Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04KATHMANDU147
2004-01-23 07:55:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:  

UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, JANUARY 17-23,

Tags:  PINS PTER CASC PGOV NP PHUM 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 KATHMANDU 000147 

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 LILIENFELD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PTER CASC PGOV NP PHUM
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, JANUARY 17-23,
2004

REFERENCE: (A) KATHMANDU 0133

(B) KATHMANDU 0120

SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 KATHMANDU 000147

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 LILIENFELD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINS PTER CASC PGOV NP PHUM
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, JANUARY 17-23,
2004

REFERENCE: (A) KATHMANDU 0133

(B) KATHMANDU 0120

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


1. On January 19, the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) launched
aerial raids on the purported site of a Maoist gathering
(Ref A). Thirty-one Maoists and eight security personnel
reportedly were killed in other clashes. On January 16, the
Ministry of Defense announced plans to add more than 6,400
recruits to the RNA. The RNA announced it had averted three
bombing plots by the Maoists, including an assassination
plan against the Chief of Army Staff. Minister of
Information and Communication Kamal Thapa touted the
"significant success" of the GON in restoring law and order
to Nepal. A surrendered Maoist commander publicly admitted
that two Indian terrorist groups had provided training to
Maoists in Nepal on three separate occasions. Maoist
spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara reportedly said that if the
King relinquishes his position as Commander in Chief of the
army, and top-level army officers resigned, "the monarchy
would be acceptable to us." Maoists announced a new draft
constitution for their "Peoples' Republic." The insurgents
reportedly continue to threaten government officials to
resign, while police arrested two for alleged involvement in
last week's murder of Gopal Giri, the mayor of Birgunj (Ref
B). The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and UNICEF
issued strong statements condemning human rights violations
in Nepal, particularly against children. Maoists reportedly
killed two civilians and abducted two others, and continue
to victimize civilians, including the elderly, young mothers
and young children. End Summary.

RNA LAUNCHES AIR STRIKES
--------------


2. On January 19, the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) conducted

aerial strikes against a site in the mid-western district of
Jajarkot, where a mass rally was being held by Maoists (Ref
A). RNA troops have been unable to reach the site of the
attacks, and conflicting reports have emerged on casualties
inflicted by the bombings. The army has not yet commented
publicly on the air strikes. The National Human Rights
Commission (NHRC) said it plans to visit the scene to
investigate.


3. Thirty-one Maoists reportedly were killed in other
clashes. On January 22 three insurgents were killed in the
central districts of Myagdi and Baglung. On January 21
three were killed in the eastern district of Dolakha, and
four others in Nuwakot District, north of Kathmandu.
Clashes on January 20 left three rebels dead, two in the
eastern district of Tehrathum, and one in the western
district of Dailekh. Seven insurgents were killed on
January 19: five in the eastern districts of Sindhupalchowk
and Dhankuta, one in the central district of Gulmi, and
another in Dhading District, just west of Kathmandu. Two
rebels were killed on January 18 in Nuwakot District, and
five others on January 16 in the eastern districts of
Ydayapur and Sankhuwasabha. On January 17 security forces
killed three Maoists in a clash in Dhading District.


4. On January 22, Maoists reportedly gunned down a
policeman in Tanahun District, and another one in Kavre
District on January 21. On January 20, a RNA soldier was
killed in Myagdi District, in the west. On January 18, four
soldiers died, seven suffered injuries and four are missing
after a Maoist-planted landmine exploded along a major
highway in Dhangadi. One Armed Police Force (APF) officer
was killed by Maoists on that same day in Morang District.
RNA BULKS UP; GON CLAIMS "SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS"
-------------- -


5. On January 16, the Ministry of Defense announced plans
to add more than 6,400 recruits to the Royal Nepal Army
(RNA). According to press reports, most of the new
personnel will be deployed to provide extra security at
airports, hydropower stations, and telecommunications
towers. The RNA reportedly has also asked for additional
funding to improve surveillance and intelligence
capabilities.


6. On January 22, RNA spokesman Colonel Deepak Gurung
announced to the press that intelligence received by the RNA
helped to avert three bombing plots by the Maoists,
including one to assassinate Chief of Army Staff General
Pyar Jung Thapa. The RNA displayed two vehicles it seized,
which reportedly had been modified to hold explosives to be
detonated in the Kathmandu Valley. On January 18, a
vernacular newspaper reported that Maoists have smuggled in
a large cache of weapons and ammunition from India and are
preparing to launch a major attack. The weapons are
believed to have reached the western districts of Rolpa and
Rukum.


7. On January 18, Minister of Information and Communication
Kamal Thapa touted the "significant success" of the GON in
restoring law and order to Nepal, citing the Maoists'
inability to launch major attacks and their consequent
return to individual assassinations. Thapa said that Maoist
cadres continue to surrender, and reaffirmed the GON's
promise to rehabilitate them. Twenty-one Maoists reportedly
surrendered this week throughout Nepal, bringing the total
to 124 since the GON announced its amnesty program. Several
of the cadres claimed they had been forced by threats to
join the insurgents.


8. Minister Thapa issued a warning to the student wings of
the major political parties not to align themselves with the
Maoists. Reacting to a report in a vernacular paper on
January 17, which claimed that the student wings of the five
agitating parties were seeking the help of the Maoists,
Thapa declared that the GON "will take necessary action to
stop such infiltration." Thapa said that such an invitation
would only "harm the political parties in the long run."

MAOIST CLAIMS "INDIAN REBELS TRAINED US"
--------------


9. On January 22, a former Maoist commander publicly
admitted that "the Peoples' War Group (PWG) and the Maoist
Communist Center (MCC) used to train us." Jaya Bahadur
Gharti, who surrendered six months ago, told reporters that
the PWG and the MCC, two Indian terrorist groups, provided
training in Nepal on three separate occasions, with as many
as 150 Maoist cadres in attendance. Gharti did not provide
the specific locations of the training centers, but said
they were in the western region of Nepal. The former
commander also said that Maoist leadership is "thoroughly
confused," and that there is a "split among the Maoists."

MAOIST LEADERSHIP SHIFTING GEARS
OR CHANGING TACTICS?
--------------


10. The Maoist leadership issued separate statements this
week which appear to conflict with their long-term
philosophies. On January 22, Maoist spokesman Krishna
Bahadur Mahara hinted that the party might accept the
monarchy under certain conditions. (Note: The Maoists have
been fighting to overthrow the monarchy and demanding that
the king abdicate. End Note). Mahara reportedly said that
if the King relinquishes his position as Commander in Chief
of the army, and 200 top-level army officers resigned, "the
monarchy would be acceptable to us." Only days later,
Mahara addressed a gathering on January 22 in the west,
declaring that the Maoists "have reached the stage to grab
power in the center." Earlier this week, on January 16,
Maoist supremo Prachanda issued a statement that his party
favors a constituent assembly if both sides dismantled their
armies. Prachanda also called on the involvement of
international bodies, such as the UN, to oversee elections,
thereby reversing prior statements that foreign influence is
not wanted in Nepal.


11. Human rights activists and senior political activists
dismissed the Maoist doublespeak as yet another tactic. On
January 17, the Chairman of the Human Rights and Peace
Society said "it would be foolish" to trust the Maoists, and
that their policies "lack honesty and uniformity."
Representatives from Nepali Congress (NC) and the Rastriya
Prajatantra Party (RPP) agreed that "there is room for
suspicion."

MAOISTS DRAFT NEW CONSTITUTION
--------------


12. Maoists drafted a new constitution, based largely on
the principles of Marxism, Leninism, Maoism and Prachanda
Path. The draft calls for a Peoples' Assembly as the
supreme power, and calls for the Peoples' Liberation Army to
be the central military power. The Maoist party also calls
for the establishment of a central government run by the
United Revolutionary Peoples' Council and outlines
fundamental rights and responsibilities pertaining to
religion, equality, education, employment and health.
Maoist concepts of "peoples' power" were clear from the
restrictive elections in which Maoist cadre have forced
villagers to participate in some areas.

MAOISTS THREATEN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
--------------


13. On January 18, Maoists reportedly threatened the mayor
and deputy mayor in Kailali District. The rebels sent
letters to the mayors, demanding their resignations, and
warned of "physical action" if they did not comply. The
threats follow the January 15 murder of Gopal Giri, the
mayor of Birgunj (Ref B). On January 21, police arrested
two individuals allegedly involved in that brutal murder.


14. Maoists reportedly have also threatened other appointed
government officials. According to reports, a recently
appointed District Development Committee (DDC) member in
Makwanpur District submitted his resignation on January 20,
due to Maoist pressure. On January 17, a government
official in Dailekh District submitted his resignation after
being held captive and later released by Maoists. A newly
appointed DDC member of Nuwakot District reportedly was
abducted by Maoists on January 19. He remains missing.


15. Maoists reportedly destroyed the homes of RNA spokesman
Colonel Deepak Gurung and a Deputy Inspector General (DIG)
of Police. On January 19, a group of rebels bombed the
ancestral house of Gurung in Nawalaparasi District after
ordering all of the family members to vacate it. The
insurgents also stole cash, gold and medals belonging to
Gurung's eighty-five-year-old father, a retired Major. On
January 16 in Kathmandu District, Maoists reportedly
detonated pressure cooker bombs in the house of a DIG,
destroying it.

NHRC CONDEMNS MAOIST KILLINGS
--------------


16. On January 16, the National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC) issued a press release condemning the Maoists for the
brutal killings of unarmed civilians. The statement decried
the violence perpetuated by the rebels as being against the
norms and values of human rights, and called for everyone to
increase efforts at restoring peace. On January 21, Nayan
Bahadur Khatri, Chairman of the NHRC, declared that Nepal
has "never witnessed such a high level of violations," and
opined that democracy and peoples' rights were at risk.


17. UNICEF echoed the concern over rising human rights
violations, especially the "appalling violations" involving
children. On January 21, Carol Bellamy, the Executive
Director of UNICEF, addressed the UN Security Council and
said "girls and boy continued to be caught up in war."
Bellamy reported to the council that schools in Nepal have
been turned into recruitment centers, military bases and
targets, and this misuse of schools was "one of the worst
violations of child rights." The Director also lambasted
the continued abductions and maiming of children, as well as
attacks on schools and hospitals.


18. A joint team of security personnel reportedly shot and
killed a man on January 18 in Gulmi District. Local
security officials claim he was involved in Maoist activity,
but locals are refuting that statement, saying he was an
innocent civilian. On January 16, the Chief of Army Staff
General Pyar Jung Thapa issued directives on human rights to
158 new officers, stressing the need to "protect the life
and property of innocent people." The RNA continues to be
criticized for human rights violations.

MAOIST BRUTALITY
--------------


19. On January 17, Maoists reportedly killed a civilian in
Bara District. On January 18, a teacher in Morang District
and a Nepali Congress (NC) worker in Ramechhap were shot and
killed by rebels. On that same day in Dhading District,
three civilians, including two children, were injured when a
socket bomb left by Maoists exploded. Five civilians were
injured, and one woman killed on January 19, after a Maoist-
planted landmine exploded in Myagdi District. The ambush
was meant for patrolling security teams. On January 18,
Maoists reportedly abducted a teacher in Parbat District,
and a member of the Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist
Leninist (CPN-UML) on January 17 in Dailekh.


20. On January 19, a vernacular newspaper reported that
Maoists in the western district of Kalikot are forcing
villagers, including children, to not only act as guards,
but to also carry weapons in direct violation of
international law. The rebels demand that elderly villagers
and women, often holding newborn babies, act as sentinels to
warn them of approaching security forces. Young children
reportedly are also forced to carry weapons while patrolling
the villages. The newspaper quoted a sixty-year-old woman
as saying that the Maoists "will punish us severely if we
don't follow their orders," and would not hesitate to "use
old people and women as human shields."

MALINOWSKI