Chandra Prakash Mainali, also known as C.P. Mainali, is a noted patriotic political leader in the country. Former deputy prime minister Mainali is the general secretary of the CPN Marxist-Leninist (ML). Mainali, the founding leader of the Jhapa Revolt, which later turned into the CPN ML and later became CPN UML, was the general secretary of the party for years. Mainali quit CPN UML following strife in 1998 on the issue of ratifying the Mahakali Treaty from Parliament. He then launched a new party CPN ML.
People’s Review talked to Mainali on the contemporary global issues and the Sino-American tussle including the American strategic focus on Nepal through the MCC and SPP and its impact on Nepali geopolitics. Excerpts as given below:
Q. It is said that sooner or later, the State Partnership Programme (SPP) is going to be endorsed by Nepal as the MCC was endorsed by Parliament despite a strong protest and debate. How have you observed it?
A. After the visit of the Asia Pacific Commander to Nepal, the 10-point draft of the SPP was made public. Although the American Embassy has said it is a fake document, it could have been leaked to test the public mood on SPP. After massive opposition from the people and even from the political parties in the alliance government, the government led by Nepali Congress has stepped back from the adoption of the programme for the time being.
However, the US Embassy has said that after the request made by Nepal in 2015 and 2017, the US government included Nepal in the Programme in 2019. The Embassy has also informed that Nepal can be ousted from the Programme by sending a letter to the US government. Although the cabinet meeting has decided not to adopt SPP, the government has not sent a formal letter to the US government informing about Nepal’s disassociation with the programme. It is said that the Foreign Ministry, which had to write the letter, has not got instructions for writing the letter.
In the MCC case also, earlier, the US government officials were saying that if Nepal doesn’t wish to accept MCC, she can reject it, later, the American officials warned Nepal saying that under the provocation of China, Nepal had opposed MCC and the US government would suspend all other grants if the MCC is rejected. Finally, MCC was ratified by Parliament with the support of the political parties in the alliance government. Similarly, the Americans may mount pressure on Nepal for accepting the SPP.
The Americans are fighting a proxy war with Russia by using Ukraine. In this war, there has been seen the possibility of defeat of Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Americans are trying to expand the war toward the Indo-Pacific zone.
The Americans had attempted to create disturbance against China from Xinjiang, Hong Kong and the South China Sea. China, on the other hand, has already strengthened its defence in these areas.
The Americans are trying to keep Taiwan as a separate nation and provoking people there. The fact is that in 1971, during the Nixon era, the USA recognized Taiwan as a part of China. Despite these facts, the Americans are provoking the Taiwanese people for keeping Taiwan a separate nation.
Accordingly, after 1959, the Americans are openly supporting the free-Tibet movement by developing Nepal as its headquarters. In this regard, the Americans have given high importance to Nepal. At a time when K.P.Oli was the prime minister and when foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali was on a visit to the USA, the Americans had conveyed the message that Nepal would play a lead role in the Indo-Pacific Strategy. Understandably, the American expectation is for Nepal’s leading role in backing the free-Tibet movement.
MCC is an American strategy for developing grounds in Nepal. There are some serious objectionable points including accepting the American law by Nepal and MCC will remain above the constitution and laws of Nepal. In the name of the construction of road and transmission lines, the Americans will come here. In the name of bringing workers for the project, the military commandos in disguise may come to Nepal. No customs duty will be charged on goods imported in the name of MCC. It means, the Nepal government has no authority to check the goods brought by them. How many will be the construction consignments and how many will be the arms, we cannot know.
After 1959, under the American initiative, Nepal had given shelter to the Tibetan refugees on the humanitarian ground. The USA, in the name of supplying food and other logistics for the refugees, had signed an agreement with Nepal. Such goods were being supplied from Kalimpong in India to Nepal. Later, it was disclosed that in the name of humanitarian support, the Americans had supplied arms to the Khampa Tibetans sheltered in Nepal and trained them for an armed revolt in Tibet.
When the Nepal government was informed about such an armed movement, the then king Birendra had taken the initiative to mobilize the Nepal Army for disarming the Khampa rebellions.
It is an example that how arms will arrive here and how the American army will arrive here. Through the MCC also, there is the possibility of supply of arms to the Tibetan refugees.
After ratification of MCC, we have already gone under American control. What type of letter Nepal has written to the US government after the ratification of MCC, has not been disclosed. Moreover, SPP is an agreement for allowing the American army in Nepal. The provisions mentioned in the agreement state that Nepal should provide land for them and training programmes to be conducted in the northern part of Nepal that is closed to the international border with China. We will be bound to allow the American army to conduct their military activities in the northern border area, which is the same as Ukraine obtaining NATO membership. In Ukraine, there will be the NATO force but in Nepal, there will be purely the American army. Deployment of the American army on the Nepal-China border will be more than unfortunate for us. I believe, the Americans are not going to withdraw this strategy as easily as they are saying.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is hell-bent on accepting the SPP and there is no serious dispute in accepting SPP in the Nepali Congress party. NC has taken SPP as a tool for fulfilling their personal and political interests. Deuba and NC have taken the SPP very lightly that it is a move against China and which is against the communist groups in Nepal. After the elimination of the communists, there will be a sole rule of the Nepali Congress in the country, the NC leaders have assumed.
Deuba is confident that the Nepali Congress will be able to form a majority government by pleasing the Americans. It is assumed that with the directly elected and the proportional seats, the party has planned to bag the majority and endorse the SPP by the sole NC government.
Q. According to the Foreign Ministry spokesman, PM Deuba is preparing for the US visit soon. Will the visit take place even after rejecting the SPP?
A. I believe, Deuba will visit the USA but this time, he may not sign the SPP agreement as the Americans have understood that if such an agreement is endorsed earlier to the parliament election, it will adversely affect the NC. Therefore, the Americans will wait till the formation of a majority government of the Nepali Congress. The American plan is to help the NC form formation of a majority government by hook or crook.
For Deuba, becoming the PM for the next term is the topmost priority. He wants to become the PM of a majority government backed by the USA and serving the American interests, I believe so. For Deuba, becoming the PM is the last opportunity due to his age factor also. Therefore, he will not lose this opportunity.
In fact, if the partners in the five-party alliance are seriously concerned about the SPP, they should stop PM Deuba’s US visit. This time, he will not sign the agreement but he will bring money to ensure NC’s victory in the upcoming elections. The Americans will play all the strategies for NC securing a majority in the upcoming elections. Therefore, if Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda or Madhav Nepal have little sense about the possible upcoming scenario, they should stop Deuba from visiting the US. If the Maoist Center or the CPN US are feeling comfortable with SPP, they may contribute to this American purpose by continuing the five-party alliance and allowing NC to form a majority government. Otherwise, at any cost, the alliance partners should break the present alliance and topple the Deuba-led government.
Q. The presence of the American Army could be the equal concern of our immediate neighbours China and India. Don’t you think so?
A. Such a situation in Nepal would be a deadly act for both the neighbours. How will India reacts, I cannot say, however, China is already alert to such developments in her neighbouring countries. You may be aware that China has already endorsed a law that if any action against Chinese security will take place anywhere in the globe, China may send its armed force even during a peaceful period. If China will feel a threat from Nepali soil, she may send her army to Nepal.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, during his visit to Nepal, had given a message that China is ready to convert the bones into ash to its enemy and their brokers who attempt to act against the indivisibility and sovereignty of China.
China has already strengthened and ensured its security and defence. All types of preparation China has done. Significantly, just recently, Chinese President Xi visited Tibet. The visit is to inspect the defence preparation of the Chinese army and also to encourage its army.
China has initiated multilateralism at a time when the Americans have sole dominance in the globe. Just recently, President Xi introduced GSI (Global Security Initiative) for global peace. Surely, the majority of the nations will come under this initiative and the US will become alone. President Xi has said that every nation should be ensured with the guarantee of sovereignty, independence and indivisibility for ensuring peace around the globe.
Moreover, Xi has said that the citizens of every nation should have the right to choose the political system for them themselves.
The USA has considered China as its prime enemy. China’s progress and advancement in global politics have become a serious headache for the US.
Along with the emergence of China as a global power, a new global order is going to be established by undermining the USA, from which, the Americans have been scared.
The Chinese theory for global peace – respecting all big and small nations’ sovereignty and independence and respecting whatsoever political system they have chosen – will attract all the nations to ending the sole American hegemony. Therefore, the Americans want to stop China.
If you look at the American policy, all strategies are based on expanding the American dominance and hegemony. For achieving this goal, the Americans are even ready to launch bloody war anywhere.
We saw the war on Iraq on the charge of developing the Weapons of Mass destruction (WMD), which have not been recovered to date. Americans deployed their army in Afghanistan in the name of establishing peace. Dispute with Iran continues. Any time war can break between DPRK (North Korea) and the USA as the present status is just a ceasefire. DPRK is compelled to develop nuclear arms due to the American threat. DPRK has proposed a peace and friendship treaty with the USA, which the USA is avoiding.
Gradually, the American dominance is going to be ended from the globe, therefore, to stop China, MCC and SPP-like projects have been introduced.
All our leaders — either from the opposition party or from the ruling parties — are exhibiting lampasarbad (surrenderism), which is unfortunate. Due to the slavery mentality of the political leaders, the Mahakali Treaty with India was ratified enabling India from occupying the entire Kalapani territory.
The 12-point interpretive declaration lauded by the political parties during the ratification of MCC from Parliament is useless. It doesn’t have a legal significance as the Americans have already remarked that there will be no revision on the MCC. The international conventions will not accept such a declaration.
Today, there is a proxy war between Russia and the USA on Ukraine. Russia was compelled to war on Ukraine because of the USA and NATO. In conclusion, the war has been initiated due to the USA and its NATO force.
Earlier, the USA had said that it would not give NATO membership to the countries belonging to the former USSR and it would not move towards the east. By violating its own commitments, the USA has decided to grant NATO membership to Ukraine.
I am desperate from the local media reports, including your prestigious weekly, which has not tried to bring the fact behind the present Russia-Ukraine war.
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