UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, FEB 1-7

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 000231 SIPDIS STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/NEA STATE ALSO PLEASE PASS USAID/DCHA/OFDA USAID FOR ANE/AA GORDON WEST AND JIM BEVER MANILA FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA LONDON FOR POL/REIDEL 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 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PTER CASC PGOV NP IN SUBJECT: UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, FEB 1-7 REFERENCE: (A) KATHAMNDU 0089 (B) KATHMANDU 0217 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. The groundwork for peace talks was laid with the Government of Nepal reportedly sending a formal invitation to the Maoists. The Maoists announced their five-member negotiating team for talks with the GON. Human rights organizations want the peace talks to focus on human rights and creating a lasting peace in Nepal. UNICEF declared the truce a ray of hope for children in Nepal and criticized the Maoists "politicization" of the educational sector. Narayan Singh Pun, Minister For Physical Planning and Works and government appointed negotiator, said that the priority of the peace talks would be humanitarian issues and announced plans to visit some of the districts hit hardest by the insurgency. The United Kingdom announced its plans to continue military assistance to Nepal. Criminal cases filed against top Maoists are on hold, while some districts began releasing suspected Maoists from prison. Security personnel arrested three journalists working for a pro-Maoist newspaper. An indefinite closure of educational institutions, set to begin on February 13, has been called off by the pro-Maoist student union. Maoists killed a police officer and are still forcibly collecting money from villagers. GROUNDWORK FOR PEACE TALKS BEGINS -------------- ¶2. According to local press reports, the Government of Nepal (GON) sent an official invitation to the Maoists for formal peace talks. The press also reported that the Maoists acknowledged the invitation and were expected to accept it. ¶3. Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, the Maoists' number-two leader, will head a five-member team in peace talks with the GON. In addition to Bhattarai, the team consists of four other senior-level Maoists: military strategist Ram Bahadur Thapa (aka "Badal"); Dev Gurung; Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who participated in the 2001 negotiations; and Mitrika Prasad Yadav. The Maoists issued a statement through the local press that there should be no suspicions about the ceasefire and assured wary mainstream politicians that they believed the role of political parties in the peace talks "cannot be ignored." ¶4. According to local press reports, Narayan Singh Pun, Minister For Physical Planning and Works and appointed government coordinator for the negotiations, has already held informal talks with Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai at an undisclosed location (According to a senior police official, Bhattarai left India after the ceasefire and is now in Nepal). The informal meetings allegedly were held to establish a code of conduct and agenda for peace talks. PEACE TALKS TO ADDRESS HUMANITARIAN ISSUES -------------- ¶5. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) appealed to the GON and the Maoist party to turn the ceasefire into lasting peace. In separate letters to Prime Minister Chand and Maoist leader Pushpa Dahal (aka "Prachanda"),the NHRC said that the ceasefire would be meaningless if it did not allow the people of Nepal to resume normal lives. NHRC also stressed the need for both sides to commit publicly to the ceasefire and to establish a code of conduct for the period of the ceasefire. The NHRC offered to help draft a letter of understanding for both sides to sign. ¶6. Amnesty International (AI) issued a statement on February 1 appealing to both the GON and the Maoists to give top priority to human rights issues when peace dialogue begins. AI urged both sides to "make human rights an integral part of the agenda," and to enact measures that would prevent any future killings, abductions and torture by either side. AI also called on the Maoists to return all children recruited as soldiers to their homes. ¶7. Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF, said the ceasefire has provided a ray of hope for children in Nepal. Bellamy urged all sides to make schools a zone of peace and to put women and children at the center of the peace talks. Bellamy criticized the apparent trend of politicising schools, and said it is "unacceptable" that schools have not been able to provide a safe haven for children. ¶8. The National Women's Commission (NWC) released a study on February 6 detailing the sexual abuse against female Maoists. The NWC study reported that the women were often sexually harassed and exploited by male insurgents. Several of the sexual assaults resulted in pregnancies, and some women were later forced to give birth in caves. The NWC visited several districts in the mid and far western regions of Nepal and found that women were often subjected to repeated rapes by as many as six different men. The NWC said it would ask the government to investigate and treat the women, many of whom claimed to have been framed, as prisoners of conscience. ¶9. Narayan Singh Pun, Minister For Physical Planning and Works, said that the priority of the peace talks would be humanitarian issues. Pun told the local press that thousands of people had been left in a vulnerable state because of the insurgency, and that he planned on visiting some of the worst-hit districts. UK TO CONTINUE MILITARY AID TO NEPAL -------------- ¶10. The British Government welcomed the ceasefire between the GON and the Maoists as an "important and positive development." Despite the ceasefire, however, Britain announced that it would continue providing military assistance to Nepal. The announcement follows a weeklong visit to Nepal by a British mission consisting of senior officials from the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Defense and Department of International Development. Members of the commission told the local press that the focus would mainly be on training the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA),but would also address Nepal's development and its civilian police capabilities. Britain contributes almost fourteen million dollars annually in bilateral assistance to Nepal and also provides over four million dollars each fiscal year to the Global Conflict Prevention Pool, which funds short-term development projects. CRIMINAL CASES AGAINST MAOISTS IN LIMBO; PRISONERS RELEASED -------------- ¶11. On January 13 the Government of Nepal (GON) filed special court cases against ten senior Maoist leaders, including Pushpa Dahal (aka Prachanda) and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, accusing them of being the "chief perpetrators of crimes against the state" and demanded life imprisonment for the Maoists (Ref A). The status of these cases is now unclear with the announcement of the ceasefire. According to local press reports, the GON has not withdrawn the cases, and the court will not dismiss them until it receives something in writing from the GON. In its attempt to bring the Maoists to the table for peace talks, the GON had withdrawn the rewards offered for information leading to their arrests and reportedly cancelled "red corner notices" on them with Interpol. ¶12. On January 31 Minister Pun visited the Central Jail and the jail at Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu, where he met with imprisoned Maoists. The GON is considering the possible release of information on the whereabouts of Maoists currently in jail. The local press reported that Pun has reassured Maoist leaders that all detained Maoists will be released within a month. It is estimated that there are currently 9,000 suspected Maoists imprisoned throughout the country. ¶13. The District Administration in southwestern Dang District, a Maoist stronghold, has begun releasing Maoists from prison. Eight Maoists were released from Tulsipur Jail on orders of the government and, according to the superintendent of police, more would be released after processing is completed. In northwestern Baglung District, six suspected Maoists were released from jail after being imprisoned for over a year under the Terrorist and Destructive Acts legislation. A journalist and two teachers arrested under the same act remain in jail. Four others serving time on suspicion of being Maoists were also released from Central Jail on orders of the Supreme Court. In southern Rautahat District, security forces released a secondary school teacher who had been in custody for fourteen months on charges of participating in Maoist activities. ¶14. The editor of Janadisha, a newspaper considered to be the mouthpiece of the Maoists, and two other journalists from the same newspaper were arrested February 1 under the Public Security Act. Authorities had previously raided Janadisha's offices after the imposition of the state of emergency in November 2001 and arrested the staff. ANNISU-R WITHDRAWS CALL FOR EDUCATION STRIKE -------------- ¶15. The All Nepal National Independent Students Union- Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) withdrew its call for an indefinite closure of schools (Ref B). The strike was set to begin on February 13. Devendra Parajuli, President of ANNISU-R, said he believed that the militant students' demands could be met through dialogue, and said the country's focus right now should be on "resolving the current political crisis." CEASEFIRE DOESN'T STOP VIOLENCE -------------- ¶16. Maoists killed a police officer in Kanchanpur District. His body was discovered on January 30, just a day after the announced ceasefire. The officer had been abducted by the insurgents and held captive for almost two weeks. ¶17. Maoists in mid-western Arghakhanci District are still forcibly soliciting donations from villagers despite the ceasefire. Farmers and small business owners report being compelled to donate money to the insurgents. A senior police official claims that Maoists in Kathmandu Valley are forcing residents to attend political indoctrination meetings. Maoist insurgents also declared a general strike in southern Makwanpur District on February 4, putting a halt to businesses, traffic and schools. ¶18. The Maoist Party issued a press release on February 5 denying that it had been involved in any acts of theft or looting since the declaration of the ceasefire. The statement follows a number of thefts and robberies allegedly carried out in the name of the Maoists in southern Nawalparasi District. MALINOWSKI