C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000753

SIPDIS

LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2012
TAGS: PGOV PTER ASEC PINR NEPAL'>NP
SUBJECT: MAOIST LEADERS ARRESTED IN KATHMANDU

REF: KATHMANDU 632

Classified By: Ambassador Michael E. Malinowski, Reasons 1.5(b),(d)


1. (C) Summary. At least two important Maoist leaders have
been detained by security forces in recent days, police
sources told us. Leading female cadre Rekha Sharma and her
husband were picked up in Kathmandu April 13. The Inspector
General of Police (IGP) confirmed the arrests April 16, but
Army top brass declined to comment. The arrests are a boost
to the government's efforts to counter the Maoists. End
Summary.

Two Maoists Apprehended in Capital
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2. (SBU) A Royal NEPALese Army (RNA) operation reportedly
apprehended two Maoist leaders, Rekha Sharma and Krishna Dhoj
Khadka, from their rented room in Kathmandu's Dallu
neighborhood April 13. Rekha is president of the All NEPAL
Women's Association (Revolutionary) and member of the Maoist
"Central People's Government," while Khadka, her husband, was
formerly president of the All NEPAL National Independent
Students' Union (Revolutionary). Reportedly, Khadka had been
detained briefly in November, 2001, but had escaped.

IGP Confirms; No Comment from Top Army Brass
--------------


3. (C) Local press reported the arrests April 16, and
low-level police personnel confirmed these reports to Post.
Then at an afternoon reception the Inspector General of
Police (IGP) Rana confirmed the arrests to Ambassador. One
ranking army officer refused comment when contacted by DATT,
adding that the news of the arrest had not yet been
officially released.

NEPAL's Most Wanted
--------------


4. (C) A photograph of Rekha Sharma - along with pictures of
other Maoist leaders - was broadcast on local television last
week with an appeal to provide authorities with information
on her whereabouts. Sources also told Post that Maoist
Central Committee member Muma Ram Khanal was picked up by
security forces in early April. Khanal's arrest has not been
confirmed. IGP Rana told the Ambassador that recently
another Maoist Central Committee member, Ajab Lal Yadav, was
killed in an encounter with police. (Note: According to
press reports quoting an official announcement, Yadav was
killed March 22 during a search operation in southeastern
NEPAL's Saptari district. Yadav had been in police custody
last year, but was released October 16, 2001 in response to a
demand put forth by the Maoists in their second round of
talks with government representatives. End Note.)

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


5. (C) Whether the result of "America's Most Wanted"-style
public participation or the security forces' own
resourcefulness, the arrests have given a boost to the
government's efforts to counter the Maoists. In recent weeks
the Maoists have conducted increasingly daring operations in
the Kathmandu valley - including setting off a bomb on a
bridge in broad daylight (Reftel). Bringing in the apparent
leaders of this campaign should help bottle it up, and at the
same time improve public perceptions of the government's
handling of the crisis.
MALINOWSKI