Maoists squeeze Nepal jugular, go for the heart of the capital

Geography has come to the Maoists’ aid: 15 km from the city, the narrow Nag Dhunga pass, situated on the edge of the Kathmandu Valley, is the only road to the plains. Before August 18, as many as 1200 loaded trucks used to wind their way up the Tribhuvan Raj Marg to Kathmandu Valley.

Sixty percent of Nepal’s total imports come from India, including 700,000 tonnes of crucial petroleum products, through this highway that in many ways is the jugular of this city. On the first day of the blockade, only eight truckers had the temerity to break the blockade and another 20 the day after.

Result, according to industry sources: the Valley has only 10 days of petrol supplies, one month of diesel and three weeks of kerosene in reserve. The foodgrain and medicine situation is a little better with supplies for three to four months.

Faced with a crisis, the government has directed the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) to provide armed escort to the convoy of supply trucks. But until this evening, the truckers simply refused to take up this offer as they fear for their lives.

At Nag Dhunga pass, the serpentine highway was desolate with only M-16 rifle toting RNA troops managing pickets and noting down the details of all those who are brave enough to break the Maoist diktat and drive down the highway.

Even our driver Ramesh Shahi refused to enter the pass and walk down the road. ‘‘The Maoist will recognise my face and then kill me later. You will be in Delhi and I will face the brunt,’’ he said.

But Shahi is not the only one who is terrorised by Maoists. Sanjiv Puri, the CEO of Rs 470-crore Surya Nepal ITC joint venture, had to shut down his factory after Maoist affiliate All Nepal Labour Association’s diktat of August 4.

He told The Indian Express: ‘‘We had to shut down our operations as the threat was directed against all our business associates that includes even distributors.’’

The Sher Bahadur Deuba government and the Royal Palace may be unhappy with the industrial captains capitulating to the Maoist threat so soon and thus putting pressure on the state. However, the fact is the entire business community is scared as they have a reason to believe that the Maoists will expand the original list of 11 industries asked to pull down their shutters.

The net result is that Nepal is losing Rs 20 million per day because of the blockade—Surya Nepal alone pays an estimated Rs 70 lakh per day to government in the form of custom and excise duties.

Come Sunday, the Federation of Nepal Chambers of Commerce and Industry has organised a rally to demand better protection and security from the government.

Communications Minister Mohammed Mohsin assured businessmen of security but then added that the administration couldn’t give any guarantees. ‘‘Even the US could not save Kennedy (John F), so we cannot give guarantee to those targeted by the Maoists,’’ he said.

While many see the blockade as Maoists daring the Royal Palace and the entire establishment, there is growing worry whether scenting blood, the Maoists will make targeting Kathmandu part of their strategy to extract more concessions from the government.

Their adversary on the ground is the RNA that is trying to keep the vulnerable highway artery open as its credibility is at stake. But on Day 3, the Maoists have the upper hand.