NEPAL: MAOIST ACTIVITY OCTOBER 2 - OCTOBER 10

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001964

SIPDIS


STATE FOR SA/INS, LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY, NSC FOR MILLARD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: MAOIST ACTIVITY OCTOBER 2 - OCTOBER 10

REF: (A) KATHMANDU 1926

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SUMMARY
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1. DESPITE THE MAOIST PLEDGE TO HALT ALL OFFENSIVE ACTIONS
DURING OCTOBER 2 - 10 FOR THE DASAIN HOLIDAY, THE
INSURGENTS CONTINUED TO TARGET NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECTS AND ATTACK SECURITY FORCES (REFTEL). ACCORDING
TO LOCAL PRESS ACCOUNTS, 19 MAOISTS, 2 POLICEMEN AND 2
ROYAL NEPAL ARMY (RNA) SOLDIERS DIED IN CLASHES DURING
THIS PERIOD. INNOCENT CIVILIANS SUFFERED; SOME WERE
KILLED IN THE CROSSFIRE WHILE SCHOOLS AND ACCESS TO
GOVERNMENT SERVICES WERE DISRUPTED. MAOISTS THIS WEEK
LOOTED SEVERAL TONS OF GRAIN AND FOOD. THE INSURGENTS
ALSO CONTINUED THEIR RHETORIC AGAINST AMERICAN TOURISTS
AND, ON OCTOBER 9, ATTACKED A PEPSI-COLA VAN. ALTHOUGH
MORE YOUNG MEN ARE SEEKING RECRUITMENT WITH THE GURKHA
BATTALIONS IN INDIA AND THE U.K., MAOISTS REPORTEDLY ARE
FORCIBLY PREVENTING APPLICANTS FROM TRAVELING TO
RECRUITMENT CENTERS. DESPITE ONGOING HOSTILITIES DURING
THE SUPPOSED CEASEFIRE, MEMBERS OF CIVIL SOCIETY ARE
URGING THE MAOISTS TO EXTEND THE CEASEFIRE THROUGH THE
OCTOBER 25-27 TIHAR FESTIVAL. END SUMMARY.

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CIVIL SOCIETY CALLS FOR MAOISTS TO EXTEND CEASEFIRE
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2. ON OCTOBER 9, MEMBERS OF CIVIL SOCIETY AND POLITICAL
LEADERS URGED THE MAOISTS TO EXTEND THE CEASEFIRE THROUGH
THE NATIONAL TIHAR HOLIDAY, WHICH TAKES PLACE ON OCTOBER
25-27. THEY ALSO PRESSED THE GOVERNMENT TO RECIPROCATE
WITH A CALL FOR RENEWED DIALOGUE. PADMA RATNA TULADHAR, A
FACILITATOR DURING THE PEACE TALKS AND INFORMAL SPOKESMAN
FOR THE MAOISTS, SAID, "AN EXTENSION OF THE CEASEFIRE UP
TO TIHAR COULD CREATE A CONDUCIVE ATMOSPHERE FOR THE
TALKS."

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CIVILIANS CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE PAY A PRICE
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3. VILLAGERS IN BAGLUNG DISTRICT IN WESTERN NEPAL HAVE
COMPLAINED THAT VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (VDC)
SECRETARIES ARE NOT AVAILABLE EITHER IN THEIR VDC AREAS OR

SIPDIS
IN THE DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS. LIKEWISE, THE INTERNATIONAL
LABOR ORGANIZATION IN NEPAL REPORTS THAT MANY SCHOOLS HAVE
CLOSED ACROSS THE COUNTRY SINCE TEACHERS ARE NOT WILLING
TO RESIDE IN REMOTE, MAOIST-AFFECTED AREAS. THESE SCHOOL
CLOSURES ARE HAVING A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON CHILD LABOR
PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY.


4. NEPALI CITIZENS REGULARLY ARE CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
OR ARE MISTAKENLY TARGETED BY THE MAOISTS AND SECURITY
FORCES. MAOISTS CONTINUE TO TARGET AND MURDER PROMINENT
VILLAGERS WHO ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH THEIR MOVEMENT. A
FEW EXAMPLES OF INCIDENTS THIS WEEK ARE NOTED BELOW:

-- ON OCTOBER 2, RNA SOLDIERS IN THE KATHMANDU VALLEY
REPORTEDLY SHOT AND INJURED TWO NEPALI MEN AND ARRESTED
THEIR THREE COMPANIONS AS THEY ATTEMPTED TO RUN AWAY FROM
THE PATROL. AN RNA INVESTIGATION LATER CONCLUDED THAT
THOSE ARRESTED WERE NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE MAOISTS.

-- ON OCTOBER 6, MAOISTS REPORTEDLY KILLED A SECONDARY
SCHOOL HEADMASTER IN DADELDHURA DISTRICT IN THE FAR WEST
OF NEPAL AFTER ABDUCTING HIM ON SEPTEMBER 2 FOR
INTERROGATION.

-- ON OCTOBER 7, SUSPECTED MAOISTS IN RAUTAHAT DISTRICT IN
CENTRAL NEPAL SHOT AND KILLED A 10-YEAR OLD BOY WHO WAS
WASHING DISHES OUTSIDE HIS FATHER'S TEASHOP. THE
INSURGENTS ALLEGEDLY OPENED FIRE ON THE TEASHOP BECAUSE A
GROUP OF SECURITY PERSONNEL WERE DRINKING TEA INSIDE.
NONE OF THE SECURITY PERSONNEL WERE INJURED.

-- THAT SAME DAY IN BAGLUNG DISTRICT, SECURITY FORCES SHOT
AND INJURED A GIRL AFTER SHE STARTED RUNNING AWAY FROM
THEM IN THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING.

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MAOISTS STEAL FOOD FROM HOMES AND STORES
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5. ON OCTOBER 7, MAOISTS IN UDAYAPUR DISTRICT IN THE
EASTERN TERAI LOOTED APPROXIMATELY 2.5 TONS OF RICE FROM A
PRIVATE HOUSE. ON OCTOBER 8, MAOISTS IN GULMI DISTRICT IN
WESTERN NEPAL ABDUCTED THE OWNERS AND SEIZED CONTROL OF A
LARGE GENERAL PROVISION STORE. THE INSURGENTS
SUBSEQUENTLY LOOTED NRPS 150,000 (USD 2,000) AND ROUGHLY
1.5 TONS OF RICE. LOCALS REPORT THAT THE MAOISTS CONTINUE
TO STEAL FOODSTUFFS FROM THE STORE.

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MAOISTS SINGLE OUT AMERICAN TOURISTS AND PEPSI-COLA VAN
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6. ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT MAOISTS IN SOME PLACES
CONTINUE TO SINGLE OUT AMERICANS IN THEIR PUBLIC RHETORIC.
A DUTCH TOURIST REPORTED SEEING GRAFFITI IN GHOREPANI, ON
THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT, SAYING IN
EFFECT THAT TOURISTS ARE WELCOME, BUT AMERICANS SHOULD GO
HOME. OTHER TOURISTS ON A BUS HEADING TO KATHMANDU FROM
TIBET REPORTEDLY WERE STOPPED BY MAOISTS WHO BOARDED THE
BUS AND ASKED SPECIFICALLY WHETHER ANY AMERICANS WERE ON-
BOARD (NONE WERE).


7. ON OCTOBER 9, MAOISTS SET FIRE TO A VAN OWNED BY A
DISTRIBUTOR OF PEPSI-COLA IN SINDUPALCHOWK DISTRICT IN
CENTRAL NEPAL. THE LOCAL DISTRIBUTOR WAS UNABLE TO
PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS AT THIS TIME. POST WILL SEND MORE
INFORMATION AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. THIS IS THE SECOND
TIME, FOLLOWING AN ATTACK IN MAY 2002, THAT THE MAOISTS
HAVE TARGETED TRUCKS CARRYING PEPSI-COLA. [NOTE. COCA-
COLA, WHICH MAINTAINS TWO FACTORIES IN NEPAL, HAS BEEN
SUBJECT TO THREE ATTACKS SINCE 2001. END NOTE.]

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MAOIST IMPACT ON GURKHA ARMY RECRUITMENT
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8. PRESS REPORTS INDICATE, AND MILITARY LEADERS BELIEVE,
THAT THE INSURGENCY HAS CAUSED INCREASED NUMBERS OF YOUNG
NEPALI MEN TO SEEK RECRUITMENT IN THE GURKHA BATTALIONS OF
THE INDIAN AND BRITISH ARMIES. HOWEVER, MAOISTS
REPORTEDLY HAVE FORCIBLY PREVENTED MANY YOUNG MEN FROM
TRAVELING TO RECRUITMENT CENTERS. ONE ENGLISH DAILY
REPORTED ON OCTOBER 10 THAT RECRUITMENT LEVELS FROM
CERTAIN EASTERN DISTRICTS WERE DOWN 50 PERCENT FROM LAST
YEAR.

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MAOISTS CONTINUE TO TARGET NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE
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9. ON OCTOBER 2, MAOISTS IN NAWALPARASI DISTRICT IN THE
CENTRAL TERAI (SOUTHERN BELT),EXPLODED PRESSURE COOKER
BOMBS AT TWO VACANT POLICE POSTS. LIKEWISE, INSURGENTS IN
DADELDHURA DISTRICT IN FAR-WESTERN NEPAL DESTROYED A
TELECOMMUNICATIONS REPEATER STATION THAT HAD RECENTLY BEEN
RESTORED AFTER A PREVIOUS MAOIST ATTACK. ON OCTOBER 5,
INSURGENTS IN TAPLEJUNG DISTRICT IN FAR-EASTERN NEPAL
DESTROYED A SUSPENSION BRIDGE, ISOLATING TWELVE VILLAGE
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (VDC) AREAS.


10. ON OCTOBER 6, MAOISTS EXPLODED A BOMB IN THE
POWERHOUSE OF A 250-KILOWATT HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT IN
OKHALDHUNGA DISTRICT IN EASTERN NEPAL, SIGNIFICANTLY
DAMAGING THE CONTROL PANEL AND DEPRIVING 800 FAMILIES OF
ELECTRICITY. THE COST OF THE CONTROL PANEL STANDS AT OVER
NRS 1.2 MILLION (USD 16,000). THE NEPAL ELECTRICITY
AUTHORITY (NEA) REPORTED THAT THIS ATTACK IS THE SECOND
MOST DESTRUCTIVE ACT EVER BY THE MAOISTS AGAINST THE
COUNTRY'S ELECTRICITY INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT SAME DAY,
MAOISTS SET FIRE TO A VDC OFFICE IN MAKWANPUR DISTRICT IN
CENTRAL NEPAL.


11. ON OCTOBER 7, MAOISTS SET FIRE TO A SECONDARY SCHOOL,
THE ONLY SCHOOL IN THAT PARTICULAR VDC IN UDAYAPUR
DISTRICT. ON OCTOBER 8, INSURGENTS IN KANCHANPUR DISTRICT
IN FAR-WESTERN NEPAL SET FIRE TO A TELECOMMUNICATIONS
EXCHANGE.

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SUMMARY OF CLASHES BETWEEN SECURITY FORCES AND MAOISTS
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12. ALTHOUGH MAOIST ACTIVITY WAS SOMEWHAT SUBDUED THIS
WEEK DUE TO THE "UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE," SEVERAL CLASHES
OCCURRED ACROSS THE COUNTRY:

-- ON OCTOBER 2, ONE SUSPECTED MAOIST WAS KILLED IN A
CLASH IN DOLAKHA DISTRICT IN CENTRAL NEPAL AFTER SECURITY
FORCES ENTERED AN AREA TO RETRIEVE THE BODY OF A DEAD
ROYAL NEPAL ARMY (RNA) SOLDIER.

-- ON OCTOBER 4, SECURITY FORCES REPORTEDLY KILLED SIX
MAOISTS IN VARIOUS CLASHES IN FIVE DISTRICTS IN THE MID-
AND FAR-WEST REGIONS OF NEPAL.

-- ON OCTOBER 5, MAOISTS ABDUCTED AN UNARMED SOLDIER IN
THE KATHMANDU VALLEY, BUT HE MANAGED TO ESCAPE A DAY
LATER.

-- ON OCTOBER 6, MAOISTS AND SECURITY FORCES CLASHED IN
RAUTAHAT DISTRICT IN THE CENTRAL TERAI, KAILALI DISTRICT
IN THE FAR WEST, AND SALYAN DISTRICT IN MID-WESTERN NEPAL,
RESULTING IN THE DEATH OF FIVE INSURGENTS. ANOTHER THREE
INSURGENTS DIED IN AN ACCIDENTAL EXPLOSION IN KASKI
DISTRICT NEAR POKHARA.

-- ON OCTOBER 8, FOUR MAOISTS WERE KILLED IN CLASHES WITH
SECURITY FORCES IN KAILALI DISTRICT IN THE FAR WEST.

-- ON OCTOBER 9, TWO RNA SOLDIERS AND TWO POLICEMEN WERE
KILLED IN A MAOIST AMBUSH IN UDAYAPUR DISTRICT IN EASTERN
NEPAL.


MALINOWSKI