10 April 2009

Nepal’s National Unity and Military Integration Process:

Reaffirmation of past agreements and joint commitments

Nepal’s decade-long war ended with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord in 2006. With the signing of this historic agreement, all the leaders of the country committed themselves to a common destiny and to respect the basic values, rights and identity of all its people, ethnic groups and cultures.  This was an honorary agreement that removed the tag of “enemies” and set a path for reconciliation, equality, justice, prosperity, and a common security.

Together the main parties rid the country from the bondages of the past and stood together to face their common threats and challenges. Today, the country have many achievements to be thankful for and to treasure. One of these achievements is to observe with admiration the wonderful diversity and most powerful representation in the Constituent Assembly -- men and women from every corner of Nepal. The journey in which these elected representatives are leading the country of jointly writing a constitution, is also one of embracing a shared national identity and crafting an inclusive vision for Nepal. To enable this journey to reach its destination, the parties still need to work together and not allow destructive and divisive forces to exploit Nepal's diversity for selfish aims.  weaknesses.

In the agreements Nepal's leadership have in the past three years, they called for healing the past, for restoring victims’ dignity, for holding perpetrators accountable, for ending greed and respecting the lives of the most oppressed in our country.  As they are now working towards creating unified security structures that will protect Nepal against aggressors, secure the lives of every Nepali internally, and assisting the world body to protect the lives of many nations around the world,  it is essential to remove past labels of “enemy combatants” or “royal forces”.

1. Priorities :

1.1.   The parties are engaged in the CA and all our numerous joint committees to meet and respond to the need of all Nepal’s people for a shared vision, political stability, economic prosperity, and acknowledgement of their identity and safety;

1.2.   Nepal has proven that it can resolve its conflict through negotiations, consensus and the ballot box. This is a time to disband all militant groups that only serve the interests of their own parties;

1.3.  All the parties need to continue their work towards national reconciliation. In order to complete the constitution and strengthen the state, each party need to commit itself to openness and reconciliation in order to achieve consensus -- and commit to democratic practices;

1.4.  It is the parties’ collective national responsibility to reject anything other than the achievement of agreements and a final constitution that will secure an honoured and dignified life for all. The aim of creating an integrated security force will secure the lives of all Nepali’s and unite the country;

1.5.   It is each party's national responsibility to make concessions and accept sacrifices for the benefit, pride and dignity of Nepal;

1.6.  Nepal's CA process and the work of the Army Integration Special Committee is in accordance to the mandate of the People’s Movement of 2006 and the CPA signed by all the main parties in the same year. All the security and defence structures of the state and the various military structures of political parties will be judged by the people against these mandates.

2. Core focus of Integration Process:

2.1.  The integration and adjustment of Nepal's security and defence structures should be done in the spirit of providing safety to every Nepali and protecting the sovereignty of the Nepalese state. This process should contribute to the development of a viable security and defence strategy, re-structure, mobilize and integrate the various state and non-state resources in order to secure the achievements of Nepal's peace process and its long journey to democracy over the past 50 years;

2.2.  Based on the common threats faced by Nepal, the parties need to agree to develop an integrated national security policy, integrating all elements of the power of the state to protect its people, natural resources and ancient treasures.  Nepal's new security policy should include the capacities and capabilities of the Nepal Army, all its security forces and that of the Maoists Armed Combatants.  But in developing this framework, Nepal need to acknowledge that its strength is not only in its military and security structures, but also in it strategic relationships with its powerful neighbors, in the capacity and skills of the Nepali people, and in the management of the country's rich natural resources;

2.3.  This process must have as its result the full and unconditional control of all security and defence structures by the authority of the democratically elected government of the people. All security and defence structures must ONLY serve the interest of the people of Nepal and their elected government -- NOT the interest of foreign powers, one specific party, small elite groups or their own.

3. Common Risks and Challenges:

3.1.  The parties need to acknowledge that as a result of global warming, severe droughts, the increasing water and electricity demands of the sub-continent, and the rapid loss of Nepal's most treasured natural resource, WATER, conflict over water resources could present the most significant risk in the future;

3.2.  Nepal is privileged to have as its neighbours and immediate friends, two of the world’s emerging global powers -- China and India. Nepal also have committed friends, such as the USA, Japan and UK and many others. The country's challenge is to manage and consolidate these strategic relationships in a manner by which Nepal's relations with each will stabilise and strengthen Nepal.  

3.3.   It is expected that  the more Nepal move towards calm and stability, the more its destructive forces will seek to create tension and chaos in an effort to destroy the achievements of the peace process.  The leadership of Nepal and all the parties represented in the CA need to seize this opportunity in building national consensus, and have the courage to reconcile their difference and honor the spirit of the people’s movement of 2006.

(Draft Appeal from Facilitators group, April 2009)