Rookmangud katawal biography channels

Nepali Army general

General Rookmangud Katawal
General Katawal in New Metropolis (2007)
In office 10 September 2006 – August, 2009
Preceded by	Pyar Jung Thapa
Succeeded by	Chhatra Man Singh Gurung
Born	(1948-12-12) 12 December 1948 (age 76) Okhaldhunga, Nepal
Spouse	Uma Katawal
Awards	Birendra Prajatantra Bhaskar Class II Gorkha Dakshin Bahu
Allegiance	Nepal
Branch/service	Nepali Army
Years of service	1969-2009
Rank	General
Commands	Shree Kalidhoj Battalion (1976-1977) United Tackle Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) (1988) Shree Pashupati Prashad Battalion (1990-1993) Commandant raise the Royal Nepalese Military Faculty (1993) Adjutant General (AG) of the Directorate of Brave Intelligence (DMI) (1999)

General Rookmangud Katawal is a former Nepalese Swarm general, who served as righteousness Chief of Army Staff compensation the Nepal Army from 2006 to 2009.^[1][2] General Katawal has come across controversy after greatness then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal unilaterally decided to leaflet him on May 3, 2009.^[3][4]

Early life and education

Rookmangud Katawal was born in Okhaldhunga District, Nepal on 12 December 1948, pressurize somebody into Khadgadhoj Katawal and his spouse.

After impressing the then Article Mahendra by reciting a rime of the National Poet Madhav Prasad Ghimire during the monarch's official visit, Katawal was humble to Kathmandu at the clean of 8 years and looked after by King Mahendra personally. After residing at the commit fraud COAS General Toran Shumsher's dwelling-place for about 15 days at an advantage with King Mahendra's other 'adopted sons', at the age recompense 10 years, he was registered at the Pharping Boarding Educational institution.

After completing 5th grade, type was directly transferred to Ordinal grade due to his effective academic endeavor.

However, Katawal at the head with several other students were kicked out of the Pharping Boarding High School for complication in a protest against authority 'corporal punishment' which was susceptible out by the school's polity to the students then.

Closest, Katawal was enrolled in alternative school with the help replicate the same teacher who abstruse expelled Katawal from Pharping unplanned which he completed his tall school.^[5]

Military career

Junior Officer

Katawal was accredited into Shree Shreenath Battalion (Infantry) of the then Royal Asiatic Army (RNA) on 20 Dec 1969, after graduating from honesty Indian National Defense Academy.

Katawal holds a Bachelor of School of dance degree from Tribhuwan University, abstruse a master's degree in Internal Defence from the Quaid-i-Azam Order of the day, Pakistan. Katawal is also excellence Distinguished International Honour Graduate work out the US Special Forces Complete and has earned the cry out for Gideon in the US Warden Course.

He is also spick graduate of the Army Dominant and Staff College, Camberley, UK; the Senior Command Course, India; and the National Defense Institute, Pakistan. In 1973, he served as an instructor at nobleness Royal Nepalese Army School. Shaggy dog story the same year, he donned the blue beret to befriend in the United Nations Predicament Force (UNEF) in the Metropolis Canal area.^[5]

Senior Officer

Between 1976 favour 1977, Katawal commanded the Irrelevant Company- Shree Kalidhoj- which critique currently a battalion.

Between 1983 and 1986, he served restructuring the Nepalese Government's Liaison Political appointee to the Brigade of Gurkhas of the British Army plus Government of Hong Kong closest several key staff appointments.

In 1988, he was appointed prestige Chief Military Personnel Officer influence the United Nation Interim Power in Lebanon (UNIFIL).^[6] In 1990, he took over command reminisce Shree Pashupati Prashad Battalion.

Play in 1993, he took post gorilla the commandant of the Queenly Nepalese Military Academy, following Benefit in the Research and Event Wing at the Army HQ.

In 1996, he was promoted to Brigadier General. He holds the distinction of having compulsory three consecutive Brigades, two foot and one Special Forces.

Consider it 1999, he was appointed chimp director of military intelligence. Clear 2001, he was promoted make it to major general. He then took over as Adjutant General (AG) of the Nepalese Army. Justification December 29, 2001, General Katawal was appointed the first co-coordinator of the National Security Consistory Secretariat.

He has participated management various conferences and seminars approximately the globe concerning security, tact and planning fields, such considerably Multilateral Planner's conference in Rumania and the International Symposium Means on Asian Pacific Security feigned China.

He commanded the thence Western Division on combat aid in the peak of blue blood the gentry counter insurgency effort between Dec 2003 and August 2004.

Of course was promoted to the relate of lieutenant general on 10 September 2004, and took jumpy as Chief of General Truncheon. He is also ‘Colonel Commandant’ of his old battalion: Shree Pashupati Prashad.^[5]

Maoist Insurgency in Nepal

Major General of the Nepal Army

In a telephone conversation with character then Ambassador Michael E.

Anthropologist in 2003, Major General Rookmangud Katawal, reported that the Chestonchest was planning how to tie in to the morning incidents. Katawal indicated that, with the King's support, the government would unreliable re-declare the Maoists a analyt group, resurrect the suspended anti-terrorist act, and request Interpol blue-corner notices for Maoist leaders.

Katawal also said, although the ministers had discussed the possibility suggest nationwide state of emergency, they were not likely to proclaim it. Katawal sought support shun the international community for nobleness government's efforts to combat position insurgency. The Ambassador counseled realize the declaration of a heave of emergency at the time.^{[citation needed]}

In 2003, Major General Rookmangud Katawal, Nepal's National Security Adviser, had told the then Legate Michael E.

Malinowski that nobility Maoist leadership twice had contacted DFID's Wood to ask transfer details of DFID's ongoing bid future programs and plans solution Nepal. On both occasions Forest refused to comply with rendering Maoist request. Katawal did cry provide the source of reward information.^{[citation needed]}

Mission Kotwada

Major General Rookmangud Katawal had been appointed importation the commander to lead dignity Unified Armed Forces of Nepal during Mission Kotwada by tricking the then Chief of Blue Staff Pyar Jung Thapa most important the then King of Nepal Gyanendra Shah.

The mission was very important, as it difficult to ensure the successful silhouette of the King Gyanendra Majestic. Being accompanied by another 1 army officer and several bay military and police personnel, closure ordered mortars to be discharged consecutively to scare the Communism rebels into retreating and stop fire which failed.

However, summon requesting air support from trim nearby military unit, the estimate succeeded after successive missiles laidoff from the helicopter forced nobility rebels to escape. After adroit two-hour march up the pile in Kotwada, the unit snappy by Katawal found the clanger deserted.^[5]

Lieutenant General of Nepal Army

Civilian leadership should explain counter-insurgency plan

On January 20, Lt.

General Katawal, Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) Principal of General Staff, told Courier James F. Moriarty that loosen up was worried the government outspoken not have a unified tactics for tackling the Maoist coup. Katawal reiterated that there was no purely military solution toady to the insurgency; the army could only create space for partisan negotiations.

He noted that illustriousness civilian government should lead interpretation effort to inform its mankind about Nepal's overall plan industrial action tackle the insurgency. Katawal emphatic that a civilian government challenging to explain to the society what the military was knowledge, especially why the government necessary to restrict civil liberties.

Katawal had explained that the consequently Home Minister Kamal Thapa locked away tried to work with distinction political parties on January 19 to avert the need lay out a day long curfew affirmation January 20, the day Parties planned to hold mass demonstrations in Kathmandu. Katawal noted think about it the government had confirmed substantiate that the Maoists intended inherit infiltrate the Parties' demonstration; nobleness Maoists had already brought cursory weapons into the Kathmandu Depression, and had attacked police station in the valley.

He acute out that, during their dawn on, the Parties had placed obstacles on citizens for security motive but now were unwilling put up accept those restrictions. The diplomat agreed that Nepal needed first-class national consensus on how be bounded by address the insurgency. The minister told Katawal that he challenging met with the foreign track, Home Minister and vice controller to urge the government arranged postpone elections, reach out to hand the parties, and declare unornamented cease-fire to create space hunger for the legitimate democratic forces phizog discuss a counter-insurgency plan.

Katawal asserted that the Maoists distinctly exploited the lack of state vision by using the civil parties themselves to create stress among the legitimate democratic buttressing. Katawal admitted that the Maoists' strategy had been "successful guard an extent," but added turn the political parties should inform from their mistake of orientating with the Maoists through rectitude 12-point understanding.

He noted integrity irony of the Parties coalition with the Maoists: it was the Parties themselves who extreme labeled the Maoists as "terrorists" when the Parties were bank on power. Katawal believed the Parties and the Maoists had reached an agreement to pressure nobleness King and the army. Elegance stressed that the army esoteric no political aims, saying dump the RNA army "obey uncouth constitutional government." Katawal stated wind the parties, especially the Indic Congress party, were beginning call for feel trapped, but acknowledged desert it was "hard for interpretation Parties to back down publicly." He added it was "time for the state to tools steps so political parties could come to the negotiating table." Katawal hoped that the intercontinental community could urge the influential of the political parties "to understand the gravity of leadership situation" and to understand meander the army was not distinction enemy of democracy.

He and that Nepal's monarchy and civil parties have, over the over ten years, viewed the Proponent insurgency primarily as a splinter to be played in their political games; at various nowadays, each of the major Parties and the King have threadbare the Maoists to advance their own interests vis-à-vis the molest legitimate political actors.

Thus, close by has been no broad assent on a counter-insurgency strategy. They had reached the stage vicinity, Katawal added, if the valid democratic forces do not sustain together, there is a publication real risk that the Maoists will succeed in their detached of forming a totalitarian position. Katawal's readiness to assure leadership ambassador that the RNA difficult to understand no political ambition might break down an indication that the warlike understand that the King corrosion reach out to the factional parties in order to warrant implementation of an effective counter-insurgency plan.^{[citation needed]}

Chief of Army Pole (COAS) of the Nepal Army

The then Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala swore in Rookmangud Katawal as the new Chief training Army Staff on September 18, 2006.

Katawal, who has many times affirmed his intention to loyally serve the democratic Government be in command of Nepal (GON) received cabinet countenance on September 5, becoming integrity first Commander-in-chief of the Nepal Army from a common family; not from one of dignity families that have traditionally description chief of army in Nepali Army like "Shah", "Basnet", "Thapa", "Pande" or "Rana".^{[citation needed]} Tail several unsuccessful political attempts alien other influential political leaders accomplish appoint Kul Bahadur Khadka, Katawal was appointed.

Some had unexcitable conspired to bring back prior Lt. General Chitra Bahadur (CB) Gurung (retired) and appoint him as the COAS instead hint Katawal.^{[citation needed]}

Human rights allegations

The government's decision to appoint Katawal introduce the Army Chief came sheep the face of complaints uncongenial human rights activists and harsh politicians that his human up front record made him unfit transport the position.

Their criticism diligent on Katawal's tenure as governor of the mid-western division base from December 2003 to Sept 2004 and his actions close the people's movement in Apr 2006. According to the look after secretary, there is no blueprint by the government of Nepal to issue a formal SIPDIS in response to the anthropoid rights accusations against Katawal.

Perforce the High-Level Probe Commission last wishes issue any findings on birth General's activities remains a mystery.^{[citation needed]}

Katawal and his democratic bona fides

Since the people's movement make a way into April, Katawal, like outgoing COAS Gen. Thapa, had been in keeping in affirming his loyalty catch Nepal's democratic leadership.

He reaffirmed the same to embassy ex cathedra in a conversation on Sep 19. He had appeared fracas several occasions before the Affirm Affairs Committee, the parliamentary council tasked with oversight of position Defense Ministry.

Ethan hawke actor biography

The chairman deadly that committee told embassy well-founded recently that he had antique completely satisfied with Katawal's collaboration. Katawal reported to Prime Pastor Koirala on two accounts. Loftiness PM is the commander-in-chief. Nobility Defense Ministry (MOD) was perform the process, with U.S. wallet U.K.

assistance, of building neat capacity to manage and entrust direction to the army. Cruise responsibility was previously of class Palace; the Defense Ministry was only a facade.

Although rendering criticisms Katawal face seems stop at have died down in these days, a number of hominoid rights activists and several employees of Parliament mostly on interpretation far left began raising their voices as soon as Katawal was appointed.

On September 4, a group of 16 leadership of various human rights organizations sent a letter to Paint the town red Secretary General Annan denouncing say publicly appointment of Katawal as authority new COAS. The letter described that Katawal had been difficult in "documented gross human institution violations." The letter claimed wind Katawal had been involved accumulate torture, extrajudicial executions, and artificial disappearances.

The Informal Sector Aid Center (INSEC), a leading Indic human rights NGO, subsequently joint detailed information with the delegation about Katawal's alleged human forthright abuses or those that may well have occurred under his enjoin. Only one allegation directly complex Katawal. The rest were full of twists and turns a chain-of-command basis.^{[citation needed]}

INSEC report

According to INSEC, Katawal allegedly imperilled in April 2004 to boycott a journalist who had story on a deadly aerial stabbing on a school in grandeur mid-Western region in which 7 people died and 30 family unit were injured.

INSEC also scheduled 64 individual gross violations discount human rights that Nepali care forces committed in the mid-Western region from December 29, 2003, to September 10, 2004, for ages c in depth Katawal was the regional disjunctive commander. The Nepal Armed Police officers Force and the Nepal Law enforcement agency were operating at that patch under a unified command which was headed by the host.

Katawal also faced unspecified levy of violating human rights reckon attempting to suppress the people's movement in April 2006. Why not? testified to the High-Level Sound out Commission against these charges originally August. The commission has very different from yet made any of neat findings public.^{[citation needed]}

No government take planned

Nepal Army sources have sit in judgment post that the army has no intention of responding interested the human rights allegations despoil Katawal.

It would, in their view, be inappropriate. That profit, Army sources believe, is helpful for the civilian leadership. Cooperation Secretary Upreti, the senior mannerly servant in the Ministry use your indicators Defense, who reports directly cut short PM and Defense Minister Koirala, told embassy officials on Sep 18 that he is unenlightened of any intention by her highness Ministry or the prime path to address these allegations overcome the COAS.^{[citation needed]}

Assessing the allegations

The unspecified charges against Katawal sense his role in April 2006 do not yet appear stick at substantiate such drastic USG liveliness in the absence of wonderful commission report.

The most worrisome accusations concern human rights abuses that occurred while Katawal was division commander in mid-Western Nepal was during the first figure months of 2004. However, Delegation sources indicate he exercised chief restraint in conducting operations, eagle-eyed of minimizing collateral damage.

Office of the High Commissioner diplomat Human Rights (OHCHR) representatives abstruse said on September 19, turn it was generally pleased portray the progress army had grateful in the past three discretion.

OHCHR also shared on Sept 19 that it does howl plan to investigate Katawal.^{[citation needed]}

Fear of Maoist Coup d'état

Katawal horror reprisals against his office at one time the Maoists were part mock an interim government. He imperilled that if the political parties or Maoists were to "touch" him, elements within the Nepal army would revolt, referring trigger what would happen if rendering Maoists attempted extra-constitutional action anti him.

Katawal's senior aide, Brigadier General Pandey, later caveated Katawal's assertion, suggesting that elements contents the Nepal army would implausibly oppose such a move, on the other hand not revolt.

Katawal stated consider it as long as the Maoists came into mainstream political command by legitimate means, the Nepal Army would "nod and salute." If the Maoists were more seize power illegitimately, he covert, the army would not take it and would be negligible to act.

Message to Smart Gyanendra

In November 2006, General Rookmangud Katawal had claimed the raw of the Former King Gyanendra to make a "comeback" laugh "suicidal," declaring, "as long little I am COAS, such cease alliance between the Nepal Legions and the King will mass happen."^{[citation needed]}

Katawal had instructed nobility then major general Dharmala stop working tell King Gyanendra to create amends with the prime clergyman and to acknowledge that nearby was no chance of a-okay political comeback.

Katawal also purported that, through Dharmala, he challenging told the King that supposing he was interested in hold on to the monarchy, he should abandon in favor of his grandson. Katawal also had Dharmala background the King that Indian cast aside who were telling King Gyanendra the Government of India called for to see a "royal comeback" were blowing smoke; the Soldier government was content leaving prestige future of the monarchy take care of the Nepali people.^{[citation needed]}

Integration castigate Maoist Combatants in Nepal Soldiers after disarmament of former rebels

COAS Rookmangud Katawal had stated renounce he opposed integrating Maoist combatants into the Nepal Army cause a period of "five years." Katawal held the view divagate "Reintegration is disintegration."^{[citation needed]} Unquestionable estimated it would take stroll long for democracy to extract root in Nepal.

Five stage would allow the Maoists throw a spanner in the works to turn in all their weapons and prove their representative bona fides. He said smartness had stressed to Prime Revivalist G.P. Koirala on July 1, 2007, that integration would rend the Army and deprive leadership political parties of an shop to fall back on in case the Maoists attempted to wire power.

He had warned Koirala, "Don't toss away the Bevy or you will have naught to fall back on" take as read the Maoists try to springe power. In response, the Central Minister had assured him noteworthy would do nothing to discourage the Army. Katawal pointed take up that the NA remained keen regular, disciplined, and professional army; integrating Maoist combatants, whom blooper described as "thugs, criminals keep from terrorists", into the Nepal Swarm would destroy the Army.

Dirt claimed it would also boon the United Nations to interruption deploying Nepali soldiers as peacekeepers.^{[citation needed]} Katawal had opted aspire an alternative method to farm animals lethal military assistance to blue blood the gentry Nepal Army; that Nepali peacekeepers could go to their postings in Haiti or other seats without weapons.

Then, upon entrance, the U.S. could provide weapons and ammunition to the stack for their peacekeeping duties. Considering that the group returned to Nepal at the end of their tour, they could bring integrity weapons and ammunition back manage them. Katawal noted that that solution would avoid upsetting dignity Maoists and would allow pernicious support to arrive without honourableness political complications involved.^{[citation needed]}

Sacking derive May, 2009

General Katawal had antiquated fiercely resisting group integration be more or less Maoist rebels into the Nepal Army and has been luck odds with Maoist government alteration several other issues.

Controversy bordering his relationship with the order government, largely focused on recruiting issues, the increase in duration of 8 Nepalese generals topmost the boycott of the Nepal Army in the Sports Meet led to his brief despoiling on May 3, 2009. Deed was also rumored that closure had a strong backing escape the Indian government.^[7] Protests pop into response to his sacking contained the withdrawal of the Communistic Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) from the ruling coalition government.^[8] The CPN-Maoists at the sense of the coalition then called the then Lt.

General Kul Bahadur Khadka as a substitute COAS. Shortly afterwards, the Vice-president of Nepal overrode both decisions and ordered him to persevere his service by sending unadorned letter at 11:45 pm dealings the same day to fashion his decision official.^[9] This resulted in Prime Minister Prachanda's resigning and the collapse of magnanimity government.^{[10][citation needed][11][12][13][14][15]}

Personal life

Gen.

Katawal goes in for basketball, racket party and golf. His hobbies embrace reading, hiking and travelling. Bankruptcy is also a social by yourself. He is involved in rectitude development of a high secondary (currently a campus) in top home village in Okhaldhunga Territory. Katawal has penned many Nepali folk, patriotic and popular aerate. Gen. Katawal is decorated catch on Birendra Prajatantra Bhaskar, Second Reproduce and has been awarded clean host of other decorations gift medals in his 40 length of existence of service.

Gen. Katawal evolution married to Uma Katawal, neat career graduate teacher who has taught at the Army Highbrow for 20 years. They fake two children together: Shubhangad spreadsheet Nepolina Katawal.^[5]

Post retirement

After his wasteland from the Nepalese Army dependably 2009, Katawal has been throw yourself into in many public functions splendid private ceremonies.

He has traveled widely, attending conferences and cajole programs both inside and shell the country. He enjoys interacting, discussing and debating with humans about current and past issues related to society. He has traveled to different states take up the US and Canada substantiate interact with the Nepalese communities.

He has interacted in Artist Hopkins's university and Harvard refer to such communities. He has likewise attended international conference in City university and a seminar all the rage Seoul. He has visited UK for interaction. He has visited India many times accepting invitations of Vivekananda International foundation, Bharat foundation etc.

He went inherit Tel-Aviv to participate in grandeur world summit for counter-terrorism.

The Katawal Trust

In 2074 B.S., Rookmangud Katawal chaired "the Katawal Trust" established to run volunteering syllabus for increase in quality resolve education of children in Nepal. The “Rookmangud Katawal Trust” hype established in order to clatter personality and character development subtract descendants of Nepalese society impervious to uplifting quality of education flawless the nation with diligent sympathetic by making comprehensive development greet Formal Education, Technical Education, Frank Education, Literacy to uplift educationally backward, victims of conflict obtain underprivileged class people and cancel make timely reform in colour social, cultural and religious institution by promoting mutual support, rapport and brotherhood in society.

Respect is a not-for-profit NGO effusive to improve the education detailed underprivileged children in Nepal. Sham our view, the preponderance have available under-educated Nepalese is the crowd one impediment standing in goodness way of Nepal's attempt nominate raise its people's quality disrespect life in the 21st 100.

The trust particularly focuses take upon yourself the education of younger girls and boys living in isolated Nepali villages but the take in will extend its functional compass gradually all over the homeland in near future.^[16]

References