Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04KATHMANDU1596
2004-08-13 05:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:  

UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, AUGUST 7-

Tags:  PINS PTER CASC PGOV NP PHUM 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 KATHMANDU 001596 

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, AUGUST 7-
AUGUST 13, 2004


SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 KATHMANDU 001596

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, AUGUST 7-
AUGUST 13, 2004


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


1. A five-member high-level peace committee headed by Prime
Minister Sher Deuba was formed on August 12 to establish a
peace secretariat. The Royal Nepal Army (RNA) launched
raids in the far-western district of Achham on August 10 and

11. President of All Nepal National Independent Students'
Union, a Maoist affiliated student wing, said that they
would wage a final battle if the government fails to hold
talks with the Maoists. GON has made adequate arrangements
to thwart an economic blockade by the rebels in Kathmandu
Valley rumored to start August 18, but the Maoists have said
that the economic embargo was just a rumor. All Nepal Trade
Union Federation, affiliated to the CPN (Maoist),demanded
that dozens of industries shut down. The European Union
Presidency called for a renewed ceasfire and expressed
particular concern about Maoist violence. The Maoist rebels
continued to attack infrastructure. Maoists attacked a
hospital in the mid-western district of Dang. The rebels
looted a UN vehicle in Sunsari District. Security forces
reportedly killed 31 Maoists this week. Maoist attacks left
seven security personnel and six civilians dead. End
Summary.

PRIME MINISTER TO HEAD PEACE COMMITTEE
--------------


2. The much-awaited high level peace committee headed by
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was formed on August 12.
Leaders of all the coalition partners- CPN -UML General
Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, President of Nepal Sadbhavana

SIPDIS
Party and Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Badri
Mandal, President of Rastriya Prajatantra Party Pashupati
Shumsher Rana and Minister for Information and

Communications Mohammad Mohsin are members. The
spokesperson of GON, Mohammad Mohsin, told the reporters
that the committee would hold meetings to come up with the
modus operandi of how it ought to go ahead to make the peace
process result-oriented. He added that it would also
expedite all work to institute the peace secretariat, which
would be formed in the coming week.

MAOISTS TO TARGET EASTERN DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS
-------------- --


3. The Maoist chief of Information and Publication Section
of the eastern district of Sunsari on August 7 informed the
media persons about a plan to launch a major attack in one
of the headquarters of the hilly districts of the eastern
region of Nepal within a month. The Maoist leader also
claimed that the impending attack would be a next big hit
after the Bhojpur incident, which took place on March 2. The
Maoist leader also informed the media people of forming a
district people's government in foreseeable future, and that
central level leaders have already arrived in Sunsari
District.

ARMY RAIDS MAOISTS' HIDEOUTS IN ACHHAM
--------------


4. The Royal Nepal Army (RNA) launched raids in a remote
mountainous district of Achham, about 600 kilometers west of
Kathmandu, on August 10 and 11. Colonel Yagya Bahadur
Rajaure of the RNA's Western Division Headquarters in
Nepalgunj told the reporters that the army received
information that top rebel leaders were gathering in the
district for a rally. Hundreds of RNA troops raided Kamal
Bazaar and Binayak area of Achham District. The RNA decided
to go on the offensive against the Maoists after learning
about Maoists using ultra modern weapons at Binayak, and
that thousands of rebels had gathered there for a big
assembly planned for August 11. A senior RNA official told
The Rising Nepal, a state-run newspaper, on August 11 that
no clash had taken place so far and the people were safe.

MAOIST STUDENT LEADER TALKS OF DECISIVE WAR
--------------


5. President of All Nepal National Independent Students'
Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R),Lekhnath Neupane, said in a
press conference in the central district of Makwanpur that
if the government does not come to talks without conditions
accepting the demands of the insurgents, then they would
wage a final battle against the government and the RNA.
Neupane added that they were setting up a brigade to
reinforce the activities in the "Ring Area" surrounding
Kathmandu Valley.


6. The press statement issued by the Ministry of Education
and Sports on August 11 has invited All Nepal National
Independent Students' Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) for a
dialogue to find a lasting solution to all educational
problems. The Ministry statement has also called on the
Maoist students to stop violence in educational
institutions, and stop abduction of teachers and students.

GOVERNMENT READY TO TACKLE MAOIST EMBARGO, IF IT HAPPENS
-------------- --------------


7. The Maoists' Nuwakot-Rasuwa-Sindhupalchok Unified
District Committee stated in a press release that they would
block all the entry points leading to Kathmandu Valley
starting August 18 for a period of three weeks, and not
allow any vehicle to operate on roads leading to Kathmandu.
The Home Ministry spokesperson Gopendra Bahadur Pandey told
the media on August 11 that the government had made
"adequate" and "reliable" security arrangements to thwart
the three-week economic embargo called by the Maoists.
However, on August 12, the Maoists denied reports published
in different newspapers regarding an "indefinite blockade"
called by them from August 18. The Maoists' district
people's committees of Dhading, Rasuwa and Nuwakot issued a
press statement saying they have not called a blockade in
those districts, and have appealed to civilians not to get
terrified by such propaganda.

MAOISTS DEMAND INDUSTRIES CLOSE
--------------


8. All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF),affiliated to
the CPN (Maoist),releasing a press statement on August 11,
demanded dozens of industries including Hotel Soaltee, Surya
Nepal Private Limited, and Bottlers Nepal to shut down from
August 17 for a an indefinite period or else the plant and
safety of the workers would be at risk. The press release
alleged that these industries are engaged in exploiting the
workers and spying on them. The threats are also connected
to some of the companies' non-payment of extortion demands.

9. The district committee of ANTUF has demanded through a
press release that Surya Nepal Limited based in Bara
District in central Terai shut down as of August 17. Saying
that the ownership of Surya Nepal Limited, a tobacco
company, lies with the main person of the present
establishment, ANTUF alleged that Surya Nepal has
discriminated and exploited the workers, and are constantly
against the "Peoples' War" launched by the CPN (Maoist). The
press release also requested that the employees and workers
make an alternative arrangement. In response to the Maoist
press release, Nepal Independent Laborers' Union (NILU),the
official trade union of Surya Nepal Limited, appealed to the
Maoists through a press statement to withdraw their demand
of an indefinite strike, as it would directly affect the
lives of more than 500 employees whose monthly wages are
their only source of income. Also the workers of Bottlers
Nepal Limited appealed to ANTUF to call off the indefinite
closure of factories beginning on August 17.

EUROPEAN UNION CALLS FOR CEASEFIRE
--------------


10. The Presidency of the European Union (EU) has called on
the conflicting parties, including the Maoists, to declare a
ceasefire as soon as possible and create a climate for a
meaningful and lasting peace process. A press statement
issued by the Royal Danish Embassy on behalf of EU in
Kathmandu on August 10 said the EU was ready to support the
government to create environment for peace talks. The EU
has also called on all the conflicting parties to respect
human rights, and have appealed to the Maoists to
immediately stop terrorist attacks, the use of child
soldiers, abduction and forced indoctrination, extortion and
violent activities.

MAOISTS ATTACK INFRASTRUCTURE
--------------


11. The Maoist rebels reportedly bombed a minor customs
office at Mathiya Village Development Committee (VDC) in the
central district of Rautahat on August 8. The insurgents
also exploded a bomb in the office of the Simrik Air causing
minor damage to windows, doors and walls. In yet another
incident, a group of Maoists detonated bombs inside two
civilian houses in Rupandehi District on August 9. The
rebels dragged all the people out of the houses before
exploding pressure cooker bombs. The rebels also detonated
a powerful bomb inside the house of Bijay Raj Bhattarai,
Secretary at the Ministry of Land Reforms, in Chitwan

SIPDIS
District on August 10. The rebels set ablaze a vehicle of
National Bardiya Park in the mid-western district of Bardiya
on August 11.

MAOISTS OPEN FIRE INSIDE HOSPITAL
--------------


12. The Maoist insurgents reportedly attacked the Mahendra
Hospital in the mid-western district of Dang on August 10.
Bullets shattered the hospital's windows; hit the emergency
room and maternity ward, forcing everyone there to run for
cover. The shooting occurred when a police officer went to
pick up sick personnel in the hospital. The Maoists fired
shots that triggered the exchange of fire. No human
casualty has been reported.
MAOISTS LOOT UN VEHICLE
--------------

13. The Maoist rebels looted a motorcycle belonging to the
UN and abducted a UN staff, who was riding the motorbike in
Sunsari District on August 3. The UN staff was released on
the same day. In yet another incident, the insurgents
seized a camera and notebook of a journalist in Dailekh
District on August 9.

DEATH TOLL CONTINUES TO RISE
--------------


14. Seven security personnel reportedly died in Maoist-
related violence this week:

-- Assistant Sub-Inspector of police was shot dead by the
insurgents in Parsa District on August 11.
-- A security personnel was killed in crossfire in Panchthar
District on August 9.
-- The Maoists killed two security personnel after abducting
them in Kapilbastu District on August 9.
-- Rebels shot and killed one Royal Nepal Army (RNA) soldier
and injured two others in the mid-western district of
Surkhet August 8.
-- A police personnel was killed in Panchthar District on
August 8.
-- Five security personnel were injured in a Maoist attack
in Jumla District, and another in Chitwan District on August

8.
-- The rebels abducted and then shot dead one RNA soldier in
Dhankuta District on August 6.



15. Security forces reportedly killed thirty-one Maoists
this week:

-- two Maoists were killed by the security forces in Bara
District on August 11.
-- five rebels were killed in the far-western district of
Bajura on August 10.
-- two Maoists were shot dead in Tehrathum District on
August 9.
-- one Maoist was killed in the eastern district of
Panchthar on August 9.
-- one each in Kailali and Siraha on August 8.
-- two in Humla District on August 7.
-- six rebels were shot dead in Jumla District on August 8.
-- two were killed in Dhanusa District on August 6.
-- one each died in Dhankuta and Siraha on August 7.
-- two Maoists died while setting up a landmine in Nuwakot
District on August 6.
-- two rebels were shot dead in the western district of
Baglung on August 4.
-- one each in Sunsari and Udayapur on August 6.
-- one in Sarlahi on August 5.

16. According to local press reports, Maoists claimed the
lives of six civilians this week:

-- Former District Development Committee (DDC) Chairman of
Kailali District was severely injured in a Maoist attack on
August 12.
-- Two civilians were killed in a stray bomb explosion in
Dhading District on August 11.
-- One civilian was killed in Dailekh District on August 10.
-- One civilian was injured in a Maoist-laid mine explosion
in Chitwan District on August 9.
-- A 15-year-old boy was abducted and killed by the Maoists
on August 7.
-- A driver of a passenger bus was killed when the rebels
detonated a bomb inside the bus in Kailali District on
August 11.
-- One civilian was shot dead in Pokhara, Kaski, on August

11.


MORIARTY