MAOIST STATEMENT THREATENS TOURISM INDUSTRY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 000568

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ASEC CASC PTER PHUM PREL PINR NP
SUBJECT: MAOIST STATEMENT THREATENS TOURISM INDUSTRY


Maoists Threaten Tourism Industry
--------------


1. (SBU) For the first time, a leader of Nepal's Maoist
insurgency has issued explicit threats against Nepal's
tourism industry. Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai issued
the statement March 15. (Text of statement follows as
paragraph 4.) The statement called for the cadres to
"smash" hotels and travel businesses owned by prominent
Nepalese. It warned tourists about the danger of being
caught in the crossfire, and advised foreign travelers to
take "precautionary measures" and not to visit Nepal
during the upcoming general strike called by the Maoists
for April 2-6. Bhattarai's statement was the fourth
Maoist press release in a week.

EAC Met
--------------


2. (SBU) EAC met March 18 to discuss this and other issues
(Reftel). Post will consult today and tomorrow with other
Embassies and GON officials to gauge their respective
postures and planned responses.

Comment
--------------


3. (SBU) The Maoists have so far refrained from attacks on
the tourism industry or against foreign nationals. Post
takes Bhattarai's statement seriously, as it legitimates
tourist facilities as targets for his cadres. At the same
time, the Maoists set a precedent last year, when they
issued a threat against development agencies but never
acted on it. This year they seem both more daring, and
more desperate. As the April 2 start date for their
general strike approaches, Post expects the level of
Maoist agitation - and corresponding threat - to increase.


4. (U) Begin text of statement:

OPEN LETTER TO FOREIGN TOURISTS VISITING NEPAL

Dear Foreign Tourists,

Welcome to the country of the roof of the world, and
warmest greetings from the materially poor but spiritually
rich people of Nepal!

As you very well know, a revolutionary People's War (PW)
under the leadership of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
is raging in Nepal against a fascist monarchical state
since February 1996. After getting severe drubbing from
the heroic People's Liberation Army (PLA) in every battle
front and losing almost all of the countryside to the
advancing revolutionary forces, the fast crumbling
reactionary regime headed by hated Gyanendra Shah has
imposed brutal military dictatorship under the guise of
the so-called state of emergency in the country since
November 2001.

This last desperate act of the tottering regime to save
its skin has already backfired on itself and the mass
rebellion in the form of the PW has intensified further in
recent weeks and will reach a crescendo in the coming
days. It is now obvious that two states, two armies, two
laws and two cultures, one representing a handful of
moribund parasitic classes and the other representing the
vast majority of the democratic and progressive working
people, are engaged in life and death struggle in the
country.

The United Revolutionary People's Council (URPC) is an
embryonic Central People's Government Organizing Committee
in the form of a revolutionary united front headed by the
CPN (Maoist). We, therefore, deem it our duty to acquaint
you with some of our basic positions and dispel some
canards spread against us by the old reactionary state
machinery. What are we basically fighting for?

We are fighting for a genuine people's democracy in the
country. As you know, in the current political
dispensation in Nepal the real state power vests in the
feudal monarchy that effectively controls the royal army,
and the parliament is a mere showcase to embellish the
hereditary autocracy.

Besides, the self-proclaimed current "king" Gyanendra and
his son Paras are known criminal gangsters who have
usurped the throne in a bloody coup d'tat against King
Birendra last June 2001.

Anybody familiar with the Nepalese history will agree that
the archaic institution of feudal monarchy is the root
cause and bulwark of socio-economic backwardness, abysmal
poverty, glaring inequality and all-round underdevelopment
plaguing the country, and its abolition is a minimum
precondition for ushering in genuine democracy, both
political and economic, in the country.

When the English could wage war against their monarchy in
the 17th century, or the French in the 18th century, or
other civilized peoples in the 19th and 20th century, why
can't the Nepalese people do the same even in the 21st
century? And are we against tourism industry in general
and foreign tourists in particular? Nothing could be
farther from the truth.

We are all for making maximum utilization of the natural
and cultural resources for the rapid economic development
and well-being of the country and the people. And given
the exquisite natural beauty and rich cultural heritage of
the country, promotion of tourism obviously comes high in
the priority list of the future economic development
policy.

As regards the false accusations of our xenophobic
inclinations and preference for a closed political system,
this is another example of sinister disinformation
campaigns deliberately launched by the counter-
revolutionary forces. By ideological persuasion we are
for the ultimate withering away of all national and state
boundaries and creation of a classless and stateless
global community of people. Rather the fake votaries of
"globalisation" of capital are mortally against the
globalisation of labor as well and hence, in essence,
against genuine all-round globalisation.

Foreign tourists are, therefore, most welcome in the
country and will be so in future as well. However, we
would like to draw your attention to the grossly lopsided
nature of current tourism industry in the country and
would advise you to take special precautionary measures
while traveling during the period of war.

Firstly, the tourism industry in Nepal is monopolized by
the arch-reactionary Shah-Rana family and their close
courtiers (for example, all the five-star hotels and most
of the star hotels and travel business are either owned or
controlled by them),and most of the earnings from tourism
is said to flow back to foreign countries.

Therefore it is quite imperative to smash this anti-people
and anti-national monopolistic structure of the tourism
industry and foreign tourists would be advised not to
patronize such tourism services (e.g., hotels, airlines,
buses etc.) particularly owned by the hated Shah-Rana
families.

Secondly, during wartime the unassuming traveler can be
caught between the crossfire of the contending armies.
The foreign tourists are, therefore, kindly advised not to
venture into areas where active fighting is going on.
They are most welcome into the revolutionary base areas,
which are firmly under the control of the revolutionary
forces.

And a few words to our honored guests from neighboring
India. Though the reactionary state media cries hoarse
about our so-called anti-India posture, you need not be
unduly perturbed. Despite the conspiracy of the ruling
classes of both the countries to drive wedges between the
people of Nepal and India, we are conscious of the common
destiny of the two peoples and are for developing a close
and cordial relations between the two. You are,
therefore, most welcome to visit Nepal.

And finally, in view of the 5-day long "Nepal bandh" (i.e.
general shutdown) from April 2 to April 6, 2002, and the
subsequent surcharged atmosphere in the aftermath, the
foreign tourists are well advised to skip the tour
itinerary, if any, for the said period. We deeply regret
the inconveniences likely to cause to you all.

Wishing you all the best for a future visit to a
democratic, progressive and prosperous people's republic
of Nepal,

March 15, 2002
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, Convenor,
United Revolutionary People's Council, Nepal

End text of statement.

MALINOWSKI