NEPAL: US NGO CONFIRMS MAOIST THREAT IN SIRAHA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000465

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/SA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2014
TAGS: PTER ASEC EAID CASC NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: US NGO CONFIRMS MAOIST THREAT IN SIRAHA
DISTRICT

Classified By: DCM RKBOGGS. REASON: 1.5 (B,D).


1. (C) Summary: On March 13 Keith Leslie (protect),Country
Director for Save the Children US, confirmed that Nepali NGOs
partnered with SAVE in the southeastern district of Siraha
had received Maoist threats. Leslie advised that all SAVE
staff in the district (all of whom are Nepali) have been
moved temporarily out of Siraha to Biratnagar. SAVE will
reassess the situation at the end of the month. End summary.


2. (C) On March 13 Save the Children US Country Director
Keith Leslie (protect) confirmed to the Embassy that two of
SAVE's Nepali partner NGOs in Siraha District (about 400 km
southeast of Kathmandu) had reported receiving Maoist threats
directed against SAVE. The threats, accusing SAVE aid
workers of being "spies" and "giving oxygen" to the royal
government, were posted on the doors of the partners'
offices. (Note: SAVE does not maintain its own project
office in Siraha, but runs activities, in partnership with
three Nepali NGOS, involving primary school education, school
construction, early childhood development, and neonatal and
maternal health. The programs operate in 24 communities in
the district. SAVE has no American or expatriate staff
members in Siraha. End note.)


3. (C) As a precautionary measure, SAVE temporarily has
moved all of its Nepali staff from Siraha to Biratnagar, a
larger city with better security in the southeastern corner
of the country. Leslie said SAVE will reassess the situation
at the end of the month to determine if and when the staff
can return to Siraha.


4. (C) Because SAVE has been operating in Siraha for many
years and its programs are popular, Leslie expressed optimism
that the problem will be quickly resolved. In fact, he said,
the Maoists' district commander in Siraha earlier had let
SAVE know that he approved of its programs and that no action
would be taken against the organization despite its U.S.
affiliation. Leslie speculated that the threats were issued
without the knowledge or approval of the district commander,
who is believed currently to be away from the area, and might
reflect schisms within the Maoist organization. "Discussions
are ongoing," he said, and he is hopeful that Nepali SAVE
staff will be able to return to Siraha soon. When asked if
he had contacted the Government of Nepal, Leslie said no,
adding "They can't help." Instead, he said he would rely on
community pressure from the beneficiaries of SAVE programs to
persuade the Maoists to allow their operations to resume.


5. (C) Comment: SAVE-US' American affiliation has earned
it unwelcome attention before from the Maoists. In September
SAVE-US closed down a project early in the north-central
district of Nuwakot because of Maoist threats and
intimidation. We have been hearing that Maoists from the
west and mid-west have been moved into eastern areas of
Nepal; the threats against SAVE in Siraha, which contradict
what apparently had been the now-absent district commander's
laissez-faire policy, may reflect a transfer of "harder-core"
cadres from the Maoist heartland into less-affected southern
areas along the Indian border. We have no doubt that SAVE's
programs are popular with the poor and disadvantaged in
Siraha, but fear that the Maoists--who have never shown any
particular regard for the poor people they claim form their
constituency--may be unmoved by that argument. If anything,
the Maoists may view effective pro-poor activities by a
US-affiliated agency as a threat to their own spurious claims
to represent the interests of the oppressed. We will
continue to consult with SAVE officials as the situation
develops.


MALINOWSKI