# Prem Sagar Poudel
I remember very well, at that dinner meeting in 2011, the Chinese diplomat advised Comrade KP Oli that his two kidneys are not good, so drink juice, but he cheer wine with the diplomat and me, saying: “Friendship is bigger than my body. My body doesn’t matter in front of our friendship”.
Commencement:
I have been an official activist since 1987, with the aim of deepening the relations between Nepal and China more mutual and influential. At that time, when China’s name was mentioned, there was an atmosphere of contempt, repression and being trapped in false issues. Even though the characters and appearance of this destination have changed, the situation has not changed much till today. Even in the past, the government allowed some people to have relations with China for face-saving under unspecified controlled conditions. The attitude and policy of kings or all the political parties that came to power after change, is the same, in the case of China. All of these are just slippers with the logo of elephants. The difference is that in the past the number of Nepalese studying in China, who understood China, was low, today it is increasing. The ordinary citizens did not have access to media. It was not easy to know about the progress and development of China and the life of the Chinese people, today, everyone has a mobile phone with internet in their hands. That is, access to information is easy. Connectivity has increased. Additional checkpoints are open. Various political parties have international departments. Officials of those departments are also taking initiative on the relationship with Powerful Nation. Therefore, there is more activities than in the past. However, relations with China at the government level or a one-China policy have not gained importance in Nepal as per the time and need. Moreover, the Nepalese government and political parties and their leaders are China-friendly in words but anti in reality. This is confirmed by various events. Individuals may have their own arguments in this regard. But, this is the bitter truth. Here I am discussing one aspect of the life of an campaigner who has been active for almost three and a half decades.
Comrade KP Oli in my eyes:
I first met Comrade KP Oli at the Salle Airport in Rukum in March 1996, the second month of the armed insurgency launched by the then Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist. Earlier, I had not shaken hands even though I had seen him closely. Comrade KP Oli and Comrade Vidya Devi Bhandari had gone to Rukum for the party’s work. At that time, I went to Rukum from Nepalgunj via Dang and Salyan to understand the reality of the Maoist people’s war as a correspondent of Yugasamvad Weekly, and a columnist or correspondent of Mahima Weekly published from Kathmandu. On the way back to Nepalgunj from Rukum after finishing the visit, I met them (Oli and Bhandari) at the airport. The local leaders and cadres of the then UML welcomed them with bouquets and flowers. I greeted and shook hands with them. That was my first meeting with Comrade Oli, before and after this meeting; we have met several times in the party and other public events
Amidst the turmoil in Nepal’s politics, a diplomat and I met comrade Oli at the Gangjong Hotel in Lazimpat, Kathmandu. It is my understanding that after that meeting; Comrade Oli made himself active in politics in a slightly different way. He had admitted at the time that he had not a good relationship with the people because he had relations and contacts only in the south and did not understand the world situation well. We talked for about two hours and then left after dinner. I remember very well, at that dinner meeting in 2011, the Chinese diplomat advised Comrade KP Oli that his two kidneys are not good, so drink juice, but he cheer wine with the diplomat and me, saying: “Friendship is bigger than my body. My body doesn’t matter in front of our friendship”. This phrase that he said at that time is still humming in my ears. I mentioned this on my Facebook page in 2016 when Comrade Oli became PM.
Then, with the help of the then CPN-UML Vice-Chairman, Comrade Yubaraj Gyawali in 2016, he was confirmed to be the Prime Minister, and three days before he took office, I met him at the CPN-Parliamentary Party office in Singha Durbar. He briefed on his priorities after taking the oath of office as Prime Minister. As soon as becoming the Prime Minister, he sent me to China with a ministerial decision as a facilitator to solve the problem of petroleum products arising from the Indian blockade. I accepted his request and went to Beijing, the capital of China, at my own expense. I did not take a single penny from the Government of Nepal for this task. At that time, Nepali officials were unable to establish good relations and earn the trust of China at a high level.
In 2017, I went to his private residence in Balkot with the representative of the China’s government and influential media, Global Times for the interview. We talked for about 3 hours. He gave a 2 hour and 30 minute long (recorded) interview trying to prove that he is the most trusted friend of Nepal’s politicians for China, which is still buzzing in my ears. Excerpts from that interview were published in the Global Times about a month later. There included my interview as well. My opinion was published by giving priority or importance than to comrade KP Oli. Since then, I have had the opportunity to meet him alone, with some friends and even with foreign diplomats, at Comrade Oli’s private residence in Balkot, and to discuss and listen to his views on contemporary issues.
I have had the opportunity from time to time to meet and exchange views with the King and most of the influential leaders of various political parties. When Comrade Oli was the Prime Minister in 2016, I have saluted Comrade Oli at various important political meetings and during my interviews on television and I have openly praised him. In particular, I believe that the ten-point agreement with China has helped and make Nepal more self-reliant. I have repeatedly thanked and saluted him for this great work. I don’t have to be embarrassed about it and I don’t see anything wrong. I believe that a person should be evaluated on the basis of his work and behavior. Some of the work done by Comrade Oli seems to be aimed at making the country independent, strong, self-reliant and independent. However, looking at his recent activities raises serious doubts. Is he following the plan of anti-Nepal and Nepali people? Or he has fallen into the clutches of any international mafia. There are ample grounds for suspicion. Some people may think that leaning towards China when they read my opinion. Who seen me for three and a half decades, have been working actively to make the people-to-people relations between Nepal and China more mutual, strong and effective. I have found that they have sometimes expressed such apprehensions. However, I am not affected by such things. Such things cannot make or break my patriotism in the slightest. For me, the highest interest is the country. My personal interest is and will be nothing before the interest of the country and the people. This is the unchangeable resolution of my life.
Nepal’s commitment to the one-China policy:
Relations between Nepal and China seem to have existed since ancient. Marriage between Padmasambhava, Fa Xian, Hu Yan Shang (Xuanzang), Songtsen Gampo, Bhrikuti, Araniko, daughter of the Khas king and brother of the king of Tibet, China or the events given to govern after that or the treaties and agreements done in different periods etc. The relationship between Nepal and China is unique and special in the world. Such a relationship is rare in world history. Mentioning such events, here becomes a very long series. It has entered the 66th year of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Nepal and China. The time is also same that Nepal’s official commitment to the one-China policy. However, it does not seem that Nepal has been able to follow the one-China policy in practice.
After the autocratic Panchayat system, there is ample evidence that anti-China policy and so-called pro-independence Tibet activities are openly taking place in Nepal under government protection. However, during the Panchayat period, it is existed but rarely. But openly anti-China activities started in Nepal after 1990. From 1990 to 2005, anti-China activity was under control but since 2008, high-ranking government officials and leaders of some political parties have been holding open challenges for the government. Police in Kathmandu have arrested the activists involved in chanting slogans of “independent Tibet” and burning Chinese flags, and within two hours of their capture, they were released without any action on the instructions of a government minister or high-ranking official. Embarrassing incidents were repeated again and again the same man was arrested, released and allegedly engaged in anti-China activities. Those who entered Nepal illegally from other countries were sent back to their respective countries, but those who entered Nepal from China’s Tibet were sent to India and the West, and this trend continues to this day.
The Government of Nepal has always expressed its commitment to the one-China policy in talks with Chinese leaders, officials or diplomats. However, it has not been followed in practice. Whether it is the infiltration of the Dalai Lama’s people into China’s Tibet through Nepali territory or the arrest of the people from the West who have secretly entered China’s Tibet from Nepal, it should be considered normal. Most of the Western diplomats working in Nepal have been seen participating in the anti-China public events in Kathmandu as the chief guest. All these incidents witnessed with the naked eyes and the protection of the government confirms that Nepal is a center of anti-China international power and a heaven for the mafia. Realizing this fact, His Excellency Chinese President Xi Jinping, who paid a state visit to Nepal in October last year, conveyed the message that China would break the bones of its enemies. However, Nepal showed no interest in properly understanding and implementing the Chinese President’s views and objectives. On the contrary, in the seven days since returning from state visit of the Chinese president, our government has openly assisted and protected six anti-China activities. About which danfetv.com made public. Nepal Today and Kathmandu-based Gorkha Express Weekly (October 22, 2019) published a half-page illustrated detailed news story with pictures. These are just representative events. There are hundreds of such incidents. This is hard to sum up in this short article and will be made public continuously at an appropriate time in the future.
Situation of Chinese and Chinese companies in Nepal:
The Chinese plane trade took place almost twenty-five years after it began. In particular, the Chinese plane business has been approved by the Left-led government and Finance Minister Barshaman Pun. According to what I have heard, these planes were gifted from China on the occasion of the change in Nepal. Seeing that Chinese planes enter in Nepal without receiving commission while accepting gifts and pushing back Western trade, it seems that it was bought as per the plan to stop it and discredit it at the public level. It has been shown that Nepal did not buy the Chinese plane directly but bought it at a cheaper interest rate and increased the price by 200 times. In such a situation, the purchase price will definitely not earn even if the plane is flying for 24 hours. On the one hand, the situation is like this and on the other hand, under the direction of the westerners, the planes have been grounded without any flight and maintenance. Y12 E model planes are flying smoothly in almost 25 countries of the world. Why didn’t in Nepal and grounded? The real secret is hidden inside this.
Nepal has formally entered in BRI in 2015. Five years after the BRI was accepted, no serious initiative has been taken to move it forward. Similarly, the wrong path was taken while handing over the Budhi Gandaki hydropower project to the Chinese. The reason behind given the project to Chinese company in such a wrong way without giving it in a simple and common legal way has been exposed. Behind this lies a serious conspiracy is hidden to discredit China at the grassroots level, to show that the Chinese are corrupt, and nothing is important for them except trade. As far as possible, the Chinese have been given no project, if there is no way to block the Chinese and if they have to save face, then they have been given it only in a wrong way or by defaming or conspiring to prevent it from succeeding. The same policy has been adopted in all except one or two small projects, whether it is Pokhara International Airport or any other project. The Chinese have been forced to show their presence in Nepal despite the losses and work to preserve China’s bright image.
Similarly, Chinese tourists who came to make Nepal’s tourism year a success were forced to stay here after the government started lockdown without prior notice. Police arrested them in a conspiratorial manner for spreading anti-China and anti-Chinese sentiments while they were living abroad for several days and demanding their return. The police arrested them violating the law of lockdown by taking them from Thamel to Singha Durbar and beat them like the enemies instead of helping the suffering neighbors. This confirmed how Nepal’s security forces were influenced by anti-China forces. The Chinese who have been doing business in Nepal have been harassed while registering and renewing their business. By torturing Chinese citizens and Chinese projects, the Nepalese government is sending the message that Nepal is not safe for them.
Undeclared Restrictions on the free man who follows China’s policy:
In fact, to put the views openly, there is an undeclared ban on independent people in Nepal who follow the one-China policy. Those who adhere to the one-China policy are not prosecuted if they are abused or tortured by security officials, government employees, so-called pro-Indians or pro-Westerners, but are respected and protected by the government. Dozens of such incidents can be cited as examples. For example, in early 1996, the editor / publisher of The Messenger Weekly was illegally arrested and tortured for 14 hours by then-Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Gupta without a warrant for writing pro-China news. Leftist leader Hiranya Lal Shrestha had demanded legal action against the concerned officials in the House of Representatives over the incident. However, instead of taking action, the then government promoted him to deputy secretary and posted him in the agriculture ministry.
In 1999, Dhan Bahadur Rana, the Superintendent of Police of Nepal, imposed an unofficial ban on any pro-China program or to write news in Banke district. After protesting that, he arrested in a kidnapping style and tortured a Chinese supporter taking in the jungle. He was released three days later after being pressured by Rajendra Bahadur Karki, the chief army of the First Rifle Battalion. When the concerned victims demanded action against him, he was rewarded and brought to the Human Rights Cell of Nepal Police in Kathmandu. No legal action was taken against him and no explanation was sought.
In 2006, Bhim Rana, a constable of the Indian Army entered in the office of the Nepal-China Mutual Co-operation Society unauthorisedly and assaulted its chairperson and others, threatened by kicking and punching the office door. Despite repeated demands for action against him, no action has been taken so far. Meanwhile, on the basis of his verbal complaint, the police have twice tortured the officials of the Society. These and many such incidents are at the grassroots level. However, due to China friendly even at the highest levels of the government, the then Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara was deliberately trapped and defamed. Probably, Nepal’s the then Ambassador to China Leela Mani Paudyal, who was seen as the strongest ambassador to China till date, was recalled a few months ago in a humiliating manner. About which I had written a few months ago that there was a conspiracy against Ambassador Paudyal. A few days ago, a conspiracy was design by the Prime Minister to remove the acting chairman of the Nepal Press Council, Kishor Shrestha. Remember that Kishor Shrestha is the president of Nepal-China Media Forum. He was playing an active role in sending Nepali journalists on a visit to China to get more information about China. Whose behalf and interest, the government of Nepal worked against the so-called pro-Chinese and campaigners at the grassroots level, who are developing the relation mutual, deep and effective between the Nepal-China? Everything is clear.
In recent times, it is no longer a secret that the government has been actively pursuing the West’s gestures and interests to destroy these two sides, China’s real Nepali friends in Nepal and the people’s trust and confidence in China at the grassroots level.
Why is Nepal government trying to destroy the real Nepali friends of China and the trust and confidence on China at the grassroots level? What effect can this have on Nepal? The question naturally arises. Let’s take a brief look at this.
India has the highest investment in Nepal at the grassroots level. Then there is Western investment through NGOs / INGOs. However, the Nepali people have more faith and trust in China. Why? Recently, the West has been spending millions of dollars to study this issue. As long as the trust and confidence of the Nepali people towards China cannot be broken. Until then, the Indo-West is well aware that Nepal cannot be destabilized, isolated and controlled. Some high-level leaders, officials and others have been systematically mobilized with Western investment to destroy these two aspects of China’s real Nepali friends in Nepal and the people’s trust and confidence on China at the grassroots level. This much for now, I will write more detail separately in next episode.
As a Nepali folktale: “The brother-in-law is going to leave her sister in law in her mother’s house in Teej, whose husband had gone to Kalapar for earning, and there is a river on the way. When they reach the middle of the river, it suddenly increases. The sisters-in-law does not know swimming. She was swept away by the river. The sisters in law shouting for help by shaking hands. But, the brother in law could not save his sister-in-law because he must not touch her as it is a tradition. In front of the brother in law, the sister-in-law was swept away by the river. The brother in law returned home feeling guilty”.
At last, Hoping for stability, peace, development and prosperity in the region from a government led by Prime Minister KP Oli is like believing that a bird can hold the sky. This government is against the Nepal-China relations. People are being deceived by showing that they have done something for face saving. This government cannot be believed to develop the country, maintain regional stability and make Nepal-China relations more smooth and conducive to national interests. Some are arguing that there is no other leader who can take a stand like KP Oli. Taking a stand is not patriotism. If the leader does not apply the principles he has adopted in practice, it is fatal for him and for the entire country. As a Nepali folktale: “The brother-in-law is going to leave her sister in law in her mother’s house in Teej, whose husband had gone to Kalapar for earning, and there is a river on the way. When they reach the middle of the river, it suddenly increases. The sisters-in-law does not know swimming. She was swept away by the river. The sisters in law shouting for help by shaking hands. But, the brother in law could not save his sister-in-law because he must not touch her as it is a tradition. In front of the brother in law, the sister-in-law was swept away by the river. The brother in law returned home feeling guilty”. It might be. Be conscious, responsible and serious in time.
