Nepalese Borderland Community as State’s Partner in Border Protection

Abstract

Nepal in the current domestic and foreign state of affairs, finds itself at a peculiar threshold concerning national security, particularly with the recent events surrounding border disputes with India. In this regard, the article based on qualitative approaches such as interviews, extensive literature review and the researcher’s long-standing experience as a security personnel highlights the strategic importance of the borderland population and argues that these communities are unique in their political position as citizens, particularly in relation to the state’s sovereignty. The article in doing so puts the spotlight on the borderland communities who are often overlooked in majority of the literature dealing with the Nepal- India border issues. As global and national experience indicate, the borderland community as allies of the state can be important partners in national security and border protection. Alternatively, the state’s dereliction of duty over these strategically important populations will prove detrimental to the state’s security, territorial integrity and sovereignty. The Nepalese state should, therefore, urgently focus on the borderland community through programs and policies that can help reduce their grievances and build trust with the state.