Date: 1^st December 2019

The UK Nepal Friendship Society (UKNFS) wishes to record its strongest possible support to the nation and people of Nepal regarding the serious matter of the Kalapani district-territory infringement by the Republic of India, and to formally associate with the formal representation being made tomorrow Monday 2^nd December to the Indian High Commission on this matter by our friends and colleagues of the Non-Residential Nepali Association (NRNA) – UK, led by the Association’s president, Mrs Poonam Gurung ji. 

The UKNFS believes the incremental occupation of Nepal’s Kalapani territory and indeed other sovereign Nepal territories on the Nepal – India Terai border are unjustifiable, illegal and do great harm to the historic bonds of special friendship and cultural ties between both nations and peoples. 

The UKNFS was deeply distressed and critical of the unwarranted de-facto blockade of Nepal in 2015, with the cruel harm it needlessly inflicted on a people and nation grieving for the 8,000+ deaths and major devastation caused by the April 25^th earthquake, and traumatised by this major national disaster.  Much harm was done to Nepali – Indian relations by this infamous blockade, and we record this as the context for which in the hearts and minds of all Nepali citizens and patriots the Kalapani illegal incursion (and the Nepal Terai territorial infringements/illegal de-facto acquisitions by the neighbour, India) is understandably measured. 

With Indian territories unjustly occupied in the Aksai Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh sectors, it clearly must offend many within India itself that Hindustan is acting in a similar unjustifiable way against a very close friendly nation, Nepal.  The awful precedent this conduct sets far outstrips the strategic military considerations that India has advanced for the Kalapani incursion – and we state this.  How can this justification of strategic military considerations be advised in the case of the illegal, incremental, Nepal Terai zone occupations?  They cannot.  The UKNFS is aware that Nepal, as a political entity with a continuous uninterrupted history as a sovereign state, has a much, much longer history and existence than does the state of India, as a distinct political entity which was born for the first time in 1947.  Accordingly, prior occupation on the basis of history, cannot be credibly cited by the Republic of India in regard to the seizure of Kalapani and the other illegally occupied territories of Nepal. 

The UK Nepal Friendship Society believes that with the shared British/United Kingdom historical context Nepal and India have, that in such matters the weight of British political and or diplomatic (FCO) good offices should be called in to effect to assist and fully support the aggrieved party whose territory has been unwarrantably occupied on grounds that are not legally or militarily tenable (India as does the UK, benefits from the presence of its own illustrious Gurkha [Nepali] regiments), and still more importantly provide a constructive, external, neutral but friendly — to/with both parties — mechanism to restore this unjustly seized territory to its rightful owner, the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. 

We believe the UK is uniquely placed to assist in this very important international dispute matter at political and diplomatic level because of its historic relations and special friendships with Nepal and India, and that this is especially the case in the context of global outward looking Britain in the era of Brexit.

For these weighty and just considerations, we provide a copy of this representation to the Rt Hon Dominic Raab, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in HM Government for his direct/personal attention and direct/personal response.  We will ensure Mr Raab receives this important communication directly through his campaign email address (as a parliamentarian and prospective re-elected Member of Parliament at this time of the General Election) as the .gov.uk website often does not provide direct government ministers official email addresses in an easy to access way.  This necessary because in practice Whitehall civil servants, who carry out important respected work, do not always have the same political sensitivities and UK diverse communities engagement expertise* (in this case with our own UK Nepali, and UK Indian communities, who are voters and taxpayers with the duties of support and direct engagement these two qualities require from politicians [compared to our civil servants]) and indeed sense of responsibility that our duly elected politicians / government ministers have.

The UKNFS records through this letter, it’s wishes for all success to and with NRNA demonstration and representation tomorrow (Monday 2^nd December) and that via the NRNA UK President a copy of this letter can be included with the NRNA representation to the Indian High Commission. We pledge our further continued support on this very important matter in regard to seeking effective, clear and timely support by the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) and Her Majesty’s Government Foreign Secretary.

Jai Nepal!

Hajurko Subhachintak

Alan Mercel-Sanca

Chief Executive Officer of the UK Nepal Friendship Society & UKNFS Team

* Evidencing this as both the NRNA UK and UKNFS are directly aware (and indeed many in Parliament and the community directly affected/divided), being the intra-community divisions that resulted needlessly from the de-facto divisive intervention with the Sikh community (perceived as taking sides with a 25% minority against the 75% majority) by some within the ONS concerning a potential Sikh community dedicated inclusion on the Census 2021 form.  This is why we refer to requested direct elected politician / Foreign Secretary level awareness and action on Kalapani, because our politicians have a wealth of direct communities engagement and duties relating to their own accountability through the electorate and taxpayers, that are wonting in the directions referred to.