Post 9/11 Nepal: Who are the Terrorists?

Anjana Shakya

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in several speaking engagements. One of the most frequently asked questions was how 9/11 affected my country, Nepal. Although tragedy hit the World Trade Center and Pentagon, the whole world has been impacted. Talking specifically about my country, we have had a Maoist insurgency for the last seven years. The official death toll in this overt armed conflict from 1996 to October 2001 was approximately 3000 - over a period of about five years. During this time, many innocent people were tortured and killed by police.

After 9/11, the war on terrorism was declared. Most of the armed groups in the world who were opposing their governments now came under the term 'terrorists'. The Nepali government was not behind in terming the Maoists 'terrorists' and emergency rule was implemented for the first time in Nepal's history. The official recorded death toll from November 2001 to February 2002 was 3000 - in just four months. Hannah Arendt in A Force More Powerful mentions, "in a contest of violence against violence the superiority of the government has always been absolute." (2000:46)

The casualty figures are official; however, working in a human rights organization, we know of many cases that were never reported. Some organizations reported 10,000 people killed during this time. Most of the people killed were from various indigenous groups. They are located at the frontline. Many of the uncounted deaths are from these groups.

From the very beginning, the policy of the government was to suppress voices. The police attacked people's greatest needs - food, shelter, dignity, and honor. Rape of women considered family members of Maoists was rampant. Police strategy is basically to commit extreme atrocities to destroy the opponent's will to fight. (Burrows, 1996:142)

The U.S. government has termed the Maoists a terrorist group, thus giving the Nepali government free reign to terminate people without any international outcry. The U.S. sent a few delegations to observe the problematic districts and to give advice to the military. One of the suggestions was that the Royal Nepal Army should increase their 40,000-strong army to 200,000. The U.S. government has also promised to give $20 million in military aid. Similarly, following the lead of the U.S., the British government has given three million pounds in army aid. India is also willing to give military aid.

Besides the killing and torturing from both sides, the economy and all other services and infrastructures have been hurt. The Nepali economy is based on tourism, which is in serious crisis due to the existing armed conflict. The whole situation has snowballed into other sectors of economic activity. Along the Himalayan trekking routes, the impact on people is more severe as they have created a lifestyle based on a support system for trekkers. With very few trekkers there is no work to sustain themselves.

The root cause of this problem is structural conflict in which human needs, especially the cultural needs of people, are not addressed. Although, it is a tiny country, it consists of over 60 ethnic groups, each with their own culture, language/dialects and religion. The diversity is neither acknowledged nor respected. All Nepalis are forced to use Nepali as their first language. The U.S. War on Terrorism has only complicated the situation.

The elected government is responsible and accountable for the harmony and development of the country. Historically, however, no country has been able to gain sustainable peace through violence. Even with the recent escalation of violence, with increased aggression from both sides, there is proof that armed conflict is not a solution for the betterment of the country and people. The solution lies on the development of the rural area, respect for indigenous language, culture, and knowledge.

Anjana Shakya is a Fulbright scholar in the CTP program. For the past 10 years she has worked with various human rights and women's rights groups in Nepal.