Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KATHMANDU135
2006-01-13 10:08:00
SECRET
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
CONTACTS RELATING TO KIDNAPPED SDU SHIFT LEADER
how-toVZCZCXYZ0017 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHKT #0135 0131008 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 131008Z JAN 06 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9886 INFO RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO IMMEDIATE 4061 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA IMMEDIATE 9112 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD IMMEDIATE 2036 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI IMMEDIATE 9023 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 3493 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 3820 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL IMMEDIATE 0768 RUCNFB/FBI WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T KATHMANDU 000135
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SA/INS, DS, DS/SP/SA, DS/IP/ITA, S/CT, DS/CC
NEW DELHI FOR FBI LEGATT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2016
TAGS: PTER ASEC PGOV CASC NP
SUBJECT: CONTACTS RELATING TO KIDNAPPED SDU SHIFT LEADER
REF: A. KATHMANDU 120
B. KATHMANDU 108
Classified By: Classified by James F. Moriarty; Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Maoists Promise "Positive Result" Within Two Days
--------------------------------------------- ----
S E C R E T KATHMANDU 000135
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SA/INS, DS, DS/SP/SA, DS/IP/ITA, S/CT, DS/CC
NEW DELHI FOR FBI LEGATT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2016
TAGS: PTER ASEC PGOV CASC NP
SUBJECT: CONTACTS RELATING TO KIDNAPPED SDU SHIFT LEADER
REF: A. KATHMANDU 120
B. KATHMANDU 108
Classified By: Classified by James F. Moriarty; Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Maoists Promise "Positive Result" Within Two Days
-------------- --------------
1. (S/NF) On January 12, at the recommendation of Post's EAC
(ref A),Emboff contacted a political party member known to
have contacts with the Maoists, Hridayesh Tripathi, and asked
that he convey to the Maoists that the USG would not tolerate
threats and/or attacks against its employees and would hold
the Maoist leadership responsible if our employees or
interests are harmed. On January 13, Tripathi told Emboff
that the Maoists had assured him that it was not/not central
policy to harm U.S. interests and they were taking the report
very seriously. They reportedly said the detention could
have been a misunderstanding and also cited discipline
problems among their cadre. Tripathi stated that the Maoists
had explained that because of their communications problems,
it might take one or two days to relay the message to the
district and local levels, but that the problem would be
solved soon. Tripathi stressed that there would be a
"positive result" within two days.
Wife Intends to Pay Ransom Demand
--------------
2. (C) On January 13, Emboffs met with Uma Gurung, the wife
of the kidnapped Surveillance Detection (SD) shift leader,
who reiterated her desire that the US Mission not get
involved and stated she intended to pay the ransom to secure
her husband's release. Per the EAC's recommendation (ref A),
Emboffs provided her with contact information for the United
Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN
OHCHR) the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and other
Nepalese human rights NGOs, and urged her to contact these
organizations. She said the last contact she had was from
the "friend" from the village (ref B) on January 11 demanding
the ransom.
3. (C) Gurung was visibly terrified during the meeting and
declined to contact any human rights organization, stating
that, to protect her husband, she intended to follow the
instructions given to her. She explained that she was
working to collect as much of the one million Nepali rupees
($13,700 USD) demanded by the Maoists as possible, noting
that she could probably collect two to three hundred
thousand. She indicated that she would leave for her
husband's village o/a January 16 if she had not heard from
the Maoists by then. She would first travel by plane and
then walk for two days to reach the village. She stated she
would enroll her thirteen-year-old son in a boarding school
before she traveled to the village, noting that she had told
none of her friends or neighbors about the Maoist's demands.
She promised to inform the Embassy if she had any contact
with the Maoists in the meantime, and would also notify us
before she departed for Bhojpur District. The SD coordinator
will continue to contact her daily.
MORIARTY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SA/INS, DS, DS/SP/SA, DS/IP/ITA, S/CT, DS/CC
NEW DELHI FOR FBI LEGATT
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/13/2016
TAGS: PTER ASEC PGOV CASC NP
SUBJECT: CONTACTS RELATING TO KIDNAPPED SDU SHIFT LEADER
REF: A. KATHMANDU 120
B. KATHMANDU 108
Classified By: Classified by James F. Moriarty; Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Maoists Promise "Positive Result" Within Two Days
-------------- --------------
1. (S/NF) On January 12, at the recommendation of Post's EAC
(ref A),Emboff contacted a political party member known to
have contacts with the Maoists, Hridayesh Tripathi, and asked
that he convey to the Maoists that the USG would not tolerate
threats and/or attacks against its employees and would hold
the Maoist leadership responsible if our employees or
interests are harmed. On January 13, Tripathi told Emboff
that the Maoists had assured him that it was not/not central
policy to harm U.S. interests and they were taking the report
very seriously. They reportedly said the detention could
have been a misunderstanding and also cited discipline
problems among their cadre. Tripathi stated that the Maoists
had explained that because of their communications problems,
it might take one or two days to relay the message to the
district and local levels, but that the problem would be
solved soon. Tripathi stressed that there would be a
"positive result" within two days.
Wife Intends to Pay Ransom Demand
--------------
2. (C) On January 13, Emboffs met with Uma Gurung, the wife
of the kidnapped Surveillance Detection (SD) shift leader,
who reiterated her desire that the US Mission not get
involved and stated she intended to pay the ransom to secure
her husband's release. Per the EAC's recommendation (ref A),
Emboffs provided her with contact information for the United
Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN
OHCHR) the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and other
Nepalese human rights NGOs, and urged her to contact these
organizations. She said the last contact she had was from
the "friend" from the village (ref B) on January 11 demanding
the ransom.
3. (C) Gurung was visibly terrified during the meeting and
declined to contact any human rights organization, stating
that, to protect her husband, she intended to follow the
instructions given to her. She explained that she was
working to collect as much of the one million Nepali rupees
($13,700 USD) demanded by the Maoists as possible, noting
that she could probably collect two to three hundred
thousand. She indicated that she would leave for her
husband's village o/a January 16 if she had not heard from
the Maoists by then. She would first travel by plane and
then walk for two days to reach the village. She stated she
would enroll her thirteen-year-old son in a boarding school
before she traveled to the village, noting that she had told
none of her friends or neighbors about the Maoist's demands.
She promised to inform the Embassy if she had any contact
with the Maoists in the meantime, and would also notify us
before she departed for Bhojpur District. The SD coordinator
will continue to contact her daily.
MORIARTY