(Christina Rocca is US Assistant secretary of state for South Asia, who during her short visit to Kathmandu published her Article in the Himalayan times on 15th September 2003. In this counter article, the Author Mr. Bhattarai points out his differences with Ms. Rocca. -Ed)
I do not agree with Christina Rocca, that USA and India came closer to fight the global war against the so-called terrorism, after the September attack of twin tower. Similarly I do not agree that the historic, cultural and social ties between India and Nepal are the cause of outside influence in Maoist insurgency. I also do not see the similar stand on the issues like weapons of mass destruction, trafficking of drugs and human being, promoting peace and freedom, etc between India and USA. The USA and India are as apart today as they were before 9/11. And it is not the historic, cultural and social ties but the big brotherly attitude of India, open boarder of 850miles, and the wrong concept of Nepalese politicians that they must get support of south block to be in power, that has influenced the Maoist insurgency. However the different genuine vested interest of the USA and India force them at times to act superficially in close cooperation.
America's policy of blackmailing the developing countries for economic benefit and dictating the weaker countries with the objective of controlling the oil producing country and establishing itself as the only superpower of the world is never liked by India. Similarly the big brotherly attitude of India towards its neighborly countries, and its objective of establishing itself, as the super power of Asia by developing nuclear capability to generate enough influence in the global politics is never looked at positively by the USA.
After the collapse of then mighty USSR, USA is the only super power, dictating all other non-nuclear countries of the world to run in her terms is well evidenced from the Afghanistan and Iraq war, strongly opposed by UN, France, Germany Russia etc. The next victim of USA appears to be Iran and any none Muslim country like Nepal.
However for USA, China is a big threat for its position of only super power and Pakistan is a big hurdle for India to achieve its objective.
Thus the Pakistan and China are two such major focal points for India and USA that their relationship will be close or apart depending upon the issue, which affects the relation of Pakistan-USA and India-China. Today, Rocca claims India is working very closely in the terrorist issue with USA. That is a wrong assumption. Today India is working closely with USA in the terrorist issue simply because with this close relationship India could pressurize USA to declare the Pakistan also as a terrorist country. Whether or not it actually materializes, the only objective of India to act closely in this issue with USA is to declare the Pakistan as terrorist country. As long as that possibility remains active India will closely associate with USA.
Terrorism, for both India and USA, is only the front line issue to fulfill their vested interest subtly. When twin tower was attacked President Bush defined the attack as "1st war of 21st century" and opened the door for reciprocal attack and he himself blurted the thin line between war and terrorism. Now we can say without any hesitation that the 9/11 attack became the "boon in disguise" for President Bush to fulfill his objective of attacking Afghanistan, and Iraq and paved the way for future attack in the countries like Iran and Nepal. It is a well known fact that USA is neither able to provide any proof that Iraq was involved in the 9/11 attack nor could find any weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
Not long ago when Bangladesh was still the part of Pakistan, Pakistan called the "Liberation Army" of Bangladesh as terrorist and India supported the Bangladesh militarily not because she adored the democracy but because she considered it as the best opportunity for weakening the Pakistan, its potential enemy by splitting it to half. I wonder how madam Rocca sees this, as India's support to Bangladesh for freedom or shrewd diplomacy of India to weaken the Pakistan. If it was a support for freedom how the LTTE's present day war can be consider otherwise, as they also are fighting to have their own land for the people of Srilankan Tamils.
The amalgamation of Kuwet by Iraq was considered as aggression and the USA with its allies freed the Kuwet, but when China grabbed the Tibet and India amalgamated the Sikkim no such action was taken. Will Madam Rocca comment on that? Similarly when tiny Falklands showed its desire for freedom with the help of Argentina, mighty UK attacked it and showed its policy for the 'protection of democracy'.
There are many such examples of double standard clearly visible from Cancun meeting to identify terrorist states. USA declared both India and Pakistan enemy of peace when these two countries successfully completed the nuclear fusion, but to get the required cooperation in the war of Afghanistan from these two countries USA took back its declaration and other economical sanction.
Similarly when present President of Pakistan took power by military coup the USA declared the Pakistan president as enemy of democracy and deplored the act, but again to fulfill the interest of USA Bush totally forgot his dedication to wards democracy and accepted the Pakistani president as one of the best friend of USA. Few days ago because of the USA backing Israel minister said in mafia style that to kill the president of Palestine MR Arafat could be the solution for peace. If these are the dedication and commitment for democracy and peace of USA what message the nicely written article of Rocca will give to Nepalese readers? Double standard is the name of the game in politics, I am fully aware of this reality but when I see extra exceptionally nice worded articles by any seasonal politicians it gives me chilling message and the good worded article of Madam Rocca was also no exception.
After 5 months of war the picture why and how the Iraq war was fought is getting clear. The false propaganda, based on which the Iraq war was initiated, that within 45 minutes Iraq can initiate the chemical wars to existence of weapons of mass destruction all are proved to be cooked idea of FBI and MI 16, after the forced suicide of poor scientist Dr Kelley. With all this background information, I wonder what camouflaged message Madam Rocca wants to pass on to Nepalese intellectuals through her article of 15th September, other than to mentally prepare the Nepalese people from the impending attack of USA to Nepal in the name of war against Maoist.
The undue attention that Nepal is getting today from USA is not only due to its neighborly and friendly relation with China but also due to failure of US policy of attacking Iraq and Afghanistan in the pretext of war against terrorism, due to which to-day all Muslim community believes America's co called war against terrorism is only to weaken the Muslim community. This reality and global politics has generated ample pressure to USA to find any non-Muslim target where they can attack in the name of war against terrorism and counter the criticism of Muslim community.
This political compulsion have forced the USA to interfere in the Nepalese politics and provide ample pressure to King, Army and political parties to isolate the Maoist and declare them the terrorist and harbor the concept of suppressing the Maoist by military force. In Nepal there is no dearth of such politicians who for their personal monetary benefit will obey the US order and fully co-operate them to fulfill their interest.
If you analyze the Doramba's Military action right at the time when the peace talk was going on, promptly declaring the Maoist as terrorist immediately after the failure of the peace talk, and the refusal to accept the agreement of 2nd round of peace talk by governments side, and recent utterances of Mr Deupa that he can eliminate Maoist if he is made PM and his relationship with USA all fits well like glove in the hand and points to the machination that is taking place behind the screen to fulfill USA' s interest.
I consider the article of Rocca and other present day activities of US diplomats to divert the attention of Nepalese intellectuals from the actual game that is being played subtly to create a situation in the country where the request by Nepalese government for US assistance to combat with Maoist becomes inevitable and will appear natural, logical and rational.
In this context I consider it is my duty as a peace loving citizen of the country to request all Nepalese Intellectual to think seriously on this issue and visualize the outcome of the impending attack of USA to Nepal's remote villages killing thousands of innocent people in the name of war against terrorism. This is the time for the politicians to use their grey cells, if they have any, for the sake of the country and to bring the lasting peace in the country by accepting the democratic and bottom line demand of Maoist the constitutional assembly and end this unnecessary conflict for all and close the door for any possibility of foreign interference before it is too late.
