Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04KATHMANDU1348
2004-07-16 05:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:  

UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, JULY 10-16,

Tags:  PINS PTER CASC PGOV NP PHUM 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001348 

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 ALVERSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PTER CASC PGOV NP PHUM
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, JULY 10-16,
2004

REFERENCE: (A) KATHMANDU 1300
(B) KATHMANDU 0120
(C) KATHMANDU 1339

SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001348

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 ALVERSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PTER CASC PGOV NP PHUM
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, JULY 10-16,
2004

REFERENCE: (A) KATHMANDU 1300
(B) KATHMANDU 0120
(C) KATHMANDU 1339

SUMMARY
--------------


1. Government of Nepal (GON) officials announced there
would be no unilateral ceasefire even as contradictory
opinions surrounded the issue of international mediation.
Maoists pulled off another brazen assassination of a city
mayor in broad daylight, following a pattern of
assassinating local and metropolitan-level officials who
refuse to resign from their posts. According to Royal Nepal
Army (RNA) officials, Maoist "hit squads" have entered the
Kathmandu Valley "disguised as taxi drivers." The Indian
press reported that Maoists from Nepal joined forces with
Indian "Naxalite" militants to attack a police post in
India. Security forces reportedly killed twenty-two rebels.
Maoist insurgents killed three security force personnel.
Seven civilians, including two children, died in Maoist
related violence. Controversy surrounds a Royal Nepal Army
(RNA) "sting operation" which left one innocent civilian and
one suspected Maoist dead. As Maoists continue their forced
recruitment campaigns and abductions, an escapee from a
Maoist camp in the west alleged that abuse, misery and
disease are rampant. End Summary.

NO UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE
--------------


2. At a press conference on July 13, Prime Minister Sher
Bahadur Deuba said that a decision on a ceasefire would not
be made "in haste" and the GON would not hold talks for
"temporary peace." The Prime Minister said he was in favor
of meaningful dialogue and if peace talks "can bring
permanent peace, they will be held." Speaking to reporters
on that same day, Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil
Aviation Deep Kumar Upadhyay said the GON would not announce

a unilateral ceasefire and ruled out peace talks until the
Maoists "give up their current strategy."

OPINIONS MIXED FOR UN MEDIATION
--------------


3. As speculation lingers over third-party mediation,
officials within the GON appear to have different views. On
July 13 Prime Minister Deuba told the press that
international mediation was not necessary, and he did not
want "foreign mediation." Deuba said he strongly believed
that "Nepalis have to hold talks ourselves." However, on
the same day Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil
Aviation Deep Kumar Upadhyay (a member of Deuba's own Nepali
Congress-Democratic Party) said the GON did not think the UN
should be "kept out" of the peace process. On July 9,
India's outgoing Ambassador, Shyam Saran, reiterated his
government's support to Nepal in resolving the Maoist
conflict, but added that "it is for Nepal to decide what to
do."

MAYOR ASSASSINATED
--------------


4. On July 12, Dhan Bahadur Bam, the Mayor of Dhangadhi,
was gunned down by Maoists in broad daylight as he came out
of his office. Maoists reportedly had issued warnings to
Bam and other appointed officials to resign by May 2. Local
human rights organizations have condemned the murder as a
"gross violation of human rights," and accused the Maoists
of killing political cadres simply for not subscribing to
"Maoist ideology." Bam is the third mayor to be assassinated
by the insurgents. On July 2 the Mayor of Pokhara, in Kaski
District, was killed by Maoists as he left his residence
(Ref A). The Mayor of Birgunj, in Bara District, was also
murdered on January 15 (Ref B) reportedly after refusing to
pay the Maoists' extortion demand of 7000 USD and refusing
to submit his resignation. Hundreds of government
officials, including the Mayor of Kathmandu, have resigned
over the past several months under intense pressure from the
Maoists. It is unclear if these individual murders were
retaliatory, are part of a broader Maoist campaign to
assassinate government officials, or to force the Government
of Nepal (GON) through fear back into negotiations.

MAOIST "HIT SQUADS" IN VALLEY
--------------


5. On July 15, the local press reported that over 400
Maoist cadres had infiltrated the Kathmandu Valley as part
of Maoist Special Task Forces (STF). Security officials
reportedly confirmed their presence to reporters with the
Himalayan Times, an English language daily. According to
Royal Nepal Army (RNA) officials, the STF team members are
assigned to assassinate specific individuals, and are
possibly disguised as taxi drivers, traveling "as drivers
and passengers." A RNA "threat analysis" also revealed that
Maoists could attempt to hijack an Indian Airlines airplane
to pressure the Government of India to release Maoist cadres
recently arrested in India.

MAOISTS AND INDIAN MILITANTS JOIN FORCES
--------------


6. A local Indian newspaper reported on July 15 that
Maoists from Nepal joined with the Naxalite Maoist Communist
Center (MCC),a militant Indian group, to attack a police
post in the northern Indian state of Bihar. According to
the report, over 300 rebels, a large number of whom were
women, exchanged fire with Indian police at the post for
over three hours. No policemen were reported killed, but
the Maoists did overrun the post and capture some small
arms.

VIOLENCE SHOWS NO SIGN OF SUBSIDING
--------------


7. Security forces reportedly killed twenty-two insurgents
in separate incidents this week: two in the central district
of Dhading on July 15; ten in the districts of Dolakha and
Kaski on July 14; two in the mid-western district of Bardiya
on July 13; and eight in Baglung and Bardiya on July 12.


8. On July 14, a police constable was killed by rebels in
the western district of Rupandehi. Another was killed by a
Maoist-planted bomb in Pyuthan on July 13. A Royal Nepal
Army (RNA) soldier was killed by Maoists on July 11 while on
leave.


9. Seven civilians were killed by Maoists, including three
in Kathmandu. On July 14, a teacher was assassinated in the
capital by Maoists in a "drive-by" style shooting. Two
others were also killed in Kathmandu on July 13. Another
civilian was killed by insurgents on July 12 in the western
district of Kapilbastu. Children continue to be at risk by
bombs discarded or left behind by the rebels. On July 12,
two more children were killed when a bomb left behind by
Maoists detonated in the far-western district of
Argakhanchi. On July 12, a Maoist bomb in the western
district of Banke killed one woman and injured three others.


10. In an apparent sting operation gone bad, an innocent
civilian was killed, although conflicting stories surround
who was responsible for his death. On July 13, security
forces staged an operation in Kathmandu to catch a suspected
Maoist attempting to extort money from Ullash Vaidya, an
official from the Nepal Electric Authority. With security
personnel watching, Vaidya gave money to the suspect, at
which time security forces reportedly began firing. Both
men were killed. On July 14, Royal Nepal Army (RNA)
officials denied responsibility and said that "an
unidentified man" shot Vaidya from the back. The RNA also
claimed that the rebel was killed as he tried to "flee on a
motorbike."

MAOIST CAMPS "HARSH"
--------------


11. In an interview with The Kathmandu Post published on
July 12, a youth who escaped from a Maoist indoctrination
camp alleged abuse and misery. According to the escapee,
there are over 300 people, some as young as thirteen-years-
old, in the Maoist camp located in the far-western district
of Dadeldhura. Many of the occupants are sick with scabies
and intestinal illnesses and some have died. He added that
the Maoists force their captives to walk for long periods of
time "without food and water." While in captivity the people
reportedly are also taught to "use guns and make bombs."


12. On July 12, over 250 students in the far-western
district of Accham reportedly were forcibly recruited into
the Maoist army. Hundreds of other students from the area
reportedly have fled to India to avoid conscription.

BOMB BLASTS
--------------


13. On July 15 the Nepal Telecommunication Office (NTC) in
Lalitpur District, south of Kathmandu, was damaged by a
Maoist bomb (Ref C). According to some reports, a female
Maoist approached the building and tried to place the bomb
within the gate. She was killed when the device apparently
detonated prematurely. Contradictory press reports,
however, reported that a female civilian was killed after
accidently detonating the bomb, which was situated on a
bicycle. Several windows were shattered, but no major
damage was sustained. The NTC building houses one of the
two satellite links for Nepal, all of NTC's internet service
equipment (used by GON officials and GON website) and also a
major mobile phone tower.

MORIARTY