By Nirmal P. Acharya
US Ambassador to Nepal, Dean R Thompson, has recently made many public remarks regarding the MCC. The main points are as follows: First, the top priority of the US government in Nepal is to ensure the implementation of the MCC; second, the Nepalese people strongly expect the implementation of the MCC; third, MCC aims to create more than 10,000 jobs in Nepal; fourth, the US is willing to work with Nepal to serve our common interests.
This so-called MCC, in Nepal, is not governed or audited by the Nepalese government and is not subject to Nepalese law. The MCC is actually an American project in Nepal for its own amusement. If the US wants to ensure the implementation of the MCC, it can do so unilaterally. There is no need to bring up the topic of MCC to the Nepali public.
The Ambassador said the Nepalese people were eager for the implementation of the MCC. Yet, everyone remembers, the MCC dragged on for years and was only narrowly passed under the threat of an ultimatum from the US, at the very end of a deadline imposed by the US, and with important conditionalities attached by the Nepali Parliament that were, in the view of the US, completely invalid. There have also been recent protests against the MCC. In the face of these facts, the Ambassador also said that the Nepalese people strongly desire the implementation of the MCC. I could not help but laugh at such humor.
The ambassador further added that the MCC aims to create more than 10,000 jobs in Nepal. I was almost excited but, then, I suddenly remembered a famous Western proverb “too good to be true.” I can’t help but ask the Ambassador, how will these 10,000 jobs be created? When will it be created? Did God himself send him to Nepal to create over 10,000 jobs when you are struggling both internally and externally?
The ambassador also offered to join hands with Nepal to serve common interests. The immediate image that crossed my mind was that of the great superpower, Uncle Sam’s warm, chubby hand, gripping Nepal’s slightly thinner hand, moving towards the common good.
At this point, is it appropriate to ask the Ambassador, do we really have common interests between Nepal and the world hegemon USA? If so, what is it?
Reproduced from People’s Review Weekly
