By Shashi P.B.B. Malla
In the current instability of the Himalayan Republic, the country has notched up another outstanding achievement.
This is the appointment of Lieutenant General Ganesh Kumar Shrestha by the United Nations as the Force Commander of the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei [between Sudan and South Sudan].
The UN Peace-Keeping Mission in Abyei is one of the most sensitive and strategically important deployments, since it demands extreme caution and military-diplomatic finesse – juggling between the interests of Sudan, South Sudan and the Rapid Security Forces (RSF).
Lt. Gen. Shrestha’s appointment was confirmed by Antonio Guterres, who is very much cognizant of Nepal’s outstanding role in UN peace keeping operations since decades.
It is without doubt a moment of national significance for a country long recognized for its distinguished international military service.
Not long ago, we had doubters in Nepalese civil society and so-called national security experts, who questioned the very existence of the Nepal Army, its ‘bloated size’ and raison d’etre.
The UN has chosen the right man for the right place, since Lt. Gen. Shrestha has not only had a long and distinguished military career, but also a solid military-academic background – earning a master’s degree in Military Science and Strategic Studies from the International College of Defence Studies at China’s National Defence University – an academic foundation that complements his extensive field experience.
Moreover, Lt. Gen. Shrestha is very much familiar to his area of deployment.
He previously served as Sector East Commander under the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
Lt. Gen. Shrestha’s appointment is, therefore, not only a grand milestone in an individual Nepali officer’s accomplishment; “it is a national honour that reinforces the country’s reputation for professionalism, discipline and global responsibility” (Republica, Dec. 4).
Our politician and bureaucrats should inculcate the same virtues of Nepal Army officers, so that we can achieve much in both the domestic and international arenas.
Nepal Army: A Force for Domestic Stability
Recently, without the stabilizing hand of the Nepal Army, the recent movement of Gen Z would have descended into chaos. It also prevented further death and destruction.
In addition, the forthcoming general elections in the country – the sine qua non for the re-establishment and re-invigoration of democracy in the Second Himalayan Republic – cannot be held without the full participation of the Nepal Army in matters of security and that there is a level playing field.
The writer can be reached at: shashimalla125@gmail.com
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