Former Deputy PM Bhim Bahadur Rawal raises questions over remarks by German ambassador about ‘fake news’ on MCC

Dubbing the remarks as ‘deceitful’ and ‘pugnacious’, Bhim Rawal has said that the statements violate the diplomatic norms.

NL Today

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Kathmandu: Former Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal Bhim Bahadur Rawal, commenting on recent remarks by the German Ambassador to Nepal on fake news on MCC, has said the German envoy’s statement has violated the dignity of Nepal. 

On Friday, Ambassador of Germany to Nepal Dr Thomas Prinz, had claimed the involvement of Beijing in spreading fake news against the Millenium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact–a grant project funded by the United States government.

Nepal Live Today had covered the  news story on the issue. Taking to social media, Rawal, a communist leader who firmly stands against the MCC project, has fiercely criticized the remarks. 

“Such pugnacious statements not only violate diplomatic norms but also attack the dignity and independence of Nepal. Such slanderous and arrogant utterances against Nepal and its patriotic people are completely refutable and despicable,” he wrote on Facebook and  Twitter.  

Citing examples from his own home country, Germany, the US and Taiwan, the German ambassador had said that journalism in Nepal is also under threat of fake news. “I remember the campaign against MCC last year. There were a lot of fake news reports. It was even written that MCC coming to Nepal was a kind of American occupation and that soldiers would come here to Nepal and Nepal would lose its independence,” the ambassador had said.

[Related: European diplomat faults China for spreading fake news against MCC in Nepal]

According to Rawal, the ambassador’s utterances have raised several questions. “Does he [the ambassador] even know about a dozen unequal agreements signed with the MCC?” Rawal questioned. 

“If he thinks that Germany has every right to protect its national interest and independence, then how hypocritical is it to expect Nepal to meekly surrender its national interests in subservience to foreign power?,” questioned Rawal.

“Two US ministers have publicly stated that MCC is a part of the US Indo-Pacific Strategy. Moreover, shortly after the ratification of the MCC agreement, Nepali people and the parliament rejected the US State Partnership Program associated with the US Indo-Pacific Strategy. In light of these facts, on what basis does he defend MCC agreement?,” Rawal has further questioned.

Rawal has also raised a question about the motive of the German envoy. “What hidden agenda leads him to falsely condemn the Nepali public opinion expressed for the best interest of Nepal, cynically terming it as “fake news” spread by China? Contrary to his claim, Nepali media had widely reported that MCA-Nepal had distributed money to various media to sway public opinion,” Rawal wrote.

Rawal has also challenged the German envoy to disprove the reports of the task force led by former Prime Minister and respected leader of Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) Jhalanath Khanal on MCC. “Can he disprove any statements regarding the MCC agreements made by the report of the Task Force led by former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal as well as several valid points against the agreements publicly raised by intellectuals, people’s representatives and common people?,” Rawal has questioned.  “He obviously cannot, which is why he avoids talking about the actual controversial points about the agreement and instead resorts to slander and divination,” he has written.