Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03KATHMANDU1511
2003-08-08 08:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:  

UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, AUGUST 2-8

Tags:  PINS PTER CASC PGOV 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.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001511 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/NEA
STATE ALSO PLEASE PASS USAID/DCHA/OFDA
STATE ALSO PLEASE PASS PEACE CORPS HQ
USAID FOR ANE/AA GORDON WEST AND JIM BEVER
MANILA FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA
LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY
TREASURY FOR GENERAL COUNSEL/DAUFHAUSER AND DAS JZARATE
TREASURY ALSO FOR OFAC/RNEWCOMB AND TASK FORCE ON TERRORIST
FINANCING
JUSTICE FOR OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL/DLAUFMAN
NSC FOR MILLARD
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISA LILIENFELD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PTER CASC PGOV NP
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, AUGUST 2-8

REFERENCE: (A) KATHMANDU 1431
(B) KATHMANDU 1496

SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001511

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/NEA
STATE ALSO PLEASE PASS USAID/DCHA/OFDA
STATE ALSO PLEASE PASS PEACE CORPS HQ
USAID FOR ANE/AA GORDON WEST AND JIM BEVER
MANILA FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA
LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY
TREASURY FOR GENERAL COUNSEL/DAUFHAUSER AND DAS JZARATE
TREASURY ALSO FOR OFAC/RNEWCOMB AND TASK FORCE ON TERRORIST
FINANCING
JUSTICE FOR OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL/DLAUFMAN
NSC FOR MILLARD
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISA LILIENFELD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PTER CASC PGOV NP
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, AUGUST 2-8

REFERENCE: (A) KATHMANDU 1431
(B) KATHMANDU 1496

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


1. Despite agreement by the Maoists to sit for another round
of peace talks with the Government of Nepal's (GON)
negotiating team (Ref A),no date has yet been set, and the
Maoist leadership remains out of the public eye and
reportedly out of Nepal. Nepal's main political parties
have once again rejected Prime Minister Surya Bahadur
Thapa's plea to join the peace talks. Ambushes by Maoist
cadres killed seven security personnel and injured twenty-
nine others. One civilian also was killed. Maoists have
warned that the attacks will continue if security forces
move more than five kilometers from their barracks. Maoists
reportedly continue to use the Nepal-India border to smuggle
in contraband. Eleven people were abducted by insurgents in
different parts of Nepal, and the Maoists continue to
threaten Christian and US affiliated organizations. The
insurgents also extorted money from an American volunteer
Christian development group. End Summary.

THIRD ROUND OF DIALOGUE STILL ELUSIVE
--------------


2. Although the Maoists have agreed to sit for another
round of peace talks, (Ref A) no date has yet been set. On
August 5 Kamal Thapa, Minister of Information and
Communication and member of the GON's negotiating team, said
the GON is ready but the Maoists have not confirmed a date.
Peace talks facilitators are attempting to establish a date
before the GON's original suggestion of August 15, based on
Maoist assertions that they want talks "at the earliest."
Baburam Bhattarai, head of the Maoist negotiating team,
reportedly told peace talk facilitators on August 7 that the
Maoists would propose a date within the next few days.


3. On August 3, Minister Thapa, in response to the Maoists'

demand that the GON present its agenda for talks, said the
agenda would focus on the constitution and not individual
issues. He said the GON is "in constant touch with the
political parties, civil society and government agencies" to
help frame its agenda, but it is not yet finalized.

POLITICAL PARTIES WON'T PARTICIPATE IN TALKS
--------------


4. The main political parties have rejected Prime Minister
Thapa's plea to participate in the peace talks, announcing
that they cannot interact with an "unconstitutional
government." The Prime Minister had issued a statement on
August 4 asking for cooperation from all the political
parties to ensure the success of the peace talks, declaring
that Nepal is at a "very difficult and decisive phase" after
suffering irreparable losses. Leaders of the parties,
however, rejected the Prime Minister's plea, and said they
will continue their movement against monarchial
"regression." Madhav Kumar Nepal, General Secretary of the
Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML),
said his party welcomes the talks but that the current
"unconstitutional government" is incapable of dealing with
the political demands of the Maoists.


5. According to August 3 press accounts, Girija Prasad
Koirala, President of Nepali Congress, also rejected the
invitation to party participation from Pushpa Kamal Dahal
(Prachanda),Maoist Supreme Leader, as nothing more than a
trick to derail the parties' movement against the
government.


6. Padma Ratna Tuladhar and Sailendra Kumar Upadhaya, two
of the peace talks facilitators, said that the next round of
talks would be held even without the participation of the
political parties. On August 1 Tuladhar quoted Baburam
Bhattarai, Maoist ideologue and head of the Maoist
negotiating team, as saying that the third round of talks
would be held regardless of whether the political parties
participated. Upadhaya issued a statement on August 2
supporting this position.

MAOISTS AMBUSH SECURITY FORCES
--------------


7. Violent attacks by Maoists against security forces in
the eastern district of Panchthar appear to be on the rise.
On August 6 one civilian and a Royal Nepal Army (RNA)
soldier were killed in an ambush by insurgents. Five
security personnel were killed and twenty-eight were injured
on August 5 after the truck they were riding in drove over a
landmine planted by Maoists. On August 4 in the same
district, security forces and Maoists exchanged gunfire
after the insurgents reportedly threw bombs at security
forces returning from patrol. There were no casualties
reported. A Maoist district secretary reportedly threatened
that the Maoists would "repeat such actions" if government
forces patrolled beyond five kilometers of their barracks.
The Home Ministry issued a statement condemning the attacks
and said "it is a matter of sadness that the Maoists have
continued such violent activities."


8. On August 4 in the western district of Dailekh, Maoists
reportedly threw grenades and opened fire on RNA personnel
guarding a telecommunications tower. One female Maoist was
killed by return fire. On August 3 in the same district,
RNA soldiers and insurgents reportedly were involved in a
confrontation. Maoists claim they have been ordered to
attack government troops who go outside five kilometers of
their barracks. (Note: One of the Maoists' demands has
been to implement an agreement allegedly reached during the
second round of peace talks that restricts the RNA to within
five kilometers of their barracks. The GON denies even
agreeing to this and has not complied. End note).


9. Two policemen were attacked on August 1 in Nawalparasi
District while surveying flood damage in the area. A group
of Maoists opened fire on them, killing one officer
instantly, while the other managed to escape.

MAOISTS USING NEPAL-INDIA BORDER TO IMPORT WEAPONS
-------------- --------------


10. According to press reports on August 6, Maoists are
using the far-western district of Kanchanpur, which borders
India, to smuggle in weapons and ammunition. Security
forces reportedly said the insurgents are using the border
region to import masses of pipes for use in constructing
pipe bombs, and are also smuggling in explosives. Security
has been increased in the region.

MAOISTS DEMAND MONEY FROM US VOLUNTEER GROUP
--------------


11. On August 2, Maoists in Nuwakot District, immediately
north of Kathmandu, extorted money from a group of Americans
assisting in the reconstruction of a school (Ref B). The
group of fourteen Americans, twelve of whom are high school
students, is part of "Global Roots," a Christian volunteer
program based in Boston. Maoists in the village of Sirubari
approached the group and according to the group's
coordinator, they were "forced to pay fees." The insurgents
also harangued the group for over an hour, during which they
professed to hate America and President Bush. According to
the coordinator of the group, the Maoists declared that
"This is our area. We are in control. Just like any other
area you have to pay fees for entering our zone." Fearing a
return of the Maoists and demands for higher fees, the group
terminated the project early and left the area early the
next morning.

ABDUCTIONS BY MAOISTS CONTINUE
--------------


12. Maoists continue to violate the ceasefire by abducting
civilians and security personnel. On August 3 the
insurgents reportedly abducted seven civilians in the
eastern district of Udayapur who were cutting timber. On
that same day in Dolakha District, two brothers, one of whom
is a policeman, were abducted by Maoists. The officer
remains missing, but the insurgents released his brother
after severely beating him. A group of Maoists in Rauthat
District abducted a father and son on August 6. Their
whereabouts remain unknown.

MAOISTS WARN AGAINST CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATIONS
--------------


13. On August 6 Maoists in the districts of Nuwakot,
Sindhupalchowk and Rasuwa, all immediately north of
Kathmandu, issued a joint statement warning of action
against USAID for "unnecessarily influencing Nepalis in the
name of Christianity." The insurgents oppose the conversion
of Hindus to Christianity and have accused USAID of
attracting over five thousand Hindus to Christianity. In
Nuwakot the Maoists reportedly already have banned all
Christian organizations, accusing them of using the guise of
religion to support "US backed elements."

MALINOWSKI