Traditionally, security has been associated with national defense by the military. This thinking is still dominant in Nepal. However, this traditional concept is inadequate and cannot deal with non-conventional security threats. Hence, a broader concept of security is needed to deal with the complex issue of national security threats and challenges.
Many countries have already started to redefine or refine their national security policies. Some countries like Norway, Canada, and Australia have developed more progressive national security policies, moving beyond conventional notion of security. Broader and progressive security policy contains three interrelated components: State security, human security and societal security. State security mainly focuses on national sovereignty and territorial integrity with the military looke upon as the vanguard for this aim. It mainly deals with external security threats. Human security is another crucially important component of modern national security policy that deals with the protection of human rights. It also emphasizes on fulfilling basic needs of the people. It complements state security and societal security.
Societal security is another major component of national security, which deals with ensuring security of its people, vital infrastructures (eg, telephone towers, big hydropower plants, banks, industrial areas, airports, etc) and disaster relief and rescue during man-made and natural calamities. The focus of societal security is to ensure safety and security of a nation’s citizens from terrorism, organized crimes (money laundering, trafficking of women and human organs, drugs, etc), criminal infiltration in society, natural disasters (such as earthquake, flood, landslides, draughts), climate change effects (such as glassier melt, rise in sea level, prolonged drought, etc), pandemics (eg, bird flue, SARS etc) and religious fanaticism. Furthermore, protecting people from unconventional security threats (man-made and natural calamities) and ensuring safety (eg, fire safety, road safety, and construction safety) are important components of national security.
Nepal is in the process of forming a new NSP. The new NSP has to integrate the three interrelated and complementary security components mentioned. Moreover, Nepal’s new NSP has to take into account that security is now a matter of global concern. Insecurity in one country can affect the security of many other countries due to the expansion of terrorist networks and development in information technology.
South Asia in general and India in particular is increasingly facing the problems of global terrorism. Though Nepal has not yet been directly targeted by global terrorist networks, the spillover effects of terrorists’ act in India could penetrate in Nepal because of our open border that stretches 1,800 kms.
Therefore, Nepal’s new NSP has also to envision the possible security challenges of the next fifty years and prepare for them accordingly. Currently, there is no uniform understanding of the national security in Nepal. Nepali mainstream politics still perceive national security as the sole responsibility of the military, which is incomplete.
It is imperative to develop a common understanding of national security based on a single official NSP document that contains clear vision, strategic national interests, objectives, procedures and main responsibility of each security apparatus. NSP must provide the comprehensive framework for identifying and analyzing potential and real security risks, challenges and threats.
Nepal is between India and China, both emerging regional and global powers. Furthermore, South Asia in general and India in particular is increasingly facing the problems of global terrorism. Though Nepal has not yet been directly targeted by global terrorist networks, the spillover effects of terrorists’ act in India could penetrate in Nepal because of our open border that stretches 1,800 kms. Also, the competitive and at times adversarial relations between India and China can have strategic implications on Nepal.
South Asia is one of the world’s highly militarized zones. With the accumulation of nuclear weapons by India and Pakistan, proliferation of small arms and light weapons by terrorist organizations, political and security tensions and an arms-race between India and Pakistan pose severe security threats to Nepal. South Asia is also center of poverty, inequality, injustice, discrimination, all conducive for conflict and instability. Moreover, the region is also threatened by climate change effects, energy crisis, water crisis, food insecurity etc. These factors too will pose security challenges for Nepal. Therefore, the new NSP has to address these challenges.
Simply addressing the issue is not enough. The new NSP has to provide adequate legal framework, responsive institutional arrangements and a holistic security strategy. Also, the new security policy needs to be integrated into economic, foreign and development policies.
The new NSP has to clearly define the types of ‘security forces’ (eg, military, armed police, civilian police, industrial security, border security forces, intelligence mechanism, provision of private security forces, and other types of security forces such as fire brigades, forest guard etc), size/strengths of security forces (total numbers of each security type), institutional arrangements, and defense strategy, roles and responsibility of key players (security forces, executive organizations such as home and defense ministries, parliament, judiciary, etc). Hence, any decisions on democratization of Nepal Army or integration of Maoist combatants without first coming up with the comprehensive NSP will be a short-lived affair. The whole security system of the country needs restructuring according to the spirit of the new constitution. All security related decisions must be in compliance with the security policy.
The new constitution should include major NSP issues. Democratic accountability of the security system, maintaining a balance between transparency and confidentiality, social inclusiveness in security apparatuses, respecting international human rights and other related international and domestic laws, effective coordination (inter-ministerial: Home, foreign affairs, defense, and other related ministries) and oversight (internal by security structures, government, parliament, judiciary and external by media, civil society and general public) are other main provisions that need to be included.
Also, new NSP has to provide adequate institutional framework for security research and analysis. It has to include provisions for regular risks assessment, threats analysis and early warning mechanism. In addition, it has to ensure building security-related technical infrastructures such as establishing microbiology laboratory to deal with the bio-terrorism, public health surveillance system to deal with pandemics, well-equipped intelligence system, and resources required to perform the assigned responsibilities.
Political parties, responsible government departments, Parliamentary State Affairs Committee, civil society, academics and security personnel must work together to come up with a holistic national security policy that not only ensures the security of Nepal and Nepalis, but also meets the global norms.
bishnu.upreti@gmail.com
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