Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02KATHMANDU380
2002-02-19 11:12:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
PM URGES RATIFICATION OF EMERGENCY IN SHADOW OF
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000380
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SA/INS
LONDON FOR RIEGEL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER NP
SUBJECT: PM URGES RATIFICATION OF EMERGENCY IN SHADOW OF
ACHHAM INCIDENTS
REF(S): (A) KATHMANDU 0377 (B) KATHMANDU 0379;
(C) KATHMANDU 0333
---------
SUMMARY
---------
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000380
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SA/INS
LONDON FOR RIEGEL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER NP
SUBJECT: PM URGES RATIFICATION OF EMERGENCY IN SHADOW OF
ACHHAM INCIDENTS
REF(S): (A) KATHMANDU 0377 (B) KATHMANDU 0379;
(C) KATHMANDU 0333
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. Parliament reconvened in the late afternoon of Feb.
18 after angry Opposition MPs had disrupted an earlier
session, demanding Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba,
rather than the Home Minister, take the podium to report
on the Maoist attacks in Achham (Ref A) the previous
day. In his address the PM also urged ratification of
the state of emergency, allowing its continuation for
another three months. Suggested press guidance on the
attacks in Achham follows in Para 6 below. End summary.
--------------
PM ASKS PARLIAMENT TO RATIFY EMERGENCY
--------------
2. The Parliamentary session interrupted mid-day Feb.
18 after angry Opposition MPs surrounded the dais and
shouted down the Home Minister (Ref B) resumed after a
five-hour delay at 5:00 p.m. the same day, with Prime
Minister Deuba, rather than the Home Minister,
addressing the assembly. The session concluded
relatively peacefully in under two hours, although
Opposition MPs peppered the PM with questions about the
security situation in the country, according to one
member of his Cabinet.
3. The PM began by reading out the Home Minister's
report on the Maoist attacks at Achham (Ref A),
reporting updated casualty figures as follows: 55 Royal
Nepal Army (RNA) soldiers (out of a 58-man platoon); 77
policemen; 5 civilians; and 13 insurgents. Another five
policemen were killed in a separate incident in Sarlahi
District the same day (Ref A). In addition, Deuba
reported the Maoists stole 80 rifles, 2 shotguns, and 10
revolvers from police at the District Police station,
jail, and airport in Achham.
4. The PM used the report on Achham as a lead-in to
urge ratification of the state of emergency, which would
allow its continuation for an additional three months
(Ref C). Deuba charged that the Maoists' bad faith in
breaking off the ceasefire after three rounds of
negotiations had left the Government of Nepal (GON) no
alternative but to seek declaration of the state of
emergency. The three-month span of the emergency thus
far has been insufficient to quell the insurgency, Deuba
said; to do so requires more "time and patience." The
Maoists' actions have made them the enemy of the Nepali
people, Deuba charged; the emergency is needed to stop
the bloodshed perpetrated by the Maoists. He
underscored that the emergency is targeted only at
Maoists, and should not adversely affect the general
population. He added that the GON is giving ICRC access
to Maoist prisoners and allowing the organization to
scrutinize actions taken by security forces during the
course of the emergency. The GON has received strong
moral support from the world community, Deuba noted,
including from Secretary of State Colin Powell during
his Jan. 18-19 visit to Nepal and from donors at the
Nepal Development Forum Feb. 4-7.
5. Deuba promised to seek all-party consensus in
pursuing needed social, economic, and administrative
reforms, including stronger legislation to curb
corruption. Finally, he appealed to the assembled MPs
to transcend "petty interests" at this time of national
crisis and to unite in support of GON efforts to restore
security. A vote on ratification of the emergency is
scheduled to take place Feb. 22.
--------------
SUGGESTED PRESS GUIDANCE
--------------
6. The Embassy proposes the following press guidance on
the incidents at Achham:
Begin text of suggested guidance:
The Government of the United States denounces the
violent attacks perpetrated by Maoist insurgents in
Achham District the morning of Feb. 17. We extend our
condolences to the families of the more than 130 victims
of this senseless bloodshed. We reiterate our support
for the right of the Government of Nepal to safeguard
its citizens, as provided for under the Constitution.
Once more we urge the Maoists to lay down their arms
immediately and to engage in the peaceful pursuit of
their aims within the democratic framework of Nepal's
Constitution.
End text of suggested guidance.
MALINOWSKI
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SA/INS
LONDON FOR RIEGEL
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PTER NP
SUBJECT: PM URGES RATIFICATION OF EMERGENCY IN SHADOW OF
ACHHAM INCIDENTS
REF(S): (A) KATHMANDU 0377 (B) KATHMANDU 0379;
(C) KATHMANDU 0333
--------------
SUMMARY
--------------
1. Parliament reconvened in the late afternoon of Feb.
18 after angry Opposition MPs had disrupted an earlier
session, demanding Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba,
rather than the Home Minister, take the podium to report
on the Maoist attacks in Achham (Ref A) the previous
day. In his address the PM also urged ratification of
the state of emergency, allowing its continuation for
another three months. Suggested press guidance on the
attacks in Achham follows in Para 6 below. End summary.
--------------
PM ASKS PARLIAMENT TO RATIFY EMERGENCY
--------------
2. The Parliamentary session interrupted mid-day Feb.
18 after angry Opposition MPs surrounded the dais and
shouted down the Home Minister (Ref B) resumed after a
five-hour delay at 5:00 p.m. the same day, with Prime
Minister Deuba, rather than the Home Minister,
addressing the assembly. The session concluded
relatively peacefully in under two hours, although
Opposition MPs peppered the PM with questions about the
security situation in the country, according to one
member of his Cabinet.
3. The PM began by reading out the Home Minister's
report on the Maoist attacks at Achham (Ref A),
reporting updated casualty figures as follows: 55 Royal
Nepal Army (RNA) soldiers (out of a 58-man platoon); 77
policemen; 5 civilians; and 13 insurgents. Another five
policemen were killed in a separate incident in Sarlahi
District the same day (Ref A). In addition, Deuba
reported the Maoists stole 80 rifles, 2 shotguns, and 10
revolvers from police at the District Police station,
jail, and airport in Achham.
4. The PM used the report on Achham as a lead-in to
urge ratification of the state of emergency, which would
allow its continuation for an additional three months
(Ref C). Deuba charged that the Maoists' bad faith in
breaking off the ceasefire after three rounds of
negotiations had left the Government of Nepal (GON) no
alternative but to seek declaration of the state of
emergency. The three-month span of the emergency thus
far has been insufficient to quell the insurgency, Deuba
said; to do so requires more "time and patience." The
Maoists' actions have made them the enemy of the Nepali
people, Deuba charged; the emergency is needed to stop
the bloodshed perpetrated by the Maoists. He
underscored that the emergency is targeted only at
Maoists, and should not adversely affect the general
population. He added that the GON is giving ICRC access
to Maoist prisoners and allowing the organization to
scrutinize actions taken by security forces during the
course of the emergency. The GON has received strong
moral support from the world community, Deuba noted,
including from Secretary of State Colin Powell during
his Jan. 18-19 visit to Nepal and from donors at the
Nepal Development Forum Feb. 4-7.
5. Deuba promised to seek all-party consensus in
pursuing needed social, economic, and administrative
reforms, including stronger legislation to curb
corruption. Finally, he appealed to the assembled MPs
to transcend "petty interests" at this time of national
crisis and to unite in support of GON efforts to restore
security. A vote on ratification of the emergency is
scheduled to take place Feb. 22.
--------------
SUGGESTED PRESS GUIDANCE
--------------
6. The Embassy proposes the following press guidance on
the incidents at Achham:
Begin text of suggested guidance:
The Government of the United States denounces the
violent attacks perpetrated by Maoist insurgents in
Achham District the morning of Feb. 17. We extend our
condolences to the families of the more than 130 victims
of this senseless bloodshed. We reiterate our support
for the right of the Government of Nepal to safeguard
its citizens, as provided for under the Constitution.
Once more we urge the Maoists to lay down their arms
immediately and to engage in the peaceful pursuit of
their aims within the democratic framework of Nepal's
Constitution.
End text of suggested guidance.
MALINOWSKI