Nepalese civic group seeks better action from Deuba govt over China's alleged incursion

A civic group in Nepal has appealed to the government to recapture the regions which are currently illegally captured by China. The development came after a Nepali government report found China allegedly encroached upon some areas along the countries' shared border. The committee that analysed Bejing's encroachment verified that "there were some serious border issues" between Nepal and China. Responding to the report, a Nepalese Civic Group has submitted a memorandum to the Minister of Land Management and Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Shashi Shrestha, seeking to reclaim the territories from China.

The President of Rashtriya Ekata Abhiyan Binay Yadav submitted the memorandum on Tuesday, wherein he drew Minister's attention to the erection of a fence at the Ruila border of Chumanubri Rural Municipality-1 in Gorkha. The President claimed China's "unlawful action" came without coordinating with Kathmandu. He termed Bejing's action a violation of international law and an "insult to the friendship" between the two nations. "The encroachment in various areas of the Nepal-China border, including Ruila, in violation of international law and values, is not only an insult to the friendship between the two countries but also a direct challenge to the sovereignty of Nepal," Yadav said in the memorandum.

Nepalese civic group demands better action from govt

Furthermore, he underscored the instances where Nepal raised questions over China's "ultimate goal" and added that repeated condemnation from Kathmandu has not deterred the Beijing side to undertake its illegal motives. Though the president lauded the actions taken by the Nepalese government, the memorandum sought better diplomatic efforts from Kathmandu to deal with the current situation. "However, despite the diplomatic efforts made by the government, border encroachment continues. We expect decisive and strict action by this government against border encroachment," he said, adding the Ekata Abhiyan will continue its support and cooperation with the government in its every step.

Earlier last month, local media had first reported the illegal encroachments and China's unlawful fencing at the border regions, especially at no-man's-land in Northern Gorkha. According to Yadav, the fences were not built in accordance with international law. Notably, after the publication of the news last month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs replied it had not been aware of Beijing's illegal occupation at the Ruila border. However, the locals contended with the claims and added that the administration was aware of the development and added they were facing problems in bringing essential daily necessities. According to international norms, no structure or fences can be built in no man's land. Such action requires bilateral consensus.

China's "investment trap" 

It is pertinent to note that China has been investing a massive amount in Nepal under Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI)-- a series of projects adopted by the Chinese government in 2013. It is a global "infrastructure development project" that invested in more than 70 countries across the globe. However, on several occasions, Western officials have argued it is a trap for the receiving country as it benefits China more than its hosts. In 2017, Beijing reached its neighbouring nation and signed an agreement with Nepal. However, not a single project has been taken off till date. Also, neither side has released any documents related to the MoU.

Image: AP