Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04KATHMANDU588
2004-03-31 07:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:  

NEPAL: INDIAN AMBASSADOR PROVIDES INFORMATION ON

Tags:  PTER PREL PGOV IN NP 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000588 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2014
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV IN NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: INDIAN AMBASSADOR PROVIDES INFORMATION ON
ARREST OF HIGH-LEVEL MAOIST

REF: A. KATHMANDU 280


B. 03 KATHMANDU 1649

Classified By: AMB. MICHAEL E. MALINOWSKI. REASON: 1.5 (B,D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000588

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/30/2014
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV IN NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: INDIAN AMBASSADOR PROVIDES INFORMATION ON
ARREST OF HIGH-LEVEL MAOIST

REF: A. KATHMANDU 280


B. 03 KATHMANDU 1649

Classified By: AMB. MICHAEL E. MALINOWSKI. REASON: 1.5 (B,D).


1. (C) In a March 31 call on the Ambassador, Indian
Ambassador Shyam Saran provided additional information on the
March 29 arrest in Siliguri, West Bengal, of Nepali Maoist
leader Mohan Vaidya. According to Saran, the Indian
Intelligence Bureau (IB) had been watching Siliguri for some
time since it is believed to be a major financial center for
Nepali Maoists. IB agents were tipped off to some telephone
numbers used by expatriate Nepali Maoist sympathizers in
Siliguri, which led to Vaidya's apprehension. (According to
the Nepali press, Vaidya was in town for cataract surgery.)
Vaidya was reportedly produced before the court on March 31.


2. (C) Vaidya, one of five Standing Committee members, is
the highest-ranking Maoist arrested since the beginning of
the conflict. (Note: In party rolls, he is ranked just
below Chairman Prachanda. In terms of functional
responsibility and importance to the movement, however, he
likely trails behind ideologue Baburam Bhattarai and military
strategist Ram Bahadur "Badal" Thapa. His titles include
head of the Eastern Central Command. End note.) He is the
fourth high-level Maoist arrested in India since August
(Reftels). There was some speculation that he had traveled
to the UK from India in late 2003, hypothetically for "track
two" peace talks.


3. (U) Mohan Vaidya was born in 1944 in Pyuthan District in
mid-western Nepal, but grew up in the southwestern district
of Dang on the Indian border. A one-time schoolteacher, he
holds a masters degree in Nepali literature from Tribhuvan
University. He became the General Secretary of the
underground Communist Party of Nepal (Mashal)--a precursor to
today's Maoist movement--in 1983 and spent two years in
prison during 1988-1990. He went underground again after the
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) launched its armed
struggle. He is credited with authoring the "Prachanda Path"
doctrine adopted at the Maoists' second national convention
in March 2001.


4. (C) Comment: That Vaidya has already appeared in court
in India suggests that he may not be swiftly extradited to
Nepal, as fellow Maoists Matrika Yadav and Suresh Ale Magar
were in February (Ref A). The capture of this "grand old man"
of the movement (in fact, probably the oldest member of the
Politburo) at the very least constitutes a psychological
setback for the Maoists and at best may help disrupt their
financial activities in India. Most important, the arrest
may indicate that Indian patience with Nepali Maoists
operating on their soil may be waning.
MALINOWSKI