MAOISTS TARGET GOVERNMENT VEHICLES, OFFICES IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000592

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SA/INS AND DS/OP/NEA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2012
TAGS: PTER PGOV NP
SUBJECT: MAOISTS TARGET GOVERNMENT VEHICLES, OFFICES IN
KATHMANDU BEFORE NATIONAL STRIKE

REF: A. A) KATHMANDU 0570


B. B) KATHMANDU 0340

Classified By: A/DCM Michael Hoza. Reason: 1.5 (B, D).


1. (C) SUMMARY: In a series of weekend attacks within the
capital and its environs, Maoist insurgents bombed Government
of Nepal (GON) vehicles and offices, including
telecommunications facilities and the office of the
state-owned press. The attacks come as the Maoists attempt
to marshal popular support for--or popular fear of
defying--the nationwide strike they have called for April 2-6
(Ref A). That the Maoists were able to pull off these
attacks in the heart of the Kathmandu Valley, where the
presence of the security forces is the strongest and most
highly visible, indicates that the GON will have its hands
full during the coming week to reassure the general public
that it can guarantee safety for those who follow GON
exhortations to defy the strike. End summary.


2. (U) From March 23-25 Maoist insurgents launched a series
of small-scale attacks against GON targets--primarily
vehicles--within Kathmandu and its immediate environs. On
March 23 insurgents hurled a pipe bomb at a police van in
Pathan (within the Kathmandu metropolitan area),injuring two
policemen. In the early morning hours of March 24, about 15
Maoists reportedly threw petrol bombs at four GON-owned
vehicles parked at the Nepal Telecommunications Corporation
(NTC) exchange in Hattigauda, about 4 km north of the city,
completely destroying all four cars. The same day, a group
of Maoists torched several NTC vehicles in Dachh, about 15 km
east of the capital, while another group attacked a vehicle
and transmitter at a third NTC office in Thali, about 12 km
east of Kathmandu. In Kathmandu itself, suspected insurgents
bombed and damaged four GON vehicles parked at an auto repair
shop the morning of March 24. A petrol bomb was also hurled
at a Road Department vehicle traveling within the city March
24, but no one was injured. A vehicle belonging to the
Ministry of Education parked at a secondary school in
Kathmandu was destroyed by a bomb March 25.


3. (U) In an incident mirroring the Feb. 12 attack on a
Kathmandu Tax Office (Ref B),on March 25 suspected Maoists
set off an explosive device in the bathroom of the
state-owned Gorkhapatra press, injuring one person. Despite
the injury, damage to the rest of the building is not
extensive.


4. (C) Comment: With their apparent ability to penetrate
the security forces' cordon around--and even
within--Kathmandu, the Maoists seem to be sending a message
to the general public that, despite GON claims to the
contrary (Ref A),the police and army will be hard pressed to
guarantee the safety of anyone who defies the April 2-6
general strike, or "bandh," called by the insurgents.
Although there may be scant popular support for the Maoists
or their burdensome bandh, there is substantial fear that the
Maoists may enforce the bandh with violence which the
security forces will be ill prepared to counter. The
weekend's events have done little to calm these jitters or to
promote faltering public confidence in the ability of the GON
to squelch the bandh. End comment.























MALINOWSKI