HASINA TELLS AMBASSADOR ELECTION COMMISSIONERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 006493

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/02/2016
TAGS: PGOV KDEM BG
SUBJECT: HASINA TELLS AMBASSADOR ELECTION COMMISSIONERS
MUST GO

REF: DHAKA 06455

Classified By: Ambassador Patricia Butenis, para 1.4 d.


1. (C) Summary. Opposition leader Hasina indicated to
Ambassador some flexibility on her demands for caretaker
government action but underscored the centrality of
"reconstituting" the Election Commission to avert renewed
street violence after November 3. She discounted as cosmetic
Chief Adviser Ahmed's personnel actions, complained the
Bangladesh Nationalist Party appears to be still in power,
and asserted that all of her demands could be met in three
hours with the right political will. In a free election, she
predicted, her opposition alliance would win 220 of 300
parliamentary seats. End Summary.


2. (SBU) On October 31, Ambassador and POLOFF (notetaker)
called on Awami League president Sheikh Hasina to discuss
recent events. Also present were Awami League
secretary-general Abdul Jalil and five other party

SIPDIS
functionaries.


3. (C) Ambassador welcomed Hasina's decision to give Chief
Adviser Ahmed time to prove himself, and her suspension of
the opposition's nationwide agitation program. She wondered,
however, whether all 11 of Hasina's demands for caretaker
government action (reftel) could be accomplished in just four
days and whether Hasina might be flexible on her November 3
deadline. The opposition's objective, Hasina replied, is to
"de-engineer" the election rigging concocted by the ruling
coalition, and on November 3 it will take stock to see if
Ahmed, "a (BNP) party man," has demonstrated sufficient
"sincerity." She identified as an immediate requirement the
replacement of the Election Commission's four commissioners
and Secretary.


4. (C) Hasina dismissed as cosmetic Ahmed's 18 personnel
actions the day before, noting that one key official whose
contract was canceled was already due to retire November 1.
Hasina said that at her meeting with Ahmed, she asked him if
former Home Minister Babar were still in charge since police
had just arrested more than 100 Awami League activists.


5. (C) Hasina defended opposition street action as vital for
achieving "the people's" desire for neutral governance. The
Bangladesh Nationalist Party has "armed cadres" from Jamaat
Islami and the banned terrorist group Jamaatul Mujahidin
Bangladesh, she charged, while Awami League supporters only
have sticks and oars. Asked if the opposition would return
to the streets if its demands were unmet, Hasina declared:
"Of course. What else? All we have is people power with us."
Ambassador urged Hasina not to resume agitation and to use
democratic means, not confrontation, to achieve her
objectives.


6. (C) Hasina reiterated that Ahmed's elevation to chief
adviser was unconstitutional, and that his being both the
head of state and government places too much power in one
person and is a great physical burden on the frail Ahmed.
She raised hopefully the possibility that a new chief adviser
could be named in the near future.


7. (C) "All we want is a fair election," Hasina said, which
she predicted would net at least 220 out of 300,
parliamentary seats for the Awami League and its political
partners. "We need your support, your pressure on the
President and the Election Commission."


8. (C) Comment: November 3 is also the anniversary of the
so-called jailhouse killings of four Awami League leaders in
1975, so the Awami League rally scheduled for that day to
announce its next course of action will be extra surcharged.
Whether Hasina renews nationwide agitation seems to hinge on
whether the Election Commission has been purged by that
point. Yesterday, Chief Election Commissioner Aziz repeated
to media he has no plan to resign. If the election
commissioners do resign, the next big battle would be over
their replacements.
BUTENIS