NEPAL: MAOIST ATTACKS AND THREATS AGAINST COCA-COLA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 002332 SIPDIS STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/SA; LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY; NSC FOR MILLARD E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2013 TAGS: ASEC PTER NP SUBJECT: NEPAL: MAOIST ATTACKS AND THREATS AGAINST COCA-COLA REF: A. A) KATHMANDU 2246 ¶B. B) KATHMANDU 1964 ¶C. C) KATHMANDU 2323 Classified By: DCM Robert K. Boggs for reasons 1.5 (B,D). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: According to Colonel Mohan Singh, Coca-Cola's Chief Security Officer in Nepal, two bombs exploded on November 28 approximately 100 meters from the main gate of the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Bharatpur, Chitwan District. In addition, Col. Singh reported a separate incident in which a Coca-Cola distribution van was torched in Butwal, Rupandehi District, and the distributor was told that the Maoists in Butwal wanted Coca-Cola out of the district. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Col. Mohan Singh, Coca-Cola's Chief Security Officer, stated that two bombs exploded today about 100 meters east of the Coca-Cola main gate. He indicated that the first blast was caused by an improvised explosive device, which was followed by an exchange of gunfire between undercover security personnel and the Maoists. The second explosion was from an improvised "socket bomb." Col. Singh stated that the closest security checkpoint is 3 km west of the factory. Security causalities included one dead RNA soldier and three severely injured. No Coca-Cola personnel or facilities were damaged in today's attack. Col. Singh indicated that the company does not believe that the attacks were directly intended for the Coca-Cola factory. ¶3. (C) In addition to the explosions outside the Bharatpur factory, Col. Singh reported that a Coca-Cola distribution van had recently been torched in Butwal, Rupandehi District. Col. Singh reported that the driver, sales distributor and two associates were released unharmed, but were told by the Maoist perpetrators that a decision had been made at the district level that Coca-Cola must leave the district. Col. Singh mentioned that the main distributor for Coca-Cola received an extortion demand about a week ago, which was not paid. (NOTE: 30 Peace Corps trainees left Butwal on November 18 after being threatened by the Maoists. On September 17, a Pepsi-Cola truck was torched in Butwal. See reftels A and B. END NOTE.) ¶4. (C) COMMENT: In a previous meeting with PolsChief, NN Singh, Coca-Cola's Managing Director reported that security personnel make several patrols throughout the day around the Coca-Cola bottling plant. Given NN Singh's information, it is certainly plausible, as Col. Singh stated, that the Maoist attack was meant to target the security forces outside the bottling plant rather than the plant itself. In Rupendehi District, however, the Maoists appear to be bent on chasing all foreign presence out of the area (per reftels) to clear their supply lines between India and districts in the western hills where the Maoists have substantial interests to protect. END COMMENT. MALINOWSKI