Restructuring Nepal Army

Restructuring Nepal Army

 

By P.R. Pradhan

To manage the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and also to counter the ill-intention of our neighbouring country India, my old pal Kailash Pradhan has urged the Nepal government to construct border barriers all around Nepal’s international borders controlling free flow of people from each other’s country as well as safeguarding Nepali territory which India is encroaching.

On/Off the Record

Pradhan, on his facebook status, has suggested to constitute a strong Nepal Defence Force comprising of land as well as air forces; constituting Equipment Technical Unit empowered with missiles, bombs and anti missiles; recruiting those unemployed youths from 20 to 30 years by age in the military; youths compelled to return home being jobless due to the corona virus pandemic to be recruited as constable in the army; encouraging and supporting those youths returning home from abroad to utilize the skill they have learnt by Nepal; remaining youth force returning from foreign jobs to be encouraged for scientific agriculture by supporting them with necessary equipment and knowledge and finally he has suggested for compulsory military training for one year should be provided to students who pass out 12^th grade.

I solely agree with Pradhan’s idea. Whether Pradhan is aware or not about the background the history of the Nepal Army which has always been overshadowed by the Indians and those India sponsored political leaders at home. For many years, the Royal Nepal Army was considered and humiliated as the Rana’s army after democratic movement succeeded by ending the Rana regime in 1951. Again, after 1989 the people’s movement, the force was considered as the king’s army and still the political leaders are scared on the role of the Nepal Army. Many times, we have seen less budget allotted for the (Royal) Nepal Army than the Nepal Police.

King Birendra had tried to increase the number of around 50 thousand to minimum three hundred thousand army personnel along with production of small arms and ammunition and even supplying arms to South Asian nations. King Birendra had seen possible Indian attack on Nepal and he was mentally prepared to empower the Army’s strength so that at least they could fight and stop the enemy force for two weeks until the case could be filed in the UN Security Council. King Birendra’s ADC Gen Vivek Kumar Shah (retired) has also cited about establishing small arms factory in Nepal in his book “Maile Dekheko Durwar”.

The idea of declaring Nepal as Zone of Peace was also the outcome of the Indian hegemony and expansionist attitude that King Birendra sensed after India annexed the independent Himalayan Kingdom of Sikkim and occupied independent nations even during the British rule — Jammu and Kashmir.

The Nepal Army is a professional force and has no interests in politics. The Force has played an appreciable role under the UN Peace Keeping Force. However, a section of political leaders identified as sponsored by the Indians are always critical towards the Force and always trying to drag the Force into controversy.

Yes, there is corruption in the Force, however, some strong mechanism can be developed to curb corruption within the Force.

Nepal is a peace loving country. Nepal’s military strategy is based on defencive strategy [Jaaikatak nagarnu, jhhikatak garnu] as guided from the Divine Counsels by founder of modern Nepal Prithivi Narayan Shah the Great. The strategy is based on the geographic location of the country – yam between the two giant neighbours. Therefore, Nepal avoids offensive war, although, the Military Force should not remain silent spectator if foreign countries encroach Nepali territory, violates Nepal’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. With the present strength of the Army, one cannot think about defending Nepal’s territorial integrity and sovereignty effectively. Presently, the role of the Army is thus as a ceremonial force.

In fact, Nepalis are the brave warriors by their blood. That’s why the UK and India are recruiting Nepali youths in their Army and Nepali security force we can see in Singapore and many other countries. International security companies are employing Nepali youths and ex-security personnel in the job of security guards even in war-hit countries.

Nepali security personnel in Singapore were providing outer security during the Trump-Kim summit in Singapore.

Currently, due to the global coronavirus pandemic, all the nations have faced economic crisis and Nepal is to face multiple crisis created by the pandemic. Nepal is going to lose the main sources of earning foreign currency, which may destroy the economy seriously.

To rescue the economy and to give employment to those youths returning after losing their foreign jobs, Nepal should constitute a construction army as an unit of the Nepal Army. The construction army, during the war time, will fight for the nation, otherwise, during the peaceful days, will be used for development of infrastructure projects and also for optimum utilization of agriculture land by making Nepal self reliant on agricultural products. If the Nepal Army will have the strength of one million force, obviously, the Force can defend Nepali territory.

The Army is interested in running some factories producing items needed for the Force such as shoes factory, textile factory. Already, Nepal Army has proposed to takeover the Hetauda Textile Factory, nevertheless, some elements are always against such a plan of the Force. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, addressing the Parliament recently, informed that the Force will produce shoes for their need, which is commendable. Of course, Nepal Army’s job is not to do business, yet, the Force should be utilized for development of agriculture and industrialization of the nation along with maintaining professionalism. In many countries, we find the Army in business and contributing to the nation tremendously.

As Nepal is not a well developed nation, a free market economy will not benefit the nation always. In every sector, we see strong presence of the middlemen. To destroy such an unhealthy curtailing, there should be state intervention and thus, also to achieve the goal of socialism, Nepal Army, already known as a professional and disciplined force, should be used.