By Sudeshna Sarkar,
Kathmandu, Sep 13 (IANS) An ill-timed non-lethal military assistance by India to Nepal, whose contents were distorted by the local media, unleashed widespread protests by Maoist guerrillas in Nepal Wednesday with the rebels blocking highways and calling for shutdowns.
The confusion was created by the arrival of eight Comets - open trucks manufactured by India's Ashok Leyland that were dispatched by New Delhi as part of its non-lethal military assistance to the Nepal Army.
However, as the consignment reached Nepal through the Raxaul checkpost in India, the army was also moving its own arms supplies by land, probably preparatory to sending its soldiers to join UN peacekeeping operations in Lebanon, for which Nepal has pledged 850 men.
With the recent attempt by a Russian plane to bring weapons to Nepal via India, an attempt that was thwarted by the Indian authorities, the Nepali media immediately leapt to the conclusion that the Indian trucks were carrying the blocked arms with the Indian government's assistance.
At least two local media organisations - the daily Nepal Samacharpatra, known for its India-bashing, and Kantipur FM, Nepal's biggest private radio station, reported the arrival of arms via the trucks, triggering a fit of fury by the Maoist guerrillas.
The rebels blocked roads in parts of the capital by burning tyres and raising anti-Indian slogans. Some of the major highways connecting Kathmandu to the outer districts were also obstructed while the guerrillas called a shutdown in at least two districts.
The reports also created a furore in Nepal's parliament with furious MPs disrupting house proceedings and demanding an explanation by the government about procuring weapons from India.
The Indian embassy issued a statement to clarify the nature of the supplies.
"These are open trucks with no cargo of any kind, and certainly no arms," the press release issued Wednesday said.
"They are also not mine-protected or armoured trucks or vehicles, as has been alleged by some. Indeed, no arms whatsoever have been supplied by the Government of India to Nepal since such supplies were put under constant review on Feb 1, 2005."
The embassy also said the media reports about vehicles coming into Nepal from India allegedly with arms were completely baseless and untrue.
"This has also been corroborated by the delegation of the Ceasefire Code of Conduct Monitoring Committee (CCCMC) visiting Dhading to inspect the vehicles. They have said that there is nothing in the vehicles that have come from India. The Coordinator of the Committee B.P. Mishra has said 'The vehicles are empty,' the statement said.
Despite the supplies being non-lethal, their arrival couldn't be more badly timed.
Currently, a 20-member team from India's National Defence College is on a four-day visit to Nepal. Taken in conjunction with their presence, the Maoists are regarding the trucks as bringing in arms to scuttle the peace talks and force them into resuming arms.
With peace talks between the rebels and the government having been deadlocked, the rebels have recently accused Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala of conspiring with King Gyanendra to sabotage their movement for a republican form of government.
After King Gyanendra seized power with the help of the army in February 2005, India suspended military assistance to Nepal to show its concern.
However, non-lethal supplies were resumed during the king's regime as part of New Delhi's carrot and stick policy to persuade the monarch to restore democracy.
The new shipment of non-lethal supplies comes even as Nepal failed to repay its earlier dues and asked India to waive them, even though it has been paying with cash to other countries for arms bought at higher prices.