Under Siege
Following a spate of attacks, abductions, extortion and even killings of members of their fraternity, the business community, as a whole, has been feeling the worst phase of insecurity and uncertainty. In a span of two week, one businessman was shot at while another was stabbed to death by unknown assailants in the heart of capital city. In the last one year alone, fifteen businessmen were killed while over three dozen were abducted/assaulted. In the foreboding feeling of anxiety, the business community has been warning of an eminent collapse of the entire business enterprises if the situation is not corrected at the soonest. This week they took to the streets to press their point home. In hundreds, they chanted slogans and demanded security. They have threatened all out agitation including non-payment of taxes in case the authorities fail to ensure their security any longer
By SANJAYA DHAKAL
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Balaju industrial estate: Business enterprise surffering from insecurity |
On February 26, Shashi Kanta Agrawal was shot and injured when unidentified assailants opened fire at the vehicle he was traveling to his home at Naya Baneshwore. He sustained bullet wounds in his leg. Agrawal survived what was described as an attempt on his life.
Kiran Gupta was not so lucky. Wife of entrepreneur Roshan Gupta who ran Pashupati Shoe Center in Guchha Tole of New Road, she was repeatedly stabbed by unknown assailants. On February 29 night, a group of the assailants pounced on Gupta couple and demanded money. As Roshan tried to tell them that he has kept his money elsewhere, they started stabbing the couple. Kiran died of the wounds.
These are but few examples of the continuous incidents of assaults against businessmen. In the last year alone, according to the data made available by the Federation of Nepalese Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), fifteen businessmen have been killed while over three dozens were assaulted/abducted.
Cornered to a point of exasperation, the businessmen came out en masse, on Monday (March 3), chanting slogans against the government and raising demands for security.
"Just last week, we had asked the government to take action against those involved in shooting at Shashi Kanta Agrawal. Three days later, Kiran Gupta was killed. Is that the government's reply to us?" charged Binod Chaudhary, president of Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI).
Chanting slogans against the government, the businessmen expressed commitment to stay united. They vented their anger against what they called as 'ineffective home administration.'
"We will be united. If the government does not pay heed to our call, we can stop paying taxes," said Kush Kumar Joshi, vice president of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).
Participated by a wide section of the community, the rally held at Basantapur was a repeat of what the FNCCI had organized a year ago at the same venue. Last year, the business community had poured into the streets following a series of assaults against the members of the community by the Maoist-affiliated trade unions and Young Communist League (YCL).
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Business leaders hold rally: Wanted security |
"It is unfortunate that we have to come here again in a year. Last year, the seven parties had given us written assurances about our security. But it has not materialized. Day by day, we are further victimized," said FNCCI president Chandi Raj Dhakal.
"We suffered from hours and hours of load shedding. We accepted it silently. We suffered from continued fuel scarcity, we accepted it again. But when it comes to the security of our lives and when it comes to the atmosphere of conducting business, we cannot watch it helplessly," Dhakal added.
Handing over a memorandum to the Prime Minister, the FNCCI has demanded immediate guarantee of the security of their fraternity.
The memorandum urges the government to create industrial peace and security to prevent further demoralization of business community, which it says has led to blockade of new investment and accelerated the capital flight.
It has said that the government should seriously pay attention to the growth of such untoward activities at a time when the country is heading towards the Constituent Assembly (CA) election.
Desperate Lot
Killed in 2064:
Rajeev Shrestha, Lalitpur (Unknown group)
Ajaya Chaurasiya, Birgunj (Unknown group)
Surbir Shrestha, Kathmandu (Unknown group)
Praveen Agrawal, Lalitpur (Unknown group)
Jung Bahadur Thakur, Birgunj (Unknown group)
Paras Pathak, Kapilbastu (Unknown group)
Tej Narayan Mahato, Kapilbastu (Unknown group)
Khadka Bahadur Shrestha, Dhanusha (Terai Tiger)
Manohar Kumar Shrestha, Birgunj (JTMM)
Biswa Nath, Bhaktapur (Unknown group)
Sapta Raj Shakya, Kathmandu (Unknown group)
Deepak Thapa, Gorkha (Unknown group)
Shrawan Kumar Shah Kanu, Bara (Unknown group)
Keshab Bahadur Gurung, Butwal (JTMM-G)
Kiran Rauniyar, Kathmandu (Unknown group)
Bombs exploded:
New Anil Textiles, Bara (Unknown group)
Kabadi Collection Center, Sunsari (Unknown group)
37 others were abducted/assaulted
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Caught between rock and the hard place, the businessmen have suffered from a number of problems of late.
The militant trade unionism bull-dozed by the pro-Maoist workers; the continuous bandh in crucial Terai region; rise of violence in restive south; and growing extortion racket had kept them on their toes.
As the persistent political instability further hurt their morale, there has come a spate of targeted attacks against them.
"We have reached a point where we have no option but to wrap up our businesses," said Rajendra Khetan, an industrialist.
He pointed at the unprecedented level of insecurity and fear among the business community and urged the authorities to carry out their duty.
Khetan says that the government must roll up its sleeves and give priority to the concerns of the business sector. The dominance of political issues have pushed the private sector's concern to the backside, he feels.
"The government must deal with the criminals in appropriate manner. This is becoming too much," said Diwakar Golchha, vice president of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).
Nepal Police, on its part, has been saying that it does not receive enough cooperation from businessmen to deal with abductions and kidnappings.
Last week, the police busted what it said as a major kidnapping racket active. Amar Tandon and his chief accomplice Ram Kumar Pyakurel were arrested by the police team led bySuperintendent of Police Devendra Subedi. The racket is believed to be behind high profile cases of kidnappings in the valley in last one year. Tandon's gang is said to have carried out at least 15 kidnappings including that of businessman Mahesh Murarka.
The gang used to carry out kidnappings for ransoms of hundreds of thousands of rupees. The police informed that the gang had, till date, collected Rs
26.9 million in ransom. The gang was well organized and operated trans-nationally – Tandon was based in Mumbai and they received ransom money by laundering money.
What Next?
The government had promised to float a separate Industrial Security Force (ISF) to ensure security for the industrial and business community.
But that promise has not materialized even after years. Each time the business community approaches the government requesting security, the government tries to placate them by assuring of forming ISF soon.
Behind their backs, the authorities have cited lack of resources to float such a force. Business community is angered by the government's vacant promises.
"If they do not have resources, they can approach the business community, which is ready and willing to do its utmost to raise funds for the purpose. It is inappropriate to sideline this issue for a prolonged period," said a businessman.
At a time when the government is preparing to hold the election for Constituent Assembly (CA) on April 10, the continued insecurity haunting the business community does not send a positive message regarding its claim of creating conducive atmosphere for polls.
Observers have said that while the government is naturally concentrated on the issue of holding election, it will be a folly to cast a blind eye to the issue of private sector. After all, after April 10, there will be April 11 and nobody wants to wake up that morning realizing that the entire industrial sector has been totally paralyzed.
