The trade deal between India and China on the land of Nepal has seriously hurt the existence of an independent nation. It is time for the country to respond diplomatically.
What you should know
Nepal is a landlocked country, our geographical destiny must depend on our neighbors. But being dependent on a neighbor and neglecting one's own land by a neighbor are two different things.
The recent agreement between India and China to open a trade route through Lipulekh has re-exposed this pain. Without the knowledge of the sovereign Nepal, the trade agreement made on our land has seriously hurt the existence of an independent nation.
Lipulek, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani are an inalienable part of the land of Nepal as mentioned in the constitution along with the official map. However, how many times should the practice of ignoring Nepal in the agreement between India and China be repeated? Rulers of sovereign nations seem doomed to be silent spectators.
At such a sensitive time, questions naturally arise - will Nepal now dare to send diplomatic notes to both neighbors immediately? Will the Prime Minister, who is about to visit China and India soon, have the courage to cancel his visit to raise his voice against the blatant interference in the nation's sovereignty? Or will it follow the traditional style of 'watching and giving silent consent' again?
India and China doing business through Nepali land is not just a current political behavior. This is also a direct violation of the agreement between the then King Mahendra and Chinese President Liu Shao Chi. That agreement gave Nepal a clear definition of the border based on full ownership. Opening the opposite way today is not only legal but also moral and diplomatic dishonesty.
The frequent use of our territory as a 'no-man's land' in the Nepal-India-China triangle teaches a bitter lesson-sovereignty is not just a legal term, it requires political will, diplomatic prowess and the strength of national unity to protect it.
To remain silent at such times is surrender. If we don't raise our voice in time, the terrain that will be visible on the map tomorrow will be limited only to the picture. So now is the time to take decisive action - otherwise history will mark the current leadership as the 'generation that sold sovereignty'. – Santosh Simkhada, Tokyo, Japan
We Nepalis have been suffering from the border problem for a long time and it has hurt our national pride. In particular, the ongoing trade deal between India and China on Lipulekh has made us more concerned. It is well known that India has been trading with China since 1954 by issuing Lipulekh passes. Although Nepal repeatedly presented its rights and historical evidence over its territory, India has not accepted it and on the contrary is claiming this region as its own.
Nepal has revealed the reality of its land by releasing the 'Chuchche Map'. The current Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's visit to China and India in the near future has a good opportunity to negotiate a permanent solution to the Lipulek issue. Instead of limiting this visit to mere formality, the Prime Minister should strongly discuss the matter with the top leadership of both the neighboring countries and put his point across. Now the time has come for the government to rise above political interests and have a concrete debate, initiative and advocacy to protect the country's independence and sovereignty. – Pramod Paudel, Kathmandu-32, Pepsi-Cola
Reading the news titled 'Feri dukhyo Limpiyadhura' published in Kantipur, I was shocked. In fact, the border dispute is an ever-present and deep wound in the Nepal-India relationship. which has been going on for a long time. By usurping Nepalese land, India is showing a mischievous tendency. After the treaty of 1816, Nepal lost a lot of territory. However, because Lipulek and Limpiyadhura in the western region belong to Nepal, at the initiative of our Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, this area was included in the map. Now, after China and India have agreed to enter into a trade agreement through the same territory of Nepal, this issue has become more complicated.
There is no doubt that Lipulek, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani are part of Nepal. Nepal should now make a solid strategy to protect its sovereign rights. It is also necessary to create diplomatic initiative at the international level, national unity, and pressure at the people's level. Now the time has come for the people to fight for sovereignty and nationalism. Now our territory should not be limited only to the map. Otherwise, the pain of the wound that will never heal is sure to get worse. – Khimraj Giri, Kathmandu
