The Maoist Insurgency in Nepal: 1996-2001
Abstract
The Maoist Insurgency in Nepal has lasted 6 years and has claimed the lives of 1600 people. Inspired by Peru's Shining Path' the insurgents believe that they are the advance guard of a second wave of world revolution that, having established its base in Nepal, will engulf India and then in turn subvert the World. Nepal sits between India and Chinese Tibet. Neither China nor India would allow a potentially hostile state to sit astride its mutual borders. The presence of such a state could lead to conflict between these regional nuclear powers and a communist Nepal could act as a base for world-wide insurgency in the same manner as Afghanistan. I intend to trace the genesis of Nepal's Maoists, to describe their ideology, method of operations and connections with World revolutionary movements. I intend to outline the campaign that has been fought to defeat them and compare its method with that of classic counter insurgency doctrine. I intend to identify the present position of the protagonists and describe how the issue has regional and therefore global significance, asking whether the West can afford to allow Nepal to become a failed state and to be the possible cause of conflict between the world's two most populous nuclear powers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 09, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA404405
Entities
Organizations
- United States Army War College