UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, OCTOBER 25-31

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 002132 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, OCTOBER 25-31 REFERENCE: (A) KATHMANDU 2022 (B) KATHMANDU 2040 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. Thirty-three Maoists and twenty security personnel were killed this week, including twelve policemen killed after hundreds of Maoists stormed two police posts on October 26 and 28. Eleven civilians also were killed, seven of whom reportedly were caught in crossfire, while four others were brutally murdered by rebels. Maoist Supremo Prachanda claimed he had no prior knowledge regarding the abductions of four British Gurkhas (Ref B). Several major donor countries issued a statement on October 28 condemning both the Maoists and the security forces for the shooting at a school in Doti District, which resulted in the deaths of four children (Ref A). Security forces are coming under fire for alleged illegal detentions. The renewed violence is causing food shortages in several far western districts. End Summary. MAOISTS STORM POLICE POSTS; MORE LIVES LOST IN CLASHES THROUGHOUT NEPAL -------------- ¶2. On October 28, over 200 Maoists stormed a police post in Kaski District, killing six policemen and a soldier. On October 26, an early morning ambush by Maoists on another police post in Nawalparasi District left six more policemen dead. Local press reports said an estimated 200 Maoists stormed the police post, attacking with automatic weapons. ¶3. On October 29, a Royal Nepal Army (RNA) soldier was killed in a Maoist ambush in Udaypur District, in the east. On October 28 two policemen were killed by rebels in Surkhet District, one of whom had been abducted by rebels the previous day. A Maoist landmine exploded on October 27 in the northern district of Gorkha, killing four policemen and injuring four others. ¶4. Thirty-one Maoists were killed in separate clashes with security personnel during the period of October 28-29. On October 29 in Chitwan District, south of Kathmandu, two Maoists were killed by security forces while the insurgents were attempting to plant a landmine. On that same day, six rebels were killed in the eastern district of Dhanusha, while two others died in clashes in Kaski District. On October 28, separate clashes in the western and mid-western districts of Dailekh, Janakpur, Dadeldhura, Tanahu and Arghakhachi left fourteen insurgents dead, while on that same day in the eastern districts of Dhanusha and Sarlahi four rebels were killed. Two more rebels were killed on October 26 in Sarlahi District during a clash with RNA personnel. ¶5. On October 25, the local press quoted an unnamed army official as saying that the Maoists do not have control over the western districts of Rolpa and Rukum, traditionally Maoist strongholds. The official claimed that the Maoists "no longer show any movement there," but cautioned that the rebels might be planning a "fierce strike." PRACHANDA CLAIMS IGNORANCE OVER ABDUCTIONS -------------- ¶6. Maoist Supreme leader Prachanda expressed surprise over the abduction of four British Gurkha officers (Ref B). In an October 26 interview with an online news service, Prachanda claimed he was startled by the abductions, and ordered the soldiers' immediate release as soon as he learned of their detention. The Maoist leader declared that his party has always refrained from abducting and causing physical harm to foreign citizens, tourists and government officials. He reiterated his concern over "American imperialism," but said that no harm would come to American citizens or aid workers, except those "who come in the battlefield with the Nepali army." ¶7. A suspect in the assault and robbery of an American citizen on September 26 in the central district of Lamjung told Post's FSN investigators that he did not know the victim was an American, and only targeted him because he was "looking to rob foreign tourists because they carry lots of money." The suspect also denied any affiliation with the Maoists. INSURGENCY CLAIMS MORE CIVILIANS -------------- ¶8. Despite Prachanda's statement that his party would refrain from killing and abducting civilians, on October 24, Maoist cadres shot and killed a man in Lalitpur District, south of Kathmandu. Four civilians also were killed during the Maoist attacks on police posts. Two were killed during the October 26 attack in the southwestern district of Nawalparsi, one of whom reportedly was killed for supplying tea to policemen, while the other was a government worker shot and killed on his motorcycle as he returned home. The other two civilians were killed in the October 28 ambush by rebels in Kaski District on a police post. According to local press reports, a member of the Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) was tortured to death by Maoists on October 25 in Makwanpur District, in the east. Rebels abducted him from his house, and brutally killed him after accusing him of spying. On October 30 in neighboring Dhading District, Maoists reportedly also killed another CPN-UML cadre after forcibly taking him from his residence. ¶9. Three civilians died after being caught in crossfire during an October 30 gunbattle between security forces and Maoists in the western district of Dang, a Maoist stronghold. Rebels reportedly ambushed a police vehicle and a clash ensued. On October 23 in the central district of Tanahu, a fourteen-year-old girl allegedly was shot and killed by members of the Royal Nepal Army (RNA). The local press reported that the girl was killed after protesting against security personnel who were "roughing" up her father. On October 28 the Ministry of Defense said the reports were disseminated without confirmation and published with the goal of "demoralizing the security forces." EDUCATIONAL SECTOR HIT HARD BY VIOLENCE -------------- ¶10. The Maoist threat to schoolteachers has been a constant during the eight-year insurgency and the attacks continue. On October 29 in Ramechap District, rebels entered a classroom and broke the leg of a teacher. A school principal was killed outside his home in Morang District on October 24, and insurgents in Therathum District abducted a teacher on October 24 who remains missing. Appeals for the rebels to respect the educational sector have been ignored. ¶11. Members of several major donor countries, including Finland, Denmark, Norway and the European Union, along with representatives of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and UNICEF, issued a joint statement on October 28 condemning the shooting at a school in Doti District, which killed four students (Ref A). The statement demands that schools be respected as zones of peace, and calls on both the government and the Maoists to take all possible measures to avoid civilian casualties, declaring that "there is no justification for the warring parties to bring their conflict within school grounds." On September 25 the United Nation's Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights called for an investigation into the incident. The GON has not issued a statement on the tragic event. SECURITY FORCES UNDER FIRE -------------- ¶12. Security forces are coming under criticism for alleged illegal detentions of civilians. The local press reports that since the ceasefire between the Government of Nepal (GON) and the Maoists broke on August 27, almost sixty people have filed petitions against security forces for illegal detentions. The press quoted an official at the Supreme Court as saying that it is the "highest number of detentions" in such a short time. Eight journalists are among those seeking release. Amnesty International (AI) also issued a statement on October 30, demanding to know the whereabouts of five individuals recently arrested by security forces for supplying rice to the insurgents. INSURGENCY CAUSING FOOD SHORTAGES -------------- ¶13. Maoist activities and security concerns are causing food shortages in some of Nepal's hardest hit and remote regions. The far-western regions of Accham, Darchula, Bajura and Bajhang are among the districts hit by Maoist- imposed blockades and embargoes, as well as the refusal of contractors to deliver goods out of fear of Maoist attacks. Employees of the Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) told the local press that food is available for delivery, but contractors, who have been harassed by Maoists in the past, have refused to make deliveries. Erika Jorgensen, World Food Program (WFP) Country Director, said delay and obstruction in delivering food are one of the "major problems" facing development assistance programs. Jorgenson said over 500 tons of food last year went undelivered. BOGGS