WEEKLY NEPAL MEDIA REPORT: AUGUST 26

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KATHMANDU 001685

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC PGOV PREL KMDR NP
SUBJECT: WEEKLY NEPAL MEDIA REPORT: AUGUST 26
TO SEPTEMBER 2, 2003


-STATE FOR NP, AC, PM
-STATE FOR IN/R/MR
-STATE FOR SA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO
-STATE FOR SA/PPD


1. MAOISTS BREAK CEASEFIRE

- - Maoi sts break cease - fire , blame government :
The Maoi sts un i latera 1 ly broke of f ( 8/27 ) the
seven-month-old cease-fire and the subsequent
peace process with the government "for the
time being" saying it had lost its relevance
while blaming the government for it. The
government described the Maoists' announcement
of the collapse of the peace talks as a
serious setback to efforts to resolve the
Maoist problem, but reiterated its commitment
to finding a peaceful resolution by
discussing all available alternatives.
(Compiled from major dailies, 8/28)

-- Prime Minister ready to resume talks: Prime
Minister Thapa has said that the government
was ready to resume talks with the Maoists
despite their unilateral announcement of the
break off of the ceasefire. According to a
representative of Civil Society who met the
Prime Minister, PM Thapa was ready to lift the
terrorist tag put on the Maoists if they came
back to negotiating table. (Centrist
"Spacetime Dainik," V/D, 9/1)

-- No emergency: Minister of Culture, Tourism
and Civil Aviation Sarbendra Math Shukla has
said that the government will not impose
emergency in the country. ("Spacetime Dainik,"
9/1)

-- Government to enforce entry permit system:
The government is preparing to enforce entry
permit requirement to the three districts of
the Kathmandu valley. With the enforcement of
the entry permit system, more than five people
cannot assemble at one place. ("Spacetime
Dainik," 9/10)

-- U.S. and British envoys suggest
reconciliation: The U.S. and British
ambassadors, Michael E. Malinowski and Keith
Bloomfield, told (8/31) Nepali Congress
President Girija Prasad Koirala to unite with
the monarchy and government to fight the
Maoist insurgency. Both ambassadors opined
that the Maoist insurgency was the greater
problem facing the country rather than the
royal intervention of October 4, 2002. The
two ambassadors gave similar advice last week
to Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of
the UML. (Centrist "Kathmandu Post," E/D, 9/1)
-- Need to agree on new constitution: Nepal s
conflict may not be contained unless we agree
on a new constitution. It is a critical but a
democratic choice. (Op-ed by senior political
scientist in pro-India "Himalayan Times, E/D,
9/1)

-- PM addresses nation: Prime Minister Surya
Bahadur Thapa in an address to the nation on
8/29 appealed to the agitating political
parties to postpone their agitation
considering the gravity of the situation
developed after the Maoists breached the
seven-month ceasefire. Thapa underlined the
government s commitment to foil all sorts of
violent actions targeted at the popular
sovereignty, multiparty democracy and
constitutional monarchy at all cost.
Political parties have flayed the public
statement of Prime Minister Thapa, saying that
he was nowhere near the solution. They have
also firmly said that their announced movement
from September 4 would not stop. (Media
reports, 8/30)

-- Peace facilitators relieved: Following the
violation of the seven-month ceasefire by the
Maoists, the government relieved (8/29) the
facilitators of the peace talks from their
responsibility. ("The Kathmandu Post" and
others, 8/30)
-- Thousands march with anti-war slogans: More
than 50,000 scho
olchildren, accompanied by
parents, teachers and businessmen strode
through the streets of Kathmandu fighting the
scorching heat and humidity and holding
banners that read We want peace, War does
not help, Peace is mandatory. ("The
Kathmandu Post," 8/30)
-- Road ahead: The road ahead can expected
be hard and difficult, and if the government
(political parties) are to go on yielding
ground, it would be best to hand over power to
the Maoists. Then at least we will have a
lasting peace of grave. (Op-ed by former
editor of The Katmandu Post in the Post,
8/30)

-- Maoists urged by one and all to restart
peace talks: The United States and the
European Union (EU) mission in Kathmandu today
"deplored" (8/28) the Maoists' decision to
call off the cease-fire by and urged the party
to resume peace negotiations immediately.
Similarly, China and Japan expressed concern
and regret over the setback suffered by the
peace process and urged for an early
resumption of the peace process. The U.S.
accused the Maoists of ignoring the
overwhelming support within Nepal and the
international community for a negotiated
settlement of a senseless conflict, which has
already claimed thousands of Nepali lives and
disrupted efforts to develop Nepal s economic
and political infrastructure. Expressing its
belief that the conflict could only be settled
through peaceful and democratic means, the
U.S. urged the Maoists to restore the cease-
fire and resume the negotiation process.
Similarly, issuing a statement here today, the
EU "deeply deplored " the unilateral
suspension of the cease-fire by the Maoist
leadership." (Media reports, 8/29)

-- Government declares Maoists terrorists:
Within 12 hours of Maoist attack on two army
colonels, the government declared the Maoists
terrorists and any organization affiliated
with them as terrorist outfits. (Government-
owned Nepal Television and Radio Nepal, 8/28).
" . The government declares the Maoists
terrorists again. The U.S., agreeing
indirectly to this decision, has indicated
that it may revise the "Terrorist Watch List"
and put the Maoists on the list of
International Terrorist List " (Centrist
"Kantipur," V/D, 8/29)

-- Curfew in six districts: Curfew was imposed
in and around Udaypur, Ramechap, Baglung,
Dhading, Rukum and Tehrathum district
headquarters Thursday evening. (Media reports,
8/29)


2. FIVE PARTIES "DECISIVE" MOVEMENT

-- UML to reconsider movement: We might
consider reviewing our 18-point agenda after
meeting with the king, said UML general
secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal. ("Kantipur,"

SIPDIS
9/1)

-- The government has started a shameful
campaign to jeopardize the movement against
regression. However, the five parties are
determined to bring the capital to a
standstill. (Leftist "Chhalphal," V/W, 8/31)

-- Maoists to support movement: The Maoists
have announced their support for the
decisive movement by the five political
parties. (Centrist "Rajdhani," V/D, 9/1)

-- Thousands of students from across the
country are set to converge in Kathmndu this
week to muster up support for the September 4
"decisive" struggle planned by the major
political parties. ("Kantipur," 8/26)

-- The government is going to launch a high
security check system from the first week of
September, keeping in mind the five parties
"decisive" movement and Maoists' possible pull
out from talks, an announcement said
Monday. (Nepalnews.com, 8/26)


3. SECURITY FORCE, MAOIST CLASHES . MAOIST
VIOLENCE

-- Clashes leave 19 dead: At least nine
security personnel and 10 Maoist rebels were
killed in the latest incidents of encounters
and shootings in different parts of the
country. (Media reports, 9/1)

-- 217 VIPs on hit list : A reliable police
source told The Katmandu Post that the
residences of 217 VIPs suspected of featuring
in the Maoists hit list have been tightly
secured. Security has been tightened
in the
residences of high-ranking government
officials, former officials, political
figures, former politicians, diplomats, party
offices of major political parties and
vulnerable public areas. (Media reports, 8/31)

-- Maoists unleash terror wave: On Friday
(8/29),the Maoists shot at Former Minister of
State for Home Devendra Raj Kandel at his
home, bombed Finance Minister Dr. Prakash
Chandra Lohani s ancestral house in Nuwakot
district and robbed about Rs. 2.5 million cash
from a branch office of the Nepal Bank Limited
in Parsa. (Media reports, 8/30)

-- Maoists turn violent, shoot army official:
In two separate shooting incidents in the
capital Thursday morning, the Maoists shot
dead a Royal Nepal Army (RNA) colonel and
seriously injured another. The attacks came a
day after the unilateral withdrawal of
ceasefire by the Maoists on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy, Kathmandu
denounced the terrorist attacks by the Maoists
against the two RNA colonels. In a statement,
the Embassy termed these attacks as
demonstrating the Maoists rejection of the
Nepali people s overwhelming call for peace
and the Maoists continuous willingness to
resort to brutality to achieve their
objectives. (Media reports, 8/29)

-- Maoists rob bank in pang: A group of
Maoists shot the bank manager and robbed a
branch office of Rastriya Banijya Bank in
Tulsipur, pang Thursday. (Media reports, 8/29)

-- Maoists' 3-day Nepal shut down: After being
labeled terrorists again, the Maoists Thursday
announced a 3-day countrywide general strike
starting September 18. (Media reports, 8/29)

-- Maoists abduct three CPN-UML cadres: The
Maoists yesterday abducted former vice
chairman, area member and former ward chairman
in Makwanpur district and took them to an
unknown place. (The Kathmandu Post, 8/28)

-- Maoists shot dead three police personnel
and abducted three in Sarlahi and Mahottari
districts, on Tuesday. (Media reports, 8/27)

-- Maoists attack Former Prime Minister:
Former Prime Minister and President of Nepali
Congress (Democratic) Sher Bahadur Deuba
escaped unscathed from an attempt on his life
by the Maoists in west Nepal on 8/25. (Media
reports, 8/26). The Maoists said that the
incident was a mistake. A Maoist press
statement said that the peoples army in their
pursuit to finish off the security force of
the "old regime" did not know that the
occupant of the vehicle happened to be Deuba.
Diplomatic missions in Kathmandu condemned and
expressed concern over the attack on him.
Issuing a statement, the United States Embassy
in Kathmandu strongly condemned the attack on
Deuba. ("The Kathmandu Post," 8/27)

-- An alleged group of Maoists set fire on
Everest Paper Factory in Dhanusha district
damaging property of million rupees on Sunday
night. (Media reports, 8/26)

-- 10 Maoists killed as army men return fire:
10 Maoists, seven in Panchthar and 3 in
Darchula districts, were killed when security
forces counterattacked in self defense after
armed Maoists attacked joint security forces
on regular patrol on 8/27, the Ministry of
Defense said. (Government-owned "Rising
Nepal," E/D, 8/28)

-- Maoists kill 3 policemen, ex-minister's
house bombed: Three policemen were killed on
the spot and one seriously injured when a
group of armed Maoists attacked them in Siraha
district on 8/27, district police office
stated. Meanwhile, a band of Maoists set fire
to the police post in Udaypur district on
Wednesday. ("The Rising Nepal," 8/28)

-- NHRC committee on Doramba killings: The
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today
appointed separate inquiry commissions to
probe the Doramba incidents that killed 19
Maoists, a NHRC press release said here today.
The British Embassy and other diplomatic
missions had been pressing for a probe on
Doramba killings. ("The Kathmandu Post," 8/27)
Around 10 Maoists were shot dead in two-hour-
long exchange of fire
between the army and the
rebels at Shera rivet area of Nauthar VDC in
Lamjung Monday morning. (Nepalnews.com, 8/26)

4. BHUTANESE REFUGEES

-- Include UNHCR or face aid cuts: The UNHCR
and the World Food Program (WFP) have warned
the governments of Nepal and Bhutan of
slashing foreign aid should they fail to
include the UNHCR as third party mediator in
resolving the Bhutanese refugee crisis. ("The
Kathmandu Post," 8/31)


5. OTHERS

-- Generalized AIDS epidemic imminent, says
activists: Keeping in view Nepal s abject
poverty and the available treatment being
beyond the reach of common people, the country
might be heading towards a generalized AIDS
epidemic from a concentrated one, HIV/AIDS
activists warned today. The scariest part of
the situation in the country is that 97 per
cent of the HIV infected people are between
ages 15 to 19, said the country director for
POLICY project of the USAID, Bhoj Raj
Pokharel, addressing a press interaction on
AIDS and STD control held by the American
Center. (Media reports, 8/30)

MALINOWSKI