GOVERNMENT ARRESTS FORMER MINISTERS, SUSPENDS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001248 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2016 TAGS: PGOV NP SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT ARRESTS FORMER MINISTERS, SUSPENDS SECURITY CHIEFS REF: KATHMANDU 1183 Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons, 1.4 (b/d). Government Acts: Arrests Former Ministers ... -------------- ¶1. (U) The government arrested five former ministers in the King's government and suspended the heads of three of Nepal's security agencies on May 12. Cabinet sources told the press that the government acted on the recommendation of the newly-appointed Rayamajhi Commission, formed to investigate atrocities and irregularities of the King's government (reftel). The government, accusing the former ministers of "conspiring against the people's sovereignty and the outcome of the people's movement," has detained them for 90 days under the Public Security Act. The Commission reportedly recommended the arrest of all members of the royal Cabinet. Those arrested May 12 were former Home Minister Kamal Thapa, Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey, Local Development Minister Tanka Dhakal, Information and Communications State Minister Shrish Shumsher Rana, and Assistant Minister for Health Nikshya Shumsher Rana. ... Suspends Security Chiefs -------------- ¶2. (C) The Cabinet also suspended nine senior police officers, including Nepal Police Chief Shyam Bhakta Thapa, Armed Police Force (APF) Inspector General Sahabir Thapa, and National Investigation Department Chief Devi Ram Sharma. The government appointed acting heads for the three security agencies. One of the suspended APF officers, Rabi Raj Thapa, told us that they were suspended for 60 days pending investigation by the judicial review panel. He said he believed this action was strongly influenced by the Maoists. Although the Commission reportedly recommended that the Cabinet suspend Chief of Army Staff Pyar Jung Thapa, the Cabinet has not yet done so. (Comment: Some believe that the Cabinet decided not to suspend COAS Thapa for the time being because his daughter's wedding ceremony is ongoing. The fact that she is marrying a member of an Indian royal family might also have been a consideration. However, many journalists and politicians are still calling for his suspension. End Comment.) COAS Thapa, and his deputy General Rookmangud Katawal, met with Prime Minister Koirala and Deputy Prime Minister on May 13. Reportedly, the Prime Minister informed the generals that the army would be brought under Parliament's control; the generals assured the PM that the army would fully cooperate with the government. ... Appoints New Speaker -------------- ¶3. (C) The House of Representatives elected CPN-UML member of Parliament Subas Chandra Nemwang as Speaker on May 13 after Nepali Congress (Democratic) (NC-D) withdrew its insistence that Deputy Speaker of the House Chitra Lekha Yadav be promoted to the Post. PM Koirala and CPN-UML leader MK Nepal had both spoken with Yadav, who had been chairing House sessions since April 28, to convince her to withdraw her candidacy for the post, which had been vacant since former Speaker Taranath Ranabhat's April 26 resignation. And Big Proclamation Expected -------------- ¶4. (C) In his first speech to the House on May 13, Nemwang said he expected the House to announce radical reforms drastically limiting the King's power during its May 15 session. According to press reports, the seven party alliance has prepared a ten-point bill to make the House sovereign and all-powerful, virtually stripping the King of any role, and bringing the army under the control of the civilian government. In a May 15 meeting with the Ambassador, however, Home Minister Krishna Sitaula said that the House would wait until after the expansion of the Cabinet (expected on may 16) before announcing the reforms. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) Maoist, as well as public, pressure probably played some role in the Cabinet's May 12 decision to suspend the security chiefs. Perhaps more importantly, the government wanted to show the country that it is in charge. The House now has a Speaker in place. Former ministers have been detained and are unable to question the new government's authority. The suspension of three of the four security chiefs is a strong display of authority over the security agencies. The public seems to be starting to believe that the government is firmly at the helm and not adrift. The question remains whether the new government will stand firm in its bottom lines in its peace negotiations with the Maoists. MORIARTY