Though concrete information will surface after the letters of exchange are submitted, following the request made by the IRCHR, it has been revealed that Nepal had made a request in 2015 as well as 2017. In 2017, the government was headed by UML leader K P Oli. So, all the three larger parties appear to have agreed to this treaty
The Nepali House of Representatives and so the country have been virtually shaken by the State Partnership Programme (SPP) like it had been by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement as if struck by a tremor of high magnitude. The parties in the government and the Opposition have been involved in mudslinging on one another. The International Relations Committee of the House of Representatives (IRCHR) has requested the government to submit the SPP documents within seven days. Moreover, it has summoned Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to the committee to explain what has transpired in this connection.
Our culture at times orients ourselves to the direction which is fraught with danger. Sita, of the Ramayan fame, had been told to confine within the fire line by Laxman, but she disobeyed, with the result that she was kidnapped by the demon King, Ravan. It led to a ferocious battle, which killed several demons and the monkey armies. The five Pandav brothers very well knew that gambling has a dire consequence, but they continued to revel in it, leading to the attempted stripping of their heart throb Draupaudi naked in the state assembly gathering. Thanks to Krishna that this shameful incident could not take place because of his divine power. But it nevertheless led to the fiercely fought Mahabharat war.
This SPP episode is also one of the manifestations of our cultural vibes. We know that we should not accept anything that is free. But we have been continuing it unabated.
There are strange coincidences between the MCC and its junior counterpart, the SPP. The MCC was signed by then Finance Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki of the coalition government headed by Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba duly supported by Maoist Central leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
Later, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli forwarded it to the parliament, but it could not make headway as it was allegedly blocked by the then Speaker of the parliament.
The Nepali Congress always maintained that the MCC was a developmental agreement and not a military one. It had made an irreversible advance as it had started to operate with the regular budget from the government. But the other parties, in varying tones, labelled it as a military treaty designed by the United States to counter its arch rival, China.
The people got to witness such bizarre scenes seldom witnessed before, in which some party leaders continued to enjoy government perks while protesting in the streets. It threatened the disintegration of the coalition government, but at the end the agreement was passed by the parliament with a voice vote by all the parties of the government and the Opposition after being accompanied by an interpretive declaration.
The SPP also unfolds a similar story. Nepal was in tatters after being hit by a deadly earthquake in 2015 with the Nepali Congress leader, Sushil Koirala at the helm as the Prime Minister.
It was supported by the UML (Unified Marxist-Leninist) with the UML leader, Bam Dev Gautam, as the Deputy Premier.
In a period of panic, Army Chief General Rajendra Chhetry appears to have requested for the direly needed assistance from the US, perhaps as normal bilateral help, little realising that it could have a military alliance consequence.
As a result, US support came to Nepal with 300 American service members and 110 tons of emergency relief supply.
Though concrete information will surface in the country after the submission of the letters of exchange following the request made by the IRCHR, it has been revealed so far that Nepal had made a request in 2015 as well as 2017. In 2017, the government was headed by UML leader K P Oli. So, all the three larger parties of Nepal appear to have agreed to this treaty.
This programme was initiated by the US in 1992 three decades back. Some 90 countries around the globe seem to have joined this programme, including Bangladesh from the SAARC region. It is focussed mainly on disaster risk reduction along with other activities, such as counter terrorism, leadership development, medical supplies, peacekeeping operations and the likes.
This programme also appears to have made considerable forward movement, and retreat may not be very easy. Because the application for support was made by Nepal in the first place.
In response to it, assistance had also been provided during the 2015 killer earthquake. Even then, both the government and the Opposition, in particular, have emphasised on the need to reject the U.S. offer. But there are also voices to the contrary in view of the request first made by the government and the subsequent U.S. offer.
The offer should not be rejected when Nepal enjoys an amiable relationship with the U.S., now heading to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of its establishment.
The Nepali Army has been recognised as a dependent institution by all alike in the world and held with great respect due to the immense reputation that it enjoyed with its bravery in the World Wars and its unparalleled honesty afterwards. Correspondingly, the Governments of India, China, the United Kingdom and U.S. have been assisting it with arms and artillery. The SPP is also to be executed by the armies of the two governments primarily. Hence, the signing of this agreement also should not irritate either India or China, as is feared heavily, according to some observers, which is not at all illogical.
It may not be surprising if this agreement will be passed by the parliament with an interpretive declaration, stating that its signing will not drag Nepal to a military alliance. After all, this technique has been adopted successfully in the case of the MCC already.
Prime Minister Deuba has already made public that no signing will be made without national consensus.
And, who knows, the parties might agree, as in the case of the MCC, giving a sense of déjà vu to the people yet again.
A version of this article appears in the print on June 20, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.