
problem, non- traditional security
threats, such as the spread of religious
extremist terrorist network in
Southeast Asia, and rampant piracy in
the Malacca and Singapore Straits are
becoming more serious. The AsiaPacific security environment has
witnessed a series of new threats, new
technologies, and new actors during
the past decade. In this region
prominent terrorist organizations such
as Al Qaeda, Kashmiri group Harkatul-Ansar (HuA), Lashker-e-Taiba,
34
Jaish-e-Mohammad,
Philipino
Terrorist Group Abu Sayyaf, New
People’s Army of Philippines,
Indonesia based Jamaat-i-Islami,
Revolutionary Armed Forces of
Cambodia,
Free
Vietnam
Revolutionary Group are operating.
These terrorist organizations may
have close links with each other
which may creat grave security threat
in the Asia Pacific Region.
(g) There is an increasing
danger of terrorism spreading
from parts of Asia, like
Pakistan and Afghanistan. The
war on Terrorism has also
given added justification to
increase
regional
security
cooperation.
Key Challenges and Issues
(i)
Strategically,
the
interests of the major powers
intersect in East Asia. The sub
region is the nexus of three of
five permanent members of the
U.N. Security Council (China,
Russia, and the United States),
and Japan and India are leading
aspirants for that status.
Key challenges and issues of the Asia
Pacific Region are as follows:(a)
Inter linked domains like
maritime security, cyber
space and outer space.
(b) Asia Pacific Region has
successfully managed issues of
nuclear balance and several
other conventional security
threats,
and
even
the
proliferation of WMD and
missile technologies.
(c) The
effective
institutionalization of security
cooperation in Asia Pacific
Region.
(d) Race of the nuclear
programs of Japan, North and
South Korea, Indonesia, India
and Pakistan. The U.S.
Government sees North Korea
Nuclear threat to its own
security as well as its allies.
(e) The
resources
rich
Parcels and Spartleys Island
disputes: claimed by China,
Malaysia, Vietnam, Phillipines,
Indonesia.
(f)
Religious
extremist
activities in the region.
(h) Dispute
on
Korean
Peninsula between North and
South Korea.
(j)
China’s
boundary
disputes with India and Russia.
(k)
Friction between India
and Pakistan.
(l)
Japan’s dispute with
Russia over the Kuril Islands.
(m)
Japan has seen tensions ri
se in its relations with China
over the Chinese-owned
Diaoyu Islands.
(n) The
United
States
remains predominant power in
the Asia Pacific Region and as
throughout the world. U.S.
power, rather than giving way
to multi polarity, has possibly
grown and will continue at least
into the medium term.
(o) The United States will
maintain its assurance of Asia
Pacific
security.
A
rearrangement of U.S. forces in
35
South Korea will not alter the
U.S. commitment to that
country or diminish defence
capacity in the event of
hostilities with North Korea.
(c) Increase in arms race in
the region.
(p) Relations between the
larger powers in the Asia
Pacific Region are far more
benign today than at the end of
the Cold War. Reasons include
the absence of the Russia as a
strategic player in the Pacific
Ocean, China's emergence as a
market
economy and a
influential player in global
affairs,
and
process
of
democratization in the region.
(e) Possibility of military
confrontation in future.
(q) The Global War on
Terrorism has given Southeast
Asia a level of importance for
Washington not seen since the
Vietnam War. The United
States is encouraging the
countries of maritime Southeast
Asia,
particularly
the
Philippines and Indonesia, to
improve
their
security
capabilities, including their
capabilities in the field of
counter terrorism.
Conflict of interests of major
powers and its impacts in the region
The U.S., Japanese, Chinese and
Russian ambitions, militaries, and
insecurities contend Compounding
regional insecurity could have
following impacts:(a) Increase
in
military
presence of major powers
in the region.
(b) Emergence
of
military alliances.
new
(d) Possibility of the world
entering into a new cold
war.
(f) Disturbance to economy,
supply of energy and sea lane
of communication (SLOC) in
the region.
(g) Effects on the ecological
aspects of the ocean.
(h) The high-tech arms race
among the newly upcoming
Asian Giants and their
competitors.
Viable Way out
Regional Dialogue and Cooperation
as a means to resolve the key
challenges
The general arguments for enhancing
effective regional security cooperation
mechanisms are familiar, and
compelling for followings:(a) Organizations
like
Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) itself, South
Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC), the
Shanghai
Cooperation
Organization
(SCO)
and
Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO) played
active roles in their respective
sub-region but there are still
prominent basic gaps in the
structural architecture for Asia
Pacific
dialogue
and
36
cooperation because there is
lack of a security forum which
can bring all key players
together at leadership's level
( ASEAN Regional Forum
(ARF) is ministerial), the key
economic forum – APEC- does
not include India, East Asia
Summit (EAS)
does not
include all the relevant players,
namely the US and Russia.
(b) Growing numbers of
Asian/Pacific policy makers,
scholars, and security analysts
are advocating the U.S.-Japan
Mutual Security Treaty and the
related hierarchical structure of
bilateral military alliances
should be replaced by a
multilateral framework possibly
from within the ASEAN’s
Regional Forum (ARF).
(c) Recognizing
and
addressing mutual security
needs can be meaningful. An
alternative security framework
based on the principles of
common security and respect
for national sovereignty and
self-determination
could
facilitate
disarmament
negotiations
essential
to
demilitarizing
and
denuclearizing the region.
(d) The institutions should
be consultative, respecting the
Asian cultural bias towards
consensual solutions. Centering
the institutions like ASEAN
would be logical and practical,
and the ASEAN Defence
Minister’s plus Eight Meeting
offers a potentially useful way
forward.
Recommendations
Global players have perceived the
threat to their strategic interests from
other states and increased their
military power to prevent being
dominated.
Following
recommendations should be taken
into consideration to minimize the
tension among global powers and
enhance the mutual trust and
recognition.
(a) Consideration of relocating
military bases that would
provoke security of other
nations. Establish joint military
bases to provide security of the
oceanic life.
(b) Build up mutual trust and
cooperation among the major
powers ensuring the reduction
of military activities & rivalry
among them.
(c) Assure military activities in
own
territory
and
not
undermine the security of other
nations.
(d) Settlement of disagreement
by the bilateral and multilateral
effort should be put on the top
most agenda.
(e) Bilateral and multilateral
naval cooperation to strengthen
maritime security environment
and control of piracy.
(f) US positive role to solve the
problems in
Asia-Pacific
where tensions are rising
between China and its smaller
37
neighbors over territorial and
maritime issues.
(g) ASEAN summit should
reach a consensus to handle the
disputes, find common ground
and hash out a framework for
negotiating
with
member
countries.
(h) China has done many
concrete things to support the
economic
and
social
development of Pacific Island
countries; So it should maintain
a policy to achieve peace,
stability and development with
these nations.
(i) The U.S.-Japan Mutual
Security Treaty and other
bilateral military alliances
should be replaced by a
multilateral framework based
on common security.
(j) The withdrawal of all
foreign military troops and
bases, reductions of military
forces throughout the region
and strict limits on arms sales
and transfers are essential to
Asian/Pacific security.
(k) Nuclear
weapons
proliferation and nuclear war in
the Asia Pacific Region can be
prevented by fulfilling the
agreed framework with North
Korea and by the nuclear
powers honoring their NPT
commitments to complete
nuclear disarmament.
Increased concerns over Asia Pacific
security with neo geo-politics and
increasing interests of emerging
nations have become the global
concern which has to be dealt
carefully with diplomatic efforts in
the bilateral and multilateral forum
rather than being militarily assertive.
Due to its strategic location, rich
natural/energy resources, SLOC and
growing strength of the littoral states
and due to its strategic importance,
rivalries and tensions between the
major powers needs to be settled
before it escalates.
Although,
countries in this region
have historic animosities, deep policy
differences, competing economic
claims, and well-developed armed
forces, there will be enormous
benefits for the region and the world
if China and the US both rely on
diplomacy
and built
a
common security architecture for the
region.
Many contemporary problems are
simply beyond the capacity of single
countries such as terrorism, maritime
security, arms control, drug, people
trafficking, refugee management, and
some major trade and financial
imbalances. All needs cooperative and
collective action.
Terrorism ‘Legitimate’ or
‘Illegitimate’?
Background31
Conclusion
31
Prem singh Basnyat, New paradigm in Global
Security Civil Military relation in Nepal
(Kathmandu: Bhrikuti Academic Publication,
2004), pp.77-88.
38
Terrorism, with a long history in the
world, has become an evil in present
context. It has, however, become a
deadly threat, in recent years, along
with developments in science and
technology. It began, in the form of
state and non-state terror, both during
war and peace times. Terrorism was
also used as an element in
conventional battles in early days e.g.,
by burning cities or villages, looting,
raping women and kidnapping of
people for use as slaves etc. But it is
quite difficult to predict the size, type
and means of terrorism. Moreover, it
is difficult to define the nature of
terrorism. There is no exact definition
of terrorism, except different views
and opinions of individuals. In other
words, terrorism for one can be
defined as liberation for other. The act
of terrorism, however, consists of
overt and covert use of violence such
as murder, kidnapping, bombing, and
uprising and so on. Obviously, the
aim of terrorism is not to win any
battle but to create a climate of fear
e.g., "Kill one and threaten thousand".
Its organizations which emerged in
acts of terror are almost always small
in size with limited resources
compared with the populations and
institutions they oppose. Normally,
they are motivated by political
reasons, including, for instance,
slogans for democracy, nationalism,
racism,
religion,
communism,
anarchism and even advocacy of
criminal acts. In other words, they try
to achieve their goal through
publicity, propaganda and generating
fear by committing violence; they
seek to enhance their influence and
power to effect political change on a
local or an international scale.
It is quite difficult to prove whether a
terrorist act is legitimate or
illegitimate. It goes without saying
that majority would consider it
illegitimate. In contrast, there are
many people who continue to hold the
view, as stated earlier, that “one man's
terrorist is another man's freedom
fighter".32 No one may agree only on
a single definition. The use of this act
is justified in several ways. It is quite
probable that terrorism is as old as
civilization; but is seems to have been
confined, as a rule to the 'late' or
declining, highly sophisticated in the
revolution of all great societies.33
Since the days of the reign of terror
during the French Revolution,
terrorism for certain elements in
society have become useful be to be
gained something by this act or its use
only for evil deeds.
There is war-terrorism nexus too. It
has become more successful after
Second World War as conventional
forces have been applying terrorist
tactics on special missions like raid,
ambush, guerrilla warfare and other
explosive devices. In other words,
terrorism has become an affordable
means to a weaker party against its
powerful enemy. It has now become a
popular means of warfare. Tactics in
war adopted by the conventional
armies to defeat foes encouraged the
people with violent character to adopt
such methods. It should be understood
that terror tactics are the fundamental
characteristics of low intensity
conflicts
spreading
mostly
in
underdeveloped countries.
32
Terrorism, (USA: Terrorism Research Centre),
definitions no. 1.
33
Edmond Hyams, Terrorists and Terrorism,
(London: J.M. Dent and Sons Ltd., 1975, p.11.
39
Meaning of Terrorism
There is no exact definition of
terrorism even in International Law.
However, it implies the use of
violence or threat of violence to create
a climate of fear in a given society. In
Huntington's view, the shape of things
to come involves cultural conflicts
among the world's major civilizations.
A civilization is "The highest cultural
grouping of people and the broadest
level of cultural identity people have
short of that which distinguishes
humans from other species".34 In
other words, "Terrorists want a lot of
people dead".35 Similarly, it also
suggests a post-modern terrorist, who
plays an old game by new rules.36
Some writers say that the new players
are generally assumed to be
religiously motivated with scant
regard for human life, least bothered
with the traditional linkages between
victim, target and violence than
traditional terrorist group.37 The
means of terrorism has been
changing, and the terminology
'Terrorism" has been upgraded to
'Super Terrorism", if the terrorist uses
chemical, biological, nuclear and
radiological or WMD (weapons of
mass destruction) as their means of
terrorism.38 Also it is the use of force
or violence against persons or
property in violation of National law
for purposes of intimidation, coercion
or ransom. Terrorists often use threats
to create fear among the people, try to
convince
citizens
that
their
government is powerless to prevent
terrorism by acting against them and
to get immediate publicity for their
causes. Terrorists look for visible
targets where they can avoid detection
before or after an attack such as
international airports, large cities,
major international events, resorts,
and high-profile landmarks like the
twin towers of New York City.
Military Definition
Terrorist: A person who indulges in
wanton killing of persons or involves
himself in violence or in the
disruption of services or means of
communication essential to the
community or in damaging property
with a view to putting the public or
any section of different religious,
racial , colour or sovereign, [and] the
sovereignty and integrity of nation.39
Terrorism: A resort to violence by a
dissident faction in order to intimidate
and coerce people for political ends.
This may manifest itself in a sabotage
and assassination by individuals or
small groups, or in the form of
ambusher or attacks on civilians or
police by large bodies of terrorists. It
can take place in either urban or rural
areas.40 However, terrorism is mostly
committed for drawing large and
intense attraction that the magnitude
of its actions.
34 Samuel Huntington, The clash Civilization and the Remaking of World order,
(New York: Touchstone, 1997), p.43.
35 Brain Michael Jenkins, Will terrorist go nuclear, (Santa Monica, CA:RAND
Corp, 1974) p. 5541.
Terrorism is no doubt a suitable
weapon of a weaker group against
36 Walter Laqueur, Postmodern Terrorism, (Foreign Affairs 75/5 (Sept/Cot
1996), pp. 24-36.
37 Bruce Hoffman, Inside Terrorism, (London: Victor Gollancz, 1998) pp. 200-
39 Indian Army, Glossary of Military Terms, (Delhi: Contoller of Publication,
205.
1990), p.65.
38 Max Taylor and John Horgan, The Future of Terrorism, (London: Frank cass
40 Army Code A/26/GS Trg Publigations/3011, counter Insurgency Operation,
Publisher, 200), pp. 133-140.
(Sandhurst: Royal Military Academy, 1969).
40
powerful adversaries. It is lighter in
means, faster in action and cheaper in
economy. But it is physically harmful
for human beings. It is the public who
suffers most from acts of terrorism.
On top of that there are less
publicized long term implications for
family and friends, and social harm
from one criminal act with terrorist
impact is considerable, besides death,
injury and fear. Emerging challenges
are comparatively recent, especially in
the 1990s.
Historical Background
Terrorism has prevailed since the
existence of human beings. However,
in the 1st century, when the
ZEALOTS, a Jewish religious
section, fought against Roman
occupation of what is now in Israel,41
it may be the oldest history of
terrorism. Actually, it started as
subordinate tactics of medieval army
era. It is valorized as guerrilla tactics
in present context. For instance, a
group of Ismailia (Shiite Muslims)
conducted a terrorist act against
religious and political leaders of
Sunni Islam in the 12th century in
Iran. Similarly, world powers,
including many Nepalese and Indian
kings launched terrorist activities,
during their expansion of territory in
the 17th century, in conjunction with
conventional warfare. Through the
18th century, terrorists generally acted
with religious zeal and ethnic loyalty.
On the other hand, terrorist
movements acquired a more political
goal and meaning in the beginning of
the 19th century. France, Spain and
Italy committed a lot of terrorist acts
41 http:/ /Elcarta.msn.com.
in order to get their political aim.
Similarly, the Russian Revolutionary
movement with a strong terrorist
element was targeted against Russian
Royalty and aristocracy.
We have many examples of terrorism.
No one country is free from it.
Terrorist acts are conducted by intrastate or interstate elites. After the
Second World War, especially the
bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
by the United States created a new era
of super terrorism by nuclear means.
Accordingly, terrorist activities have
been
multiplying
with
fierce
nationalist and ideological motivation.
Technological
advances
in
transportation;
microelectronics,
communications and explosives have
facilitated such actions. As a result,
the modus operandi of terrorists has
become unpredictable compared with
that of conventional enemies. The
terrorists' attack on World Trade
Centre buildings in New York on 11
September 2001 is the second biggest
terrorist act in history after
Hiroshima/ Nagasaki bombing, which
cost about 3000 civilian lives.42 For
the people of the world, these cases
are the evident display of state
terrorism and the non-state terrorism
as passenger aircraft were turned into
deadly missiles in the second case.
There are many causes of violence
and terrorism. Moreover, a culture
cannot evolve in a day and it takes
time. So, the roots of terrorism can be
traced to cultural conflict. Again,
there are many factors influencing
conflicts that develop into terrorism,
42 Evening Advertiser, (Daily magazine, Swindon, UK, 16 Sept. 2001), pp 2-3
41
and the following are considered as
main reasons for its eruption:43
a.
Colonial Era: As mentioned
earlier, European powers and
Japanese (to some extent)
colonized South Africa, Middle
East and Asia for a long time.
They adopted the policy of
"Divide and Rule “as a result of
which they brought into
existence
many
secular
governments and other different
institutions. Moreover, they
divided the unified culture,
which proves how "Secular
Nationalism spread throughout
the world with an almost
Missionary Zeal and was
shipped to the newly colonized
areas of Africa, Asia and Latin
America … provided their
colonies with the political and
economic infrastructure to turn
territories into nation states."44
On the other hand, the colonial
powers created new boundaries
between modern day states in
those regions without regard to
their religious and cultural
values, causing ethnic and
sectarian conflict/violence and
terrorism in the world. "When
the colonial power departed
after Second World War, they
left their weak and secular
states not compatible with local
political boundaries and local
religions not representative of
local culture"45 in disarray.
43 Prem Singh Basnyat "How Important is Culture in promting and sustain
Conflict?" (Assignment), GS, Cranfield University, RMCS, UK.
44 Mark Juergensmeyer, The New cold War? Religious Nationalism Confronts
the Secular States, (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993), p. 153.
45 Jeff Haynes, Religion on Third World Politics, (Boulder, Colo: Lynne Rienner
Publisher, 1994), p. 29.
b.
The End of Cold War Era: As
earlier mentioned, the nuclear
bombing of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki in Japan during the
Second World War by the
United States created big horror
and fear of terrorism in the
world, and it became one of the
main causes of modern
terrorism. The world was
divided into two major power
blocs during the Cold War that
followed the end of the WWII
under the aegis of the USA and
the erstwhile USSR. Most of
the poor and developing
countries
were
provided
financial and military help by
the two super powers and lured
into their respective blocs. Such
assistance disappeared after the
end of the Cold War. And those
poor developing countries
resorted to many acts of
terrorism in the name of
religious,
ethnic,
racial
contention and in fulfilling
many other wants. Moreover,
some of those countries were
used as terrorist's base against
either side of the superpowers.
For example, Osama bin Laden
was trained in a powerful
nation for use as a terrorist
leader against the Russians in
Afghanistan during the Cold
War era.
c.
Fundamentalist
Movement:
Specially, in the late 1970s,
secular governments attempted
to modernize their societies
along Western lines. Exports of
Western culture and values
through Hollywood movies and
transmitted through the media
42
and education have a reverse
impact on Third World
societies, mostly in Muslim
countries. That led to the birth
of fundamentalist movement,
which caused cultural violence
and thousands of lives were
lost, finally giving birth to
Islamic terrorism.
d.
Information Super Highway:
The world has become narrow
due to
the advances in
scientific and technological
fields. The 1990s witnessed the
onset of an information era.
Terrorists
have
used
information technology to
maximize the benefits of their
objectives. Electronic media is
one of the main instruments in
this respect, which facilitates
free exchange of terrorist ideas
and plans. IT was used both for
propaganda and indoctrination
of
the
gullible
people.
Terrorists had also used IT to
encroach upon the decision
making process of the state by
forcing
the
international
community to lat restraint on
state in counterterrorist actions.
e.
Funds raising: Many criminal
organizations have become
successful in earning money by
launching terrorist activities.
They have a lot of funds which
have been and are being used
against
national
and
international
security
institutions such as Italian,
Turkish and Russian Mafias,
Colombian
and
Mexican
Cartels, Japanese Yakuzas ,to
mention only a few. Near
home, the name of Daud
Ibhrahim in connection to
several terrorist activities in
India, including the Mumbai
blast of 2008, is creating havoc
to the establishment.
f.
Conflicts between the United
States vs. Islam terrorists: As
mentioned earlier, some Islamic
terrorist groups ( not all Islamic
organizations which are always
respected) have targeted, as a
matter of fact, the United States
since almost half a century,
because it has been involved in
Arab-Israel conflict, Gulf War
and Afghanistan War making
Muslim terrorism a force
multiplier. Similarly, the US
was involved in
Balkan
conflicts, and has maintained
relations with the ruling parties
of Saudi Arabia by antagonizing
other countries like Iran and
Syria. These could be the main
reasons for spreading terrorism
rapidly in the form of Islam vs.
the United States, the global
superpower. This is the context
on the basis of which
Huntington has portrayed the
clash of civilizations.
Is it Legitimate?
Terrorism is no doubt the best weapon
of weaker side against stronger
enemy. For example, if a group,
society or nation suffers from
domination and exploitation of a big
power, it seeks to get justice through
different
channels,
including
terrorism; even the WMD theory is
construed to be applied against a
powerful neighbour. Taken to
43
extremes, this may provide the basis
for someone to resort to terrorism as
resistance. As Fullinwinder has noted
terrorism motivated by a call to
change the political order is not
inspired by a lack of moral
commitment but rather a refusal.
According to Locke's analysis, failure
to hand over the executive right of
nature to the civil authorities has
prompted them to adopt any means
including the indiscriminate killing of
innocent people. For example,
British-India badly suffered due to
Indian Sepoy Mutiny in 1857. Many
British officials were killed. While
British history reports it as Indian
Sepoy Mutiny, Indian history records
it as the first War of Independence
against colonialism. For all these
reasons, the word terrorism should be
analyzed carefully.
International
peace
and
47
security."
In this case,
Nicaragua could have launched
an offensive against USA, had
it possessed armed superiority
and capacity to retaliate.
b.
Additional Protocol to
the Geneva Conventions say,
‘…proclaiming their earnest
wish to see peace prevail
among the peoples, recalling
that every state has the duty, in
conformity with the Charter of
the United Nations, to refrain in
its international relations from
the threat of use of force
against
the
sovereignty,
territorial integrity of political
independence of any state, or in
any other manner inconsistent
with the purpose of the United
Nations.48 But USA did not
respect this rule.
A good example is Nicaraguan case
e.g., Nicaragua Vs. the United States
in International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The full name is Case concerning
Military and Paramilitary Activities in
and against Nicaragua.46 In short
term, it is terrorist act committed by
USA in violation of UN Chapter VII.
But the US did not accept the
judgment made by ICJ. Details are as
follows:
c.
In
1997,
Left-wing
SANDINISTA
government
overthrew
the
right-wing
SOMOZA
government
in
Nicaragua to which USA had
been
providing
financial
assistance. The then President
Ronald Reagan stopped every
assistance
to
Nicaraguan
government on the ground that
it had aided guerillas fighting
against the US-friendly ElSalvador
government
by
allowing Russian arms to pass
through its ports and territory.
Then Nicaragua claimed that
a.
The UN Charter VIII
(Article 51) states that,
"Nothing in the present Charter
shall impair the inherent right
of individual or collective selfdefense if an armed attack
occurs against the member of
the United Nations… restore
46
D.J. Harris Cases and Materials on Interniitonal
Law, (London: Sweet and Maxwell Ltd., 1998), pp.
866-867.
What America Did?
47
See the UN Charter VII and Article 51 in detail.
48 Adams Roberts and Richarde Guelff, Documents on the laws or War, (New
York: Oxford University Press, 1982), p.422.
44
USA had acted contrary to
customary international law.49
In response, the US:
 used armed force directly
against it by laying mines
in Nicaraguan internal and
territorial waters, causing
damage to Nicaraguan
foreign merchant ships by
attacking and damaging
her ports, oil installations
and a naval base;
 provided assistance to the
CONTRAS, her guerrillas
fighting to overthrow the
Sandinista Government;
and,
 acted in breach of the
bilateral US-Nicaraguan
Treaty of Friendship,
Commerce
and
50
Navigation.
d.
What ICJ found?
ICJ concluded that the "United
States has committed a prima
facie violation of that principle
by its assistance to the
CONTRAS in Nicaragua, by
organizing or encouraging the
organization
of
irregular
forces… for incursion into the
territory of another state."51
More than the application of
customary law, the court also
found that the US had infringed
Nicaragua's sovereignty and
law and breached the 1956
Treaty of Friendship.52
The United States did not agree with
ICJ's decision. She claimed it as her
right to self-defence. Every nation
exercises self-discipline on ethical
basis. Powerful nations should not
apply it as 'might is right' to justify
every evil. In the above case, that was
terrorism and the US tried to prove it
as a legitimate act, which, however,
was not universally accepted.
Accordingly, every nation, society
and person has its own national,
religious and ethnic values and
identity. They have rights to preserve
their own heritage at any cost.
Unfortunately, conflicts have taken
place
between
cultures
and
civilizations. Religion has become a
means of political power. Every
conflict between two societies is
determined by power equation. In this
case, a weaker side will be compelled
to start violence against powerful
adversaries in case repression
continues unabated. Protection and
preservation of one’s own cultural
values and traditions is an inherent
right of every society. Terrorism of
any variant irrespective of that being
state or non-state cannot be justified.
It is, therefore, considered legitimate.
Despite this, terrorism has been used
for good reasons as well. Evidently,53
a.
the American Revolution
started out as terrorist act
against England. The 'Boston
Tea Party" is a good example of
terrorism. The revolutionaries
49 D.J. Harris, Op. Cit., pp.866.
52 Ibid., p 883.
50 Ibid., pp. 866-867.
53 Freeman, Charles, Terrorism, (London : Batsford Academic and Educational
51 Ibid., pp. 877-878.
Limited, 1983), pp. 41-57.
45
sneaked aboard an English Tea
Merchant Ship. They threw
thousands of dollars worth of
tea in the Atlantic Ocean.
English people thought it as a
beginning of terrorism and
Americans looked upon it as an
incident of a stride towards
freedom.
b.
According to the
Rhodesian (now Zimbabwe)
Law and Order Maintenance
Act, anyone who goes on strike
by putting at risk an essential
service, this act is terrorism.
But violation of such Act and
strikes led the people of
Zimbabwe to begin revolution
against the Rhodesia (English)
government.
c.
Likewise,
African
National Congress in South
Africa
perpetrated
much
violence and terrorist acts
against the white minority
rulers, which resulted in an
independence
movement.
Today they are in a better
position in the world. South
African
former
President
Nelson Mandela is known
internationally as the leader of
that Liberation Movement. But
the white racist regime took it
as an act of absolute terrorism
at that time.
d.
Many political parties,
including Nepali Congress,
Nepal Communist Party, and
Maoist Party launched a joint
movement and resorted to
strikes and agitations against
the then political systems in
Nepal. The violent Maoist
insurgency launched against the
constitutional monarchy and
parliamentary democracy later
transpired into forging an
alliance and united front against
monarchical authoritarianism
with the statutory political
parties. Finally, they succeeded
in replacing the established
system
with
democratic
governments, even though they
were called terrorist groups by
the
then
governments.
However,
these
political
movements go down in Nepal’s
national history as successful
resistance
for
restoring
democracy.
e.
The Irish Republican
Army remained active in
launching violent and terrorist
activities against the British
Government. The government
took it as an act of insurgency
(violence /terrorism) but the
IRA called themselves freedom
fighters. The US was very
much involved in funding the
IRA, though it has special
relations with Great Britain. It’s
like
Nepal-India
‘special
relations’.
f.
The Government of
former USSR applied terrorism
mainly through wide ranging
laws which enabled it to round
up opponents on such charges
as
spreading
anti-Soviet
agitation and propaganda and
disseminating fabricated and
false
information
which
defamed the Soviet State and
46
its social system. This is how
new Russia was born.
g.
The nuclear bombing of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the
Second World War was the
highest point of state terrorism
i.e., super terrorism, because it
was
used
against
noncombatant people. But, on the
other hand, the purpose was to
defeat the Japanese in the war,
and it was absolutely correct
from the Allied Forces’ point of
view. Japan surrendered thus
ending war and battles in
Eastern front in World War II.
American President Truman's
remark about the bombing was:
"My own feeling was that
in being the first to use it
we had adopted the
ethical
standards
common to barbarian in
the dark ages. I had not
thought to make war in
that
fashion."
In
Freeman's view, “The
atomic bombs used by
the American Armed
Forces struck fear into
every nation on every
continent. The beginning
of the cold war was a
direct cause of this
terrorism."54 In fact, it
was set in a new
paradigm in revolution in
world military affairs.
h.
Some religious belief
looks upon terrorism as grace
of God to fight against their
54 Ibid., p 8.
enemies, therefore, it is
considered legitimate. For
example, Osama bin Laden, an
Islam and Leader of Al Qaida,
opined that the International
Islamic Jihad Front for Jihad
against the US and Israel has,
by the grace of god, issued a
clear Fatwa calling on all
Islamic Nations to carry out
Jihad aimed at liberating the
holy cities. The nation of
Mohammed has responded to
this appeal. If instigation for
Jihad against the Jews and the
Americans… is considered to
be a crime, then let history be a
witness that I am a criminal.
Our job is to instigate and by
the grace of God, we did that
and certain people responded to
this instigation.55
Is it Illegitimate?
It goes without saying that terrorism
is an act of violence and horror and
hence illegitimate. It is totally against
human society and civilized conduct,
launched by the oppressed people.
However, the evidence proves that it
is an organized committed by more
educated middle class people too. It is
being hated by all generations. It is
like a blind elephant which kills
anybody and destroys anything
without reason. Moreover, it is a
tactic without any ethical and
conventional value. It never makes
history in its life, because a. A conventional war has its
ethical discipline. It has certain
55 http://Usinfo. State. Govt., p.8.
47
procedure, which does not allow
killing civilians and innocent
people. Moreover, people could
have cushion time to escape from
war. In contrast, terrorism kills
everybody without warning in a
devastating manner.
b. Some terrorist groups are
motivated by criminal attitudes.
They are most hated organizations
and are guided by their unhealthy
psychology.
c. A terrorist operation with
suicide tendency itself is a criminal
act.
d. It is destroyer of all human
values and objectives. It does not
have any regard for custom and
culture.
e. It never wins war or battle in a
conventional manner. Maoist
insurgency and their terrorist act in
Nepal is crucial evidence to this
statement.
48
About the Author
Dr. Prem Singh Basnyat holds the
degrees of MA
Human Rights
Law, MA History, MSc Global
Security – Cranfield University,
UK and PhD in Military History
.Dr Basnyat authors books as: (a)
Shahi Nepali Sena ra Pradhan
Senapatiharu (b) Shahi Nepali
Senako Bhawani Dal Gulma (c)
New Paradigm in Global Security,
Civil Military Relation in Nepal (d)
Nepalese Forts and the Royal
Nepalese army in Fort Battles (d)
Nepalese Army in Khampa Disarming
Mission (e) Nepalma Khampa
Sarnarthiko Suruwat ra Khampa
Bidroha (f) Nepalko Sainik Itihas
Bhag -2 (co-author)
and many
articles as well.
He is also a UN Peacekeeper , worked
in Lebanon, Croatia and Haiti and
visits India, China, Hong Kong,
Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Sri
Lanka, United Sates of America,
United
Kingdom,
Germany,
Switzerland, Ireland, Netherland,
Norway, Sweden, Croatia, Hungry,
Bosnia,
Serbia,
Qatar,
Haiti,
Dominican
Republic,
Dubai,
Lebanon, Egypt, Cyprus, France and
Israel.
.
Dr Basnyat is Executive member of
National History Association Nepal,
visiting fellow of the Trmso
University Norway, British Chevning
Scholar, Member of Geneva Center
for
Security
Policy
alumni
Association, Member of World
History Association, member of
British Military Historical Society,
Member of World Security Network,
Executive Member of Chevning
Alumni Association- Nepal, Member
of International Council of Museum
and many other social organizations.
Dr. Basnyat is the first PhD and first
British Chevening scholar from
Nepalese Army, first Nepalese having
MSc degree in Global Security from
UK and serving Colonel of the
Nepalese army as well.
49
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