Powell in Nepal is message to the region

JYOTI MALHOTRA

NEW DELHI, JANUARY 18: US Secretary of State Colin Powell visited Kathmandu on Friday with a special message of solidarity against Maoist insurgents — dubbed by both countries as terrorists.

‘‘Here is a government that is trying to survive a period of turmoil caused by the events of a few months ago,’’ Powell told accompanying reporters, referring to last summer’s royal massacre, adding, ‘‘and you have a Maoist insurgency that is trying to overthrow that government. This really is the kind of thing we’re fighting against throughout the world. I will try to convey our support.’’

Having fought in Vietnam and old enough to remember Woodstock, Powell’s presence in Kathmandu finally links up the Himalayan civilisation with the most powerful state in the world.

Powell met King Gyanendra, besides a spectrum of the Nepalese political leadership, and reiterated the US condemnation of the Maoist insurgency that has pretty much devastated Nepal in recent months. He urged the government to combat corruption and promote good governance, as part of its campaign against the Maoists.

Speaking at a joint news conference with Deuba, Powell said: ‘‘There is no room for the use of violence to create political change in a democracy...We fully acknowledge the government of Nepal’s right to protect its citizens and institutions from terrorist attacks. However, we hope that the current state of emergency will be of limited duration and we encourage the elected government to focus on protecting human rights.’’

Deuba, whose government has had to raise duties this month to cover the costs of the military response to the insurgency, suggested that the US lead a second coalition against hunger, poverty, disease and illiteracy, in tandem with its campaign against terrorism.

Powell agreed that jobs, prosperity and democracy could help ‘‘dry up the swamp’’ that gives rise to terrorism.

Significantly, Powell’s presence in Nepal is also said to send its own message to New Delhi: Show generosity to the smaller neighbours if you want to be reckoned with as the major power in the region.

New Delhi decided at the SAARC summit a fortnight ago to begin triangular projects with Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal in the north and Sri Lanka in the south, but strategy still has to pass muster intent.

On Saturday, before leaving for Tokyo, Powell was to have talks with senior Nepalese military officials on the country’s military needs. But he said he would leave it to the embassy to get more details of their needs later.