NEPAL: AMCIT HELD AND RELEASED BY MAOISTS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 002300

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR CA/OCS JOHN PETERS, SA/INS GREG BAYER,
DS/IP/SA, AND DS/ITA
LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY
NSC FOR MILLARD
DOJ FOR OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL/DLAUFMAN

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC ASEC PINS PTER NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: AMCIT HELD AND RELEASED BY MAOISTS



1. (SBU) SUMMARY: AMCIT Zachary Hessler, a regular
traveler to Nepal, was detained for four days in the
Ganesh Himal region of Nepal. While not physically held,
Hessler was not permitted to leave the area until Maoist
cadre consulted with their leadership, while they held
his passport and threatened to kill innocent Nepali
villagers who had provided him accommodation. The
Maoists were reportedly responding to a circular from the
senior party leadership, apparently issued shortly after
the recent announcement of terrorist listing sanctions,
that American citizens were not permitted to leave the
Kathmandu Valley. Ultimately, Hessler was released
unharmed with his passport and told Americans are welcome
to travel in Nepal. END SUMMARY.


2. (U) AMCIT Zachary Hessler appeared at the Embassy on
24 November and reported his experience of being detained
and subsequently released by the Maoists. According to
Hessler, he was hiking with a group of six trekkers plus
porters in the Ganesh Himal Region, located in Dhading
District, northwest of Kathmandu. He and his French
friend separated from the group, taking a separate route,
and arrived in the village of Tipling two days after the
rest of the party (which included a British national, his
Nepali wife and cousins, and a Dutch national). Arriving
in Tipling on 15 November, Hessler discovered that there
were about eight Maoists in the village awaiting their
arrival.


3. (U) On the first evening, there was little
interaction with the Maoists. Hessler reported the
Maoists as generally friendly, with one of the group
offering to explain their particular brand of Maoism to
him. That night, Hessler and his party stayed with the
family of the Nepali wife of the British citizen.


4. (SBU) The next day, the Maoists asked the party for a
"trekking tax" of 2,000 Nepali Rupees each. Hessler
explained that he had paid a similar fee of 1,300 Rupees
earlier in the year in Manaslu Region (Gorkha District)
and showed his receipt. After huddling with the receipt
and establishing his nationality, the Maoists returned to
the group and demanded 2,000 Rupees from each of the
foreign trekkers, except Hessler, who they said they
would have to take into their custody to see their senior
commander.


5. (SBU) The group, Maoists and villagers spent several
hours discussing this idea. According to Hessler, he
pulled one of the Maoists aside and explained how quickly
this small problem could become a large one. The Maoist
explained that after the "Armitage statement" (likely
meaning the statement that accompanied the recent USG
announcement of terrorist sanctions against the CPN-
Maoist party),the Maoist leadership had distributed a
circular that Americans were not allowed to travel
outside the Kathmandu Valley. Since the circular did not
indicate what cadres should do if they encountered
Americans outside the Valley, they needed to seek higher
advice.


6. (SBU) Although the local cadre leader was insistent,
ultimately he agreed to take only Hessler's passport. He
also demanded that the group not leave the area, and that
the trekkers meet the Maoists in Singpunphedi (phonetic)
after four-days. The trekkers were told not to continue
their trek in the area (they had planned to trek north
into the Ganesh Himal high country),but to travel only
on the trail between Tipling and Singpunphedi. The
Maoists then departed with his passport, but not before
threatening to kill the British national's wife's family,
who live in Tipling, if the trekkers broke their
agreement.


7. (U) After two more days in Tipling, Hessler and party
trekked two days to Singpunphedi. The morning after
their arrival, the group was approached by two of the
Maoists they had encountered in Tipling. Hessler's
passport was returned, and he was required to pay the
2,000 rupee "donation." The Maoists stated that,
according to their commander, they had no interest in
taking hostages and that all tourists were welcome in
Nepal.


8. (SBU) COMMENT. This is the first time to our knowledge
that an American citizen has been detained by the
Maoists. It is also the first time we have heard any
reference to any Maoist instruction to prevent Americans
from leaving the Kathmandu Valley. Although the incident
is a cause for additional concern about the safety of
American trekkers, Hessler's experience suggests that the
Maoist leadership still has not made the fateful decision
to take violent action against American citizens.


9. (U) We are relieved that the incident ended peacefully
and with a reaffirmation that American citizens are
welcome as trekkers -- provided that they pay the usual
Maoist fees. We would note that Mr. Hessler is a very
experienced trekker in Nepal, and was traveling with
Nepali companions. However, we also note that both areas
where he has encountered Maoists, Manaslu and Dhading
(south of Ganesh Himal),are areas that the Embassy
strongly urges Americans seeking advice to avoid. END
COMMENT.

MALINOWSKI