Security Sector Reform and Peacebuilding in Nepal: A Critical Reflection

Abstract

The Nepalese monarchy has always relied on the military to consolidate its power both against growing popular opposition and during violent uprisings. The issue of security sector reform and the role of the monarchy have therefore been at the core of the debate about conflict transformation and peacebuilding. This article attempts to critically analyse the political dynamics after the birth of Nepal's Maoist insurgency and its influence on the role of civil society and the parliamentary political parties in the popular struggle for democracy. It also examines how internal security in Nepal is threatened by the efforts of India, China and the United States to secure a role for the monarchy in a future political system.