Kalapani region is Nepal's territory: govt

Kathmandu, Nov. 6

Kalapani region is Nepal's territory, the government said on Wednesday.

The government's statement came against the recent Indian map, published four days ago, that showed Kalapani in the Indian territory.

Publishing a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the border issues must be settled in the bilateral consent.

"Unilateral decision on the issue is not acceptable to Nepal," it said.

It also expressed its concerns to the news and comments about the new Indian map published on Saturday and the Kalapani area.

It said that Foreign Minister-level meetings of the joint-commissions of the two neighbours have given responsibility of settling the border disputes between Nepal and India to the foreign secretaries of the two countries. They will settle the issue with the suggestions from the technicians assigned to the tasks.  

The government has reiterated its commitment to secure the international borders of the country and said that the issue would be resolved through diplomatic approach on the basis of historical documents and facts.

Dr. Rajan Bhattarai, Foreign Affairs Advisor to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, said that the government wanted the Indian army back from Kalapani, the area which was occupied since 1962.

Speaking at a programme in the capital on Wednesday, Dr. Bhattarai said that the government was conscious to move ahead with effective initiative to resolve the issue.

"The issue should be settled with the reference to historical facts and past agreements between the two countries. Diplomatic channels should be used for it," he said.

There were protests in multiple locations in the country against the Indian map.

Objectionable and unacceptable: NC

The main opposition party, the Nepali Congress, and Sajha Party have also expressed serious concerns to the distorted Indian map that claims Kalapani region as its territory and demanded immediate action from the government.

"Kalapani and Lipu Lek are the integral parts of Nepal. Any question to Nepal's soil is objectionable and unacceptable," NC Spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma tweeted on Wednesday.

Similarly, Sajha party has termed the map as a direct interference to Nepal's sovereignty and integrity and said it was against the international law.

It stated that the recent Indian move could be counterproductive to the bilateral relations between Nepal and India at a time when the two were trying to strengthen it and aiming to take to newer heights.

It has urged the government to publish the progress made in constructing the pillars at the border, technology used in the survey, historical facts and maps in order to inform the people about it.

“We think that the government and all political parties should stand together in the sensitive issue that is related to the country's sovereignty and geographical integrity,” it said in a statement.

Likewise, former Prime Minister and Chair of the ruling Nepal Communist Party Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda said that he had expressed concerns to Indian PM Narendra Modi over the agreement between India and China on Lipu Lek about four years back, during his visit to India as the PM.

"We don't agree to such steps. It must be corrected," he said while speaking with journalists in Dang.

What is Lipu Lek issue?

Although the Indian forces are occupying Nepal's Kalapani for the last 57 years, Lipu Lek issue came to limelight when India and China agreed to 'to hold negotiation on augmenting the list of traded commodities, and expand border trade at Nathu La, Qiangla/Lipu-Lekh Pass and Shipki La' in 2015.

Lipu Lek is one of the potential border points that can be used in enhancing the trade between Nepal and Tibet.

It is the origin of the Mahakali River, the point which is mentioned as the Nepal-India border in the Sugaulai Treaty. But India has been claiming Limpiadhura, with 5,532 metre height from sea level, as the origin of the river.

According to border experts, Nepal would lose more than 350 square kilometer area if the country subscribed the Indian map as it mentions the Pankhagad River near Tinkar Pass, which is further east from Limpiadhura, as the border.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 7 November 2019.