Author: Editorial
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: December 19, 2003
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/archive_full_story.php?content_id=37519
Introduction: It must now complete
the process it has begun and secure the future of the region
By all accounts, the Royal Bhutanese
Army has carried out its task of ending the military occupation of its
sovereign territory by militants and terrorist groups from India. It has
done so, not only with notable successes, but with a professionalism that
the Himalayan kingdom can be rightly proud of. That Bhutan's military action
comes after years of patient dialogue to remove this aggression from its
soil adds greatly to the political legitimacy of the military action. Its
army has absorbed some casualties, but has in the process killed at least
120 militants belonging to the three groups - the ULFA, NDBF and KLO -
located inside Bhutan. Over a hundred are believed to have surrendered.
More important, among those killed or captured are a significant number
of middle to senior level leaders of these groups.
This success has already forced
the ULFA chief to appeal to King Jigme Singye Wangchuk of Bhutan for reprieve
and the ending of hostilities. Thimpu must be careful of falling into this
apparently sentimental trap of "historical bond". There can be no bond
between a self-respecting state and foreign terrorists on its soil. If
the militants had any respect for such sentiments then they would not have
illegally aggressed on Bhutanese sovereignty for years. At the very minimum,
they would have responded positively to the dialogue that the Bhutanese
government had pursued. Thimpu - and New Delhi - need to study the ULFA
appeal carefully. As per reports, this apparently conciliatory appeal contains
threatening connotations like terming the Bhutanese army action as "totally
illegal". Its offer of peaceful withdrawal from Bhutan is supposed to be
conditional to the resolution of the conflict in the region.
It is obvious that the militants
are hoping to buy time in which to re-organise and retaliate - a typical
tactic of such groups when under pressure. The important thing is that
now that Bhutan has finally decided to remove the aggression by force,
it should not be inveigled into half measures by apparently alluring promises.
Neither ULFA, nor the other groups, can make their exit from Bhutan conditional
to the resolution of the conflict. Such a resolution has two dimensions.
One, is the fact that it is an armed rebellion against the people and Constitution
of India. Two, its presence in Bhutan is illegal and unnecessarily creates
potential misunderstanding between two sovereign states who have historically
maintained friendly relations. Bhutan now must complete the process of
restoring to itself its sovereignty so that challenges to it do not re-emerge
in the future.
