Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05KATHMANDU1321
2005-06-16 12:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:  

GOVERNMENT APPOINTS DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT

Tags:  PGOV PINS NP GON 
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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 001321 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SA/INS
LONDON FOR POL/BELL
NSC FOR DORMANDY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2015
TAGS: PGOV PINS NP GON
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT APPOINTS DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE CHIEFS

Classified By: Charge Elisabeth Millard, reasons 1.4 (b/d).

ON THE APPOINTMENT OF DDC CHIEFS
--------------------------------

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001321

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SA/INS
LONDON FOR POL/BELL
NSC FOR DORMANDY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2015
TAGS: PGOV PINS NP GON
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT APPOINTS DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE CHIEFS

Classified By: Charge Elisabeth Millard, reasons 1.4 (b/d).

ON THE APPOINTMENT OF DDC CHIEFS
--------------


1. (SBU) On June 13, the government appointed
chairmen and vice chairmen of the District Development
Committees (DDC) in 25 out of 75 districts of the
country in accordance with the Local Self Governance
Act of 1999. The Ministry of Local Development stated
that the remaining 50 districts' DDC chiefs and
members would be nominated soon. The posts of heads
and members of the DDCs had remained vacant after the
five-year term of the members expired in 2002. The
government headed by Surya Bahadur Thapa in 2003 had
appointed the chiefs and members of the DDC, but
following the appointment of Sher Bahadur Deuba as
Prime Minister in June 2004, the government passed the
responsibility to conduct the work of the DDC to the
Local Development Office of the respective districts.

REACTION TO THE APPOINTMENTS
--------------


2. (C) Arjun Narsingh K.C., Spokesperson of the
Nepali Congress (NC),told EmbOff that the appointment
of the DDC chiefs indicated that King Gyanendra was
trying to bring the entire power structure of the
government under his grip "to maintain his autocratic
rule." Kashi Nath Adhikari, Central Committee Member
of the CPN (UML),concurred and said that the
appointment of the DDC chiefs was part of the King's
roadmap, and was a "continuation of his dictatorship."
Minendra Rijal, Spokesperson of the Nepali Congress
(Democratic),stated that the DDC chiefs' appointments
was a "conspiracy of the King to prolong his despotic
regime," which showed that the King was trying to form
his own political party.

COMMENT
--------------


3. (C) The parties have ignored the fact that a
prior government also appointed people to these posts.
We have heard mixed reviews of the appointees, but are
unsure how much DDC work had been occurring prior to
the posts being refilled. Following on the heels of
the King's reinstituting and appointing zonal and
regional administrators, the King will have to
overcome the political parties' perception that he is
consolidating his power.
MILLARD