NEPALI MAOIST COMMANDER IMPLICATED IN MURDERS OF

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 001030

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/SA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PTER PREL KCRM CJAN NP IN
SUBJECT: NEPALI MAOIST COMMANDER IMPLICATED IN MURDERS OF
EMBASSY PERSONNEL ARRESTED IN INDIA

REF: A. 2002 KATHMANDU 2171 (NOTAL)


B. 2002 KATHMANDU 2253 (NOTAL)

C. 2003 KATHMANDU 755 (NOTAL)


1. (SBU) Summary: According to Nepali press reports,
Indian police in Patna, Bihar have arrested 12 Nepali
Maoists, including several Central Committee members. Among
those reportedly arrested is Kumar Dahal (a.k.a. "Bijay"),
the head of the Maoists' Kathmandu Valley Special Regional
Bureau. On November 15, 2002, "Bijay" issued a press release
acknowledging Maoist responsibility for the killings of two
U.S. Embassy guards in 2001 and 2002. Embassy believes Kumar
Dahal has important information that could lead to the
arrests of the killers of our personnel. We therefore
request Department to instruct Embassy New Delhi to request
access to Kumar Dahal. End summary.


2. (U) On June 4 the Nepali press reported that on June 2
Indian police in Patna, Bihar arrested 12 Nepali Maoists,
including several members of the Central Committee. The
Maoists reportedly were arrested while in possession of
Indian Rupees 150,000 (approximately USD 3,300),purportedly
intended to purchase weapons. Nepali police have confirmed
the story to the Embassy.


3. (SBU) Among those reportedly arrested is Kumar Dahal
(a.k.a. "Bijay" or "Vijay"),Central Committee member and
head of the Maoists' Kathmandu Valley Special Regional
Bureau. On November 15, 2002, Dahal issued a press statement
in Nepali acknowledging Maoist responsibility for the
December 15, 2001, killing of U.S. Embassy guard Ramesh
Manandhar and the November 9, 2002, killing of U.S. Embassy
guard Deepak Prasad Pokhrel (Ref A). The translation of the
release stated that the Maoists "would like to make clear
that any political party, organization, media or diplomatic
community, wherever and whatever they may be, if they
continue to work against the Maoist party and want to destroy
the People's War, will not be spared by our party. In this
connection, our party has taken action recently and killed
the security personnel of the American Embassy Mr. Deepak
Pokhrel. . . . Likewise, last year our party also took
action against and killed Ramesh Manandhar. . . We would like
to appeal to all diplomatic missions, including the American
Mission, to stop the work of spying. We do not have the
policy of fighting against them unless they come to fight
with us." At that time, police and media sources indicated
that the release, which was signed by "Bijay," appeared
authentic.


4. (SBU) In an April 25, 2003, meeting with Maoist
Politburo members Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Krishna Mahara,
Poloff and RSO demanded the Maoists turn over the killers of
Manandhar and Pokhrel, as well as the commanders who ordered
the killings. Bhattarai acknowledged the Maoists were
responsible for the killings, which he characterized as a
"mistake" (Ref C). (Note: The same Nepali word can be
translated into English as either "fault" or "mistake."
Nepalis speaking in English--which Bhattarai was--sometimes
use these words interchangeably. End note.)


5. (SBU) Action Request: As head of the Valley Command at
the time of the slayings, Dahal may well have been the person
who ordered these executions. At the very least, he is
highly likely to have important information related to the
killings, including the identities of the shooters. We
believe it important that the Indian Government be made aware
soonest of USG interest in this case. Embassy requests that
Department instruct Embassy New Delhi to request access to
Dahal. It would be very unfortunate if Dahal were to slip
through our fingers.
BOGUE