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Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Answer

Mr. Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of (a) the strength and the military capabilities of Maoist insurgents in Nepal and (b) the threat they pose to the Nepalese monarchy; and what steps the Government have taken to assist Nepal in tackling the insurgents. [214659] Mr. Alexander: The Nepalese Maoists' influence now extends to much of Nepal. In the past year they have demonstrated that they are able to organise and carry out occasional large scale military attacks (it is estimated with 5,000 or more men). They have carried out bombing campaigns in Kathmandu and have assassinated senior security force and political figures We have consistently held that the topography and capabilities of the Maoists and the security forces are such that military victory by either side, if achievable, would not bring about an acceptable lasting democratic solution to the problems Nepal faces. The UK has been providing a wide ranging and integrated package of assistance to Nepal, partly through the Department for International Development programme and using funds from the Global Conflict Prevention Pool (GCPP). This assistance has ranged from development assistance aimed at tackling the underlying causes of poverty, social injustice and conflict in the country to the provision of non-lethal military assistance to the Royal Nepalese Army (UNA). The military assistance was particularly aimed at boosting the RNA's intelligence gathering capability and selective training, including on human rights. Money from the GCPP has also been used to fund the Peace Secretariat, a body of civil servants connected to the Prime Minister's Office and tasked with identifying political solutions to the conflict.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

430 c1462W; 214659

Session

2004-05

Subjects

Armed conflict Bombings Development aid Human rights Politics and government Monarchy Terrorism Nepal

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk