COMMUNAL RIOTS CLOSE MANGALORE: PORT REMAINS OPEN

UNCLAS CHENNAI 002303

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SIPDIS

NEW DELHI ALSO FOR DAO AND RSO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MARR PINS PINR EWWT ASEC CASC IN
SUBJECT: COMMUNAL RIOTS CLOSE MANGALORE: PORT REMAINS OPEN



1. (SBU) Summary: Four days of sporadic communal (Hindu-Muslim)
clashes and the resulting curfew stopped most commercial activity
from October 4 to 9 in the western Karnataka port city of Mangalore.
The conflict was sparked when militant Hindu groups attempted to
prevent the transport of cattle for slaughter by Muslim traders.
Local business people fault the state administration for allowing
the violence to escalate. Mangalore's large port remained
operational, however, despite a curfew imposed on the city by
Karnataka state police. End Summary.


2. (U) An attempt during the night of October 4, 2006 by the
Mangalore unit of the Bajrang Dal, a militant Hindu organization, to
stop the transport of cattle for slaughter sparked four days of
clashes in the port city. Violence left two Muslims dead and over
50 people injured, some grievously. Authorities in Dakshin Kanara
district, where Mangalore is located, imposed a curfew. By Tuesday,
October 10 the situation was sufficiently under control for the
authorities to lift the curfew during daytime hours. B.S. Sial,
Director General, Karnataka Police, told Post that over 120
individuals from both Hindu and Muslim communities are under arrest,
and he expects the situation to return to normal within a few of
days.


3. (U) Mangalore's large port remained operational despite the
disturbances and curfew. P. Tamilvanan, Chairman, New Mangalore
Port Trust (NMPT),told Post that port operations remained
unaffected as the curfew zone excluded the port and associated
township. Movement of cargo out of the port was disrupted, however,
as day workers were unable to come to work. Rail movement remained
unaffected, as did the port's oil terminal as the pipelines that
move crude and finished petroleum products from Mangalore refinery
remained operational during the curfew.


4. (U) The violence and ensuing curfew hit small business and day
laborers hard. Households were particularly affected as prices of
essentials shot up. Small business establishments were targets,
with scores of shops reduced to ashes. District authorities valued
the losses at around $10,000, but the local chamber of commerce
estimated losses at over $500,000. Like NMPT, the other two large
Mangalore-based businesses, Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals
Limited and Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilizers were unaffected.


5. (U) According to contacts at the privately run Manipal Academy of
Higher Education, located in the nearby city of Manipal, the
Mangalore disturbances and curfew have not impacted on Manipal or
the 15,000+ student university. Travelers to and from Manipal,
where over 100 U.S. citizens study medicine and other subjects, are
able to access the airport in Mangalore, the nearest one to
Manipal.


6. (SBU) Comment: Local business persons accuse the Karnataka
government and the district administration of inaction, John
Menezes, President of Kanara Chamber of Commerce, told Post the
situation could have been contained if the district administration
had arrested all those involved in the clashes on the morning of
October 5. It was not until October 7 that those involved were
arrested, he claims. Coming soon after the October 4 Karnataka
general strike (see Chennai 2284),the Mangalore clashes highlight
the administrative weaknesses of Karnataka's fragile coalition
government led by Chief Minister Kumarasamy. End Comment.

HOPPER