UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, JULY 31-AUGUST

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001545

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/NEA
STATE ALSO PLEASE PASS USAID/DCHA/OFDA
STATE ALSO PLEASE PASS PEACE CORPS HQ
STATE ALSO PLEASE PASS EU COLLECTIVE
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 DORMANDY
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 31-AUGUST
6, 2004

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


1. Government of Nepal (GON) officials will not announce a
unilateral ceasefire, arguing such a move would come only
after "meaningful" and "result-oriented" peace talks.
Special Envoy to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Tamrat
Samuel, arrived in Nepal for meetings with government and
political party officials. Amnesty International (AI) urged
Maoist Chairman Prachanda to order party cadres to
immediately stop abducting civilians. The local press
reported that over 5,000 locals in the far-western district
of Accham had been forced to participate in Maoist "people's
training" so they would be ready to fight "the last war for
themselves." Security forces reportedly killed eighteen
Maoists this week. Maoist attacks left twelve security
personnel and nine civilians dead. Maoists in the western
district of Dailekh ordered journalists to leave or face the
"death penalty." End Summary.

GON WANTS "MEANINGFUL" DIALOGUE
FIRST; CEASEFIRE AFTER
--------------


2. On August 2, Minister for Local Development Yubaraj
Gyanwali said that talks between the Government of Nepal
(GON) and the Maoists must be "meaningful" and "result-
oriented." Gyanwali warned that the Maoist insurgency that
has been plaguing the country for nine years "cannot be
solved overnight," and reiterated that the Maoists have to
clarify their positions before sitting for dialogue. The
previous day, Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil
Aviation, Deep Kumar Upadhyay, said that it was "essential
to ensure peaceful talks" before announcing a ceasefire.
Responding to criticism hurled against the GON for not
announcing a unilateral ceasefire, Upadhyay suggested that
people "consider the recklessness demonstrated by the
Maoists," and noted the Maoists have become "more and more
violent."

UN ENVOY IN NEPAL
--------------


3. Tamrat Samuel, Special Envoy to UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan and Assistant to the Under-Secretary General for
Political Affairs, arrived in Nepal on August 4. UN
officials publicly denied that the visit is aimed at
convincing GON officials to allow UN mediation in talks with
the Maoists. Following a meeting with Nepal's Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Prakash Sharan Mahat, Samuel offered no
comment. Meetings with other government officials and
political leaders are scheduled (Note: Mr. Samuel met with
the Ambassador on August 6. End Note). The GON has
repeatedly said there is no need for UN mediation, and
Samuel reportedly said the UN would like to see "all the
political forces to come together" to put an end to the
Maoist problem "politically." UN Assistant Secretary
General Kul Chandra Gautam (a Nepali national) is due to
arrive later this month.

AI APPEALS TO PRACHANDA
--------------


4. Amnesty International (AI) urged Maoist Chairman
Prachanda to order an immediate halt to the abductions of
civilians. In a statement issued on August 4, AI called on
Prachanda to abide by the Geneva Convention, and "allow
human rights defenders to operate without fear." The
organization also appealed for the immediate release of all
civilians under Maoist captivity.

FAR-WEST LOCALS FORCED INTO TRAINING
--------------


5. On August 2, the local press reported that over 5,000
locals in the far-western district of Accham had been forced
to participate in "people's training." A Maoist leader in
the district said the villagers had been forced to take part
in military training. Each participant reportedly received
combat dress, knives and guns. Women, students and peasants
from 55 of the 72 Village Development Committees (VDC) took
part in the program.


6. On July 31, the local press reported that Maoists had
set up its "Unified Command" in Accham District, and
intended to arm locals so they would be ready to fight "the
last war for themselves." According to the Maoist Politburo
member in the region, Prabhakar, villagers have already
received two of three planned phases of training. Weapons
would be distributed from an arsenal in neighboring Kalikot.
Officials from the RNA's western division headquarters
dismissed the rebel's claims as "rumors," and declared the
RNA was in full control of Kalikot.


7. Over 500 villagers reportedly were abducted by Maoists
on August 3 and 4 in Panchthar District. Maoists reportedly
abducted six teachers and a dozen CPN-UML activists on Aug 2
in Rukum. The teachers were taken for failing to follow the
Maoist calendar (as opposed to the Nepali calendar with
Hindu holidays) and hoisting party flags. Locals in the
eastern district of Taplejung also have been ordered by
Maoists to place party flags on their houses. Despite
voicing concern that they would be arrested by security
forces for having the flags on their property, the rebels
threatened them with "dire consequences" if the villagers
remove the flags. On July 31, VDC secretaries resigned en
masse due to Maoist threats. Of the 76 VDCs, 71 secretaries
have resigned.


INSURGENCY'S STEADY DEATH TOLL
--------------


8. Twelve security personnel reportedly died in Maoist-
related violence:

--two security personnel were killed on August 5 in Lamjung.
--A police officer and a soldier were killed on August 4 in
the central district of Gorkha after their vehicle hit a
Maoist-planted landmine.
--Rebels shot and killed a police officer in Jhapa District
after abducting him several days earlier. His body was found
on August 4 full of bullet holes.
--A Maoist-laid ambush killed an Armed Police Force (APF)
Inspector and injured three other APF personnel in Chitwan
on August 30. The site of the ambush was only 700 meters
from a new APF camp.
--On August 1, three Royal Nepal Army (RNA) soldiers died
when their vehicle struck a Maoist-laid landmine in Palpa
District.
--Another soldier was killed on August 1 in Kapilbastu
District.

9. Security forces reportedly killed eighteen Maoists this
week:

--two in Baglung District on August 5.
--four in the districts of Lamjung, Sunsari, Arghakhachi
and Sindhuli on August 5.
--one in Dhankuta on August 2.
--one each in Udayapur, Ilam, Morang, Rautahat, Ramechhap,
and one in Bara on August 1.
--one in Rautahat on August 1.
--two in Morang, one in Sunsari, and one in Kapilbastu on
July 31.


10. According to local press reports, Maoist brutality
claimed the lives of nine civilians this week:

--On August 3, Maoists abducted a former mayor of Bardia
District from a funeral procession and hacked off his limbs
and head. The rebels later threw his body on the burning
pyre of his dead relative.
--On that same day, a farmer was hacked to death in the
central district of Gorkha and rebels shot and killed a
Nepali Congress (NC) activist in Sarlahi District.
--Three civilians were killed on July 30, including an
elderly man and his son in Saptari District.
--A farmer was killed on July 31 in Mahottari District by
rebels who accused him of spying.
--Also on July 31, a Nepal Sadbhavana Party activist in
Nawalparasi was killed.
--On July 31, Maoists abducted and killed an unarmed RNA
soldier home on leave in Kaski District. Rebels entered his
home while he was visiting family and dragged him away,
telling family members he'd return "in a couple hours." His
body was found the next day. He had been beaten severely
with iron rods and shot in the head.
--On August 1, a teacher in Dailekh was beaten to death by
rebels.
--On August 5, a woman was killed and her six-month-old baby
was injured by crossfire from a clash between Maoists and
security personnel in Sarlahi District.

MAOISTS THREATEN JOURNALISTS
--------------


11. On August 4, the Kathmandu Post reported that Maoists
in the western district of Dailekh ordered two journalists
to leave or face the "death penalty." The rebels had
previously warned the reporters to stop writing articles on
local businesses which had met Maoist extortion demands.
The journalists left the district after being told they
would end up with their hands and legs chopped off. Amnesty
International (AI),the National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC) and the Federation of Nepalese Journalists have
condemned the Maoists' threats to journalists as unlawful.

MORIARTY