Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KATHMANDU1799
2006-07-10 12:15:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
RESIGNATION OF COMISSIONERS AFTER PRESSURE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001799
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PTER NP
SUBJECT: RESIGNATION OF COMISSIONERS AFTER PRESSURE
REF: A. KATHMANDU 1784
B. 05 KATHMANDU 1135
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Nicholas Dean. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Summary
--------
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001799
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PTER NP
SUBJECT: RESIGNATION OF COMISSIONERS AFTER PRESSURE
REF: A. KATHMANDU 1784
B. 05 KATHMANDU 1135
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Nicholas Dean. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) The Commissioners of the Election Commission (EC) and
the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) tendered their
resignations on July 9 after intense pressure from members of
Parliament. Political party leaders conceded the Maoists had
been pressing for the resignations of the Commissioners, but
immediately welcomed the resignations. There does not appear
to be a timeline for replacing the Commissioners of either of
the two bodies. The NHRC has recently been critical of
Maoist violations of the Code of Conduct regarding the
ceasefire. The resignations could negatively affect
monitoring of the ceasefire. End Summary.
Leaders Call For Resignation
--------------
2. (C) Leaders of the House of Representatives announced on
July 8 that they planned to impeach the Commissioners of both
bodies for their "anti-democratic" behavior during the King's
direct rule. Media reports indicated that 70 Members of
Parliament signed a petition supporting impeachment of the
Commissioners on July 7 (ref A). Anil Jha, Joint General
Secretary of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party-Ananda Devi (NSP-AD),
SIPDIS
conceded to us that the resignations were also a Maoist
demand. He explained that instead of allowing the Maoists to
take the lead, the parties decided to take the lead in
forcing them to resign.
Commissioners Resign
--------------
3. (C) The NHRC members who resigned were Nayan Bahadur
Khatri, Chairman of the NHRC first appointed by a democratic
government (ref B),and members of the NHRC Sudip Pathak,
Sushila Singh, Ram Dayal Rakesh, and Gokul Pokharel. Pathak
told Emboff privately a few weeks ago that the PM had decided
not to ask for their resignations because of the fear that,
if they resigned, the Maoists would put pressure on the
Government of Nepal (GON) to appoint Maoists to the NHRC.
Pathak told us today that the members of the NHRC would
continue to work until the PM officially accepts their
resignations. Although civil society had been against the
2005 appointment of the NHRC Commissioners, many others had
viewed the NHRC as objective and critical of both the Maoists
and the Government.
4. (C) The EC members who resigned were Keshav Raj
Rajbhandari, Chief Election Commissioner, and Commissioner
Damaru Ballav Bhattarai. Two other Commissioners, Dil
Bahadur Karki and Jayaram Singh Bohara, were expected to
resign on July 10, according to EC officials. Baburam
Khanal, an official at the EC, stated that Rajbhandari and
Bhattarai have stopped going to work, but Bohara and Karki
were still going to the office. Khanal told us that the
government had not decided on interim replacements for the
Commissioners. Many suspect the loyalty of the current
Commissioners to the current GON, especially since the King's
hollow municipal elections in February 2006. Their
replacement had been anticipated because the GON plans to
hold constituent assembly elections in April 2007.
Political Parties Pleased
--------------
5. (C) Political party leaders were pleased with the
resignation of the Commissioners. Jha told us that the
members of both commissions were "from regressive rule, so
they had to be removed from post." Jhalanath Khanal,
Standing Committee Member of the CPN-UML, stated that the
parties would like to replace the Commissioners with people
who "respect democracy so that the people of Nepal know that
true democracy has been established." Other Embassy sources
have speculated the parties would like to replace the
Commissioners with their own supporters.
Comment
--------------
6. (C) Although political party leaders appeared to view the
resignations as a positive development, the resignations
leave a vacuum in the leadership of two organizations. The
Election Commission will need to become energized to prepare
for any constituent assembly elections. The resignations of
the NHRC is more worrying. In contrast to the Election
Commission, the NHRC has been active in monitoring the Code
of Conduct and calling both the Maoists and the GON to
account for their actions.
DEAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/10/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PTER NP
SUBJECT: RESIGNATION OF COMISSIONERS AFTER PRESSURE
REF: A. KATHMANDU 1784
B. 05 KATHMANDU 1135
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Nicholas Dean. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) The Commissioners of the Election Commission (EC) and
the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) tendered their
resignations on July 9 after intense pressure from members of
Parliament. Political party leaders conceded the Maoists had
been pressing for the resignations of the Commissioners, but
immediately welcomed the resignations. There does not appear
to be a timeline for replacing the Commissioners of either of
the two bodies. The NHRC has recently been critical of
Maoist violations of the Code of Conduct regarding the
ceasefire. The resignations could negatively affect
monitoring of the ceasefire. End Summary.
Leaders Call For Resignation
--------------
2. (C) Leaders of the House of Representatives announced on
July 8 that they planned to impeach the Commissioners of both
bodies for their "anti-democratic" behavior during the King's
direct rule. Media reports indicated that 70 Members of
Parliament signed a petition supporting impeachment of the
Commissioners on July 7 (ref A). Anil Jha, Joint General
Secretary of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party-Ananda Devi (NSP-AD),
SIPDIS
conceded to us that the resignations were also a Maoist
demand. He explained that instead of allowing the Maoists to
take the lead, the parties decided to take the lead in
forcing them to resign.
Commissioners Resign
--------------
3. (C) The NHRC members who resigned were Nayan Bahadur
Khatri, Chairman of the NHRC first appointed by a democratic
government (ref B),and members of the NHRC Sudip Pathak,
Sushila Singh, Ram Dayal Rakesh, and Gokul Pokharel. Pathak
told Emboff privately a few weeks ago that the PM had decided
not to ask for their resignations because of the fear that,
if they resigned, the Maoists would put pressure on the
Government of Nepal (GON) to appoint Maoists to the NHRC.
Pathak told us today that the members of the NHRC would
continue to work until the PM officially accepts their
resignations. Although civil society had been against the
2005 appointment of the NHRC Commissioners, many others had
viewed the NHRC as objective and critical of both the Maoists
and the Government.
4. (C) The EC members who resigned were Keshav Raj
Rajbhandari, Chief Election Commissioner, and Commissioner
Damaru Ballav Bhattarai. Two other Commissioners, Dil
Bahadur Karki and Jayaram Singh Bohara, were expected to
resign on July 10, according to EC officials. Baburam
Khanal, an official at the EC, stated that Rajbhandari and
Bhattarai have stopped going to work, but Bohara and Karki
were still going to the office. Khanal told us that the
government had not decided on interim replacements for the
Commissioners. Many suspect the loyalty of the current
Commissioners to the current GON, especially since the King's
hollow municipal elections in February 2006. Their
replacement had been anticipated because the GON plans to
hold constituent assembly elections in April 2007.
Political Parties Pleased
--------------
5. (C) Political party leaders were pleased with the
resignation of the Commissioners. Jha told us that the
members of both commissions were "from regressive rule, so
they had to be removed from post." Jhalanath Khanal,
Standing Committee Member of the CPN-UML, stated that the
parties would like to replace the Commissioners with people
who "respect democracy so that the people of Nepal know that
true democracy has been established." Other Embassy sources
have speculated the parties would like to replace the
Commissioners with their own supporters.
Comment
--------------
6. (C) Although political party leaders appeared to view the
resignations as a positive development, the resignations
leave a vacuum in the leadership of two organizations. The
Election Commission will need to become energized to prepare
for any constituent assembly elections. The resignations of
the NHRC is more worrying. In contrast to the Election
Commission, the NHRC has been active in monitoring the Code
of Conduct and calling both the Maoists and the GON to
account for their actions.
DEAN