Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02KATHMANDU1853
2002-09-23 09:22:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:  

NEPAL'S MAOISTS ANNOUNCE NEW PROGRAM OF AGITATION

Tags:  PTER PGOV CASC NP 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001853 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/OP/NEA
LONDON FOR POL - RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2012
TAGS: PTER PGOV CASC NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL'S MAOISTS ANNOUNCE NEW PROGRAM OF AGITATION

REF: A. (A) KATHMANDU 1832


B. (B) KATHMANDU 1797

C. (C) KATHMANDU 1772

Classified By: POL PMAHONEY. REASON: 1.5 (B,D).

-------
SUMMARY
--------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001853

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/OP/NEA
LONDON FOR POL - RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2012
TAGS: PTER PGOV CASC NEPAL'>NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL'S MAOISTS ANNOUNCE NEW PROGRAM OF AGITATION

REF: A. (A) KATHMANDU 1832


B. (B) KATHMANDU 1797

C. (C) KATHMANDU 1772

Classified By: POL PMAHONEY. REASON: 1.5 (B,D).

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) Maoist insurgents, apparently hoping to keep up the
momentum from their successful September 16 general strike,
have announced a fresh campaign of agitation, including a
three-day general strike preceding scheduled national
Parliamentary elections in November. The press release,
dated September 21, also notes the Maoists' readiness to
resume negotiations and enter into a ceasefire if "a positive
political solution" to the conflict is found. Prime Minister
Sher Bahadur Deuba has expressed willingness to resume
negotiations with the insurgents in principle, but the
Maoists' shadowy organization and surreptitious methods leave
him unsure of which would-be mediators are authoritative
interlocutors. The burden remains on the Maoists to assure
the Government of the sincerity of their overtures. The
insurgents have released the pilot and passenger abducted
after the destruction of their helicopter September 19. The
Maoists have also released 200 students in eastern NEPAL's
Ramechhap District kidnapped from their school the same day.
End summary.

--------------
MAOISTS PROCLAIM MORE AGITATION,
THREE-DAY BANDH
--------------


2. (U) Apparently hoping to capitalize on the relative
success of their September 16 general strike, or "bandh" (Ref
B),the Maoists have announced a new program of agitation,
protests, and "mobilization," culminating in a three-day
nationwide bandh November 11-13 that coincides with the
beginning of national elections. The September 21 press
release, issued on behalf of the Maoists' central committee
by Maoist leaders Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai and deemed
authentic by media outlets, labels the November 13 elections
a feudal "conspiracy" and notes the "threat" of royal
intervention under Clause 127 of the Constitution (Ref C).
To protest against both the "sham" elections and the
possibility of royal intervention, the release announced the

following five-stage program:

Sept 22 - Oct. 6: Publicity/propaganda
Oct. 7 - Oct. 27: Regonal/local-level programs (not further
identified);
Oct. 27: Strike in Terai (southern plains area along Indian
border) and Tharuwan (southwestern districts of Banke,
Bardiya, Kailali, and Kanchanpur);
Oct. 28 - Nov. 10: "Vast public mobilization";
Nov. 11 - Nov. 13: NEPAL Bandh (nationwide general strike).


3. (U) The press release notes the Maoists' earlier calls
for "negotiation for an immediate political solution," and
asserted they remain open to resuming talks. "We guarantee
more flexibility and responsibility and would like to say if
a conducive solution is found, then we will be ready for a
ceasefire and will withdraw the programs scheduled." If,
however, "the feudal tyrannical rulers are obstinate . . we
will fight to the death and continue the scheduled programs."


--------------
PM OPEN TO TALKS IN PRINCIPLE,
BUT WHO TO TALK WITH?
--------------


4. (C) Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has told the
Ambassador he is open to resuming talks with the Maoists, but
remains uncertain which of numerous would-be interlocutors
can speak authoritatively for the Maoist leadership (Ref C).
Having been duped by the Maoists in talks last year, the PM
is doubly cautious this time. He fears the allusions to
talks may be no more than a ploy to buy time and to postpone
national elections he has pledged to hold on time. If the
Maoists genuinely want to negotiate, he reasons, they know
where to find him.

--------------
HELO PILOT, PASSENGER SAFE
--------------

5. (SBU) The pilot and passenger of a helicopter destroyed
by Maoist insurgents while on a humanitarian mission in
Solukhumbu District September 19 (Ref A) were set free late
the following day and have since returned to Kathmandu
safely. The pilot, Arun Malla, said his captors were mainly
teenage boys about 15-16 years of age who eventually
apologized for holding him. They explained they had a
mission to destroy all aircraft that could be used in
security operations against them and said they meant him no
personal harm. (Note: Security forces occasionally use
charter aircraft, especially helicopters. The helicopter
destroyed in this incident, however, was on a humanitarian
mission to airlift a sick man to Kathmandu to attend the
funeral of his wife. End note.)


6. (SBU) Malla said he was well treated during his brief
captivity, most of which was spent marching through dense
jungle. He overnighted with his captors in a
Maoist-controlled village, where he met the 27-year-old local
commander and was given a meal of potatoes. He was then
marched some distance the following day to neighboring
Khotang District, where he was able to call his family and
employers on his cell phone, advise them of his whereabouts,
and ask for a helicopter to pick him and his fellow captive
up. The Maoists then returned his wallet, which they had
confiscated earlier, and urged him to count the money to be
sure that it was all there. Karnali Air sent another
helicopter to the location, which landed without incident and
picked up the captives.


7. (SBU) The owner of Karnali Air, retired Army officer and
former MP Narayan Singh Pun, told us the loss of this
helicopter leaves only four in his inventory. (Note: The
Embassy relies upon Karnali for all its medevacs from the
Annapurna Circuit. Karnali is also one of just a few
companies capable of performing medevacs from the Everest
Base Camp. End note.) Another aviation source speculated
that insurance rates, already climbing because of the
insurgency, might be raised yet again, putting the ability of
private helo operators to continue air services in question.
A September 22 meeting chaired by Civil Aviation Minister Bal
Bahadur K.C. (who is from Solukhumbu District and, who,
according to local press, had personally requested the
hapless special flight),decided that no more helicopter
flights will take place to areas where the security
environment is inadequate.

--------------
RECRUITMENT RAID IN RAMECHHAP?
--------------


8. (U) On September 19 Maoists abducted approximately 200
people, including students and teachers from a village in
Ramechhap District in the east. The students ranged in age
from 12 to 16. According to the Ramechhap Chief District
Office (CDO),the captives were taken to Okhaldunga, a
neighboring district to the east. All of the captives were
later released and returned safely to Ramechhap the same
evening. No one at the CDO's Office could say why the
captives were taken to Okhaldunga or why they were abducted
in the first place, although there was some speculation that
the Maoists had may have wanted to recruit the abductees as
cadre.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


9. (C) Both the destruction of the helicopter and the
apparent mass abduction in Ramechhap are further indications
of the ever-deteriorating law and order situation in the
country, and demonstrate the continued brutal tactics of the
Maoists. The helicopter incident could further limit our
ability to medevac sick AmCits from remote locations. The
Maoists' announcement of their campaign intensifies
pre-election pressure on the Government of NEPAL (GON),
already under fire from other political parties, to re-engage
in talks. Until the Maoists can demonstrate the seriousness
of this latest offer, however, the PM will be hard pressed to
take them up on it. Having let the Maoists know that he is
open to talks under the right conditions, the Prime Minister
has put the burden back on the insurgents to prove their
sincerity.
MALINOWSKI