West’s involvement in Nepal; a threat to China and India

Explicably, Nepal’s political crisis and instability is not merely an outcome of Nepal’s internal political failure, rather its instability is a strategic outcome of the West to contain China and maintain surveillance over India’s relation with Russia and Iran.

Nepal, a country that acts as a bridge between the rising powers, China and India has plunged into an unending political instability and chaos, thereby ruining its economy. Nepal’s underdevelopment and political instability stand as a paradox to the leap of economic prosperity by its immediate neighbors.

Since Nepal is located between India and China, it draws a lot of attention from the West. In fact, it is the meddling by the West that has resulted in the poor fate of Nepal. Meddling of the West in Nepal is inspired by the motives of encircling China through its influence along the Nepal-China border, pushing Indo-US relations to the interest of the US and using Nepal as a window of intelligence in monitoring developments in relation to South Asia, Central Asia and particularly, Nepal’s Neighbors; China and India.

International organizations and foreign non-governmental organizations were not only driven towards dampening of communist spirit. They were also titled towards promoting Christianity.

By virtue of this unwanted ‘attention’ from the West, Nepal is rendered a scapegoat of the strategy employed by the western powers to contain both India and China. To serve its purpose of making Nepal a fragile state, the West implemented the following measures.

Transplantation of Neo-liberalism     

The most prominent after-effects of neo-liberal policies in the Nepalese context is apparent in post 90’s political change. Economic liberalization was used to destroy the nascent foundation of industrialization and public undertakings in the country. The structural adjustment policy used by the IMF and World Bank and western donor agencies destroyed the rising trend of industrial endeavors. Financial system handed over to the middle man and unethical corporatists. The industrial growth that had reached to around 16 percent in the early ’90s deteriorated to minus 6 percent in 2002.

As a result of the neo-liberalist game plan, several growing industries were destroyed. Butwal Thread Factory, Himal Cement Factory, Birgunj Sugar Mill, Agricultural Equipment factory, Trolley Bus, Nepal National Construction Company, Nepal Engineering Consultancy Service Centre, Nepal National Computer Centre, Harisiddhi Brick Factory, Hetauda Clothing Factory, Rosin and Turpentine Factory, Nepal Ropeway, Janakpur Tobacco Factory, Godawari Marble Industry, Godawari Iron, Biratnagar Jute Mill, Herbal Processing Plant and National Trading Limited among other public undertakings were auctioned in the name of liberalization. Thus, public control in the industrial sector was shattered.

Dampening leftist revolutionary spirit      

Transplantation of liberalization was primarily done to institutionalize western liberal political structure. This would as per the western assumption prevent the rise of communists in Nepal. Contrary to the assumption of western power blocks, the communists emerged as powerful stakeholders in Nepalese polity after 1990. Enthusiastic local organizations working towards change which was run through party workers with high dedication and spirit became a challenge to West’s agenda.

Western power block was aware that a politically and economically fragile Nepal was required to implement its containment strategy against China and India.

Hence to dampen the communist revolutionary spirit NGO’s were regarded as effective instruments. The then CPN (UML) was a particular target of this. CPN (UML) intellectuals and cadres were given easy access to western funding through several NGO’s and INGO’s. 1990’s change which restored multiparty democracy in Nepal opened the door for entry of foreign non-nongovernmental organizations (FNGOs). The glaring fact that there are more than 254 FNGOs and INGOs actively engaged in Nepal point out to the intensity of West’s intrusion done through them.

Proselytization through Christianity 

International organizations and foreign non-governmental organizations were not only driven towards dampening of communist spirit. They were also titled towards promoting Christianity. Amongst the 254 NGOs and INGOs, 15 percent are engaged in promoting Christianity. They appear to be carrying out activities under the pretext of development activities. These organizations are also able to invoke the doctrine of ‘religious secularism’, thus, establishing solid constitutional grounds for recognition and growth of religious proselytization of Hindus and Buddhist’s into Christianity. Marginalized communities were the primary target of proselytization.

Diversion of national issues 

Western power block was aware that a politically and economically fragile Nepal was required to implement its containment strategy against China and India. For this purpose, the scheme of ethnic cleavage followed by the notion of federalization was injected into Nepalese politics. This was primarily done subsequent to the 90’s change of Nepal into a multiparty democracy. Coinciding with the political change in the country, academic works relevant to ‘identity politics’ was brought forth. The primary objective was to instill a perception within the Nepalese people on the dissimilarity and a sense of discrimination by one group over others.

This activity was largely carried out to weaken Nepal’s socio-cultural mosaic so that the West’s agenda of containment could easily be executed in politically unstable Nepal. Even after the political change of 2006 and during the tenure of both the constituent assemblies, the notion of ethnic federalism was heavily promoted by FNGOs and INGOs. UNDP Constituent Assembly Support conducted several programs on the theme.

Ethnic identity-based federalism was promoted as the only durable means of the peace process in Nepal. However, the second constituent assembly that promulgated the constitution of Nepal did not include the idea of state restructuring and federalism based on ethnic identity. Thus, Nepal was saved from perpetually being thrown into a chaos of ethnic conflict.

With this strategic goal, the western power block maintains relations with Countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan and so on, even if their political significance in international affairs is negligible. Nepal’s geopolitical location makes it vital for executing the strategic objective against India and China.

Since this strategy of the West was unsuccessful, Nepal was dragged into a state of post-constitution conflict. Various sections of Nepalese society disillusioned by identity politics were encouraged to protest the newly promulgated constitution.

Resisting China’s presence in Nepal

Several public enterprises established by China as friendly assistance were destroyed in the pretext of liberalization. Such enterprises were indiscriminately auctioned to private individuals in a manner of sabotage. Basbari Shoe Factory established by the Government of China as a gift to Nepal was sold to an Indian company in a heavily devalued manner. To uproot China’s presence from Nepal was the hidden agenda behind this. Bhrikuti Paper Factory, another gift of China was also subsequently closed within the neo-liberal design and foreign companies were granted access to the Nepalese paper market. These included, removal of Trolley-Bus Transportation system, another gift of China, represent a humiliating treatment of China’s good faith in Nepal’s development endeavors.

Political leadership here lacked prudence in a flourishing relationship with China. No attention was paid towards taking China into confidence to resolve the political crisis in Nepal. China was ignored for a long time under the pretext that all the political problems in Nepal could be resolved through the help of India alone.

Due to its shortsightedness, Nepal rather earned an image of Indian satellite state in matters of political affairs. The fact of how Khampa Rebellion was orchestrated, clearly portrays that the western power block does not want China’s presence in Nepal.

A weaker Nepal is a desired choice of the western power block. Hence, the above-mentioned activities were orchestrated with an underlying goal to keep Nepal under the western leverage and to implement the ‘Double Containment Strategy’. It is now evidenced that Nepal’s political instability is an outcome of the double containment strategy opted by the western power block. Explicably, Nepal’s political crisis and instability is not merely an outcome of Nepal’s internal political failure, rather its instability is a strategic outcome of the West to contain China and maintain surveillance over India’s relation with Russia and Iran.

With this strategic goal, the western power block maintains relations with Countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan and so on, even if their political significance in international affairs is negligible. Nepal’s geopolitical location makes it vital for executing the strategic objective against India and China.

Keeping China and India divided is also one of the major strategic thrusts of the ‘Double Containment strategy.’ This factor also highlights the significance of Nepal’s geopolitical location as a strategic hotpot. With this intention of keeping intact the ‘Double Containment strategy’ of China and India through Nepal, the game continues to unfold. Pernicious effort to confuse masses within Nepal and to manufacture conflict is still in execution. If kept unchecked and unresolved, this would derail Nepal from its development prospects, and more importantly, it would be fatal in strategic terms to both India and China.