SCA A/S ROCCA'S MEETING WITH GENERAL ERSHAD

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 000563

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2016
TAGS: KDEM PGOV BG BG BGD
SUBJECT: SCA A/S ROCCA'S MEETING WITH GENERAL ERSHAD

Classified By: CDA Judith Chammas, reasons para 1.4 b, d.


1. (SBU) On January 27, SCA A/S Christina Rocca met with
Jatiya Party chairman General Ershad. Charge and conoff
(notetaker) were also present.


2. (C) Asked to comment on the current state of affairs
in Bangladesh, Ershad replied, &You mean fundamentalism and
the Election Commission?8 The EC, he asserted, should be
fully independent and not be playing &hide and seek games."
The EC should have its own budget and authority down to the
district level, and that the BDG should take action to make
the electoral process visibly more transparent.


3. (C) Regarding the Awami League (AL) and the upcoming
elections, Ershad predicted that Sheikh Hasina and the Awami
League would likely boycott the election unless major changes
are made. He stated the view that all parties should
participate in parliament; otherwise, parliament would
eventually cease to function. Bangladeshis, he continued,
are fed with both the AL and the BNP, and wants a change. A
third party can,t win alone, but a strong third party could
still do well. Ershad cited as the BNP's major problems
corruption in government and high prices of
consumables*especially sugar and cotton.


4. (C) Ershad stated extremism is a new phenomenon for
Bangladesh. The current government created Bangla Bhai to
counter local communist thugs who were extorting money and
causing problems, he said. Bangla Bhai and the JMB evolved
into a well organized national terrorist movement that is "no
joke." The BDG is now trying to stop the militants and
maybe the violence has stopped; however, until Bangla Bhai
and Abdur Rahman are arrested, it won't stop for certain.


5. (C) Ershad also expressed concern with political violence
and extra-judicial killings committed by the Rapid Action
Battalion (RAB). No other country, he claimed, has a force
like RAB that is allowed to kill with apparent impunity. No
one is safe, he said. "I could be picked up tomorrow."
All people have the constitutionally-guaranteed right of due
process. However, people are fed up with corruption and
extortion, he said, and want to be able to move freely
throughout the country. The common people see RAB as helping
with that situation


6. (C) A/S Rocca underscored the importance of free, fair,
and transparent elections. Ershad pointed out that with over
200,000 polling places in Bangladesh, it is impossible to
monitor the whole election. BNP candidates are raising huge
sums of money for the election, and in the remote areas money
and muscle dominate politics. Ershad stated that the EC
should use transparent plastic ballot boxes so everyone can
see what is inside. Ershad mentioned that he believes there
is a 50/50 chance that the BNP will not win the next election
because of popular dissatisfaction with its record.
&Something unexpected will happen. An election
revolution,8 he hoped. Ershad urged the USG to push for
free and fair elections. A/S Rocca agreed that free and fair
elections are extremely important and stated that she hopes
all parties participate in the upcoming election.


7. (U) A/S Rocca cleared this message.
CHAMMAS