NEPAL-WIDE GENERAL STRIKE WIDELY OBSERVED;

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000254

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL-WIDE GENERAL STRIKE WIDELY OBSERVED;
DISRUPTION OF CANDIDATES FILING FOR MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

REF: KATHMANDU 247

Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons, 1.4 (b/d).

Parties' General Strike Widely Observed
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1. (C) The January 26 general strike/closure (bandh) of all
of Nepal called by the Parties to protest against the King
and the upcoming February 8 municipal elections was widely
observed. In Kathmandu and Patan, few vehicles were on the
roads and most shops and businesses were closed (although
some small family-run shops were open in residential
neighborhoods). Protesters threw rocks at vehicles driving
on the roads, damaging at least 15. Journalists reported that
the Parties' bandh was a success across the country,
including in the larger cities of Biratnagar, Pokhara, and
Nepalgunj. One Embassy contact reported from Butwal
(Rupandehi District in western Nepal) that in his 37 years
there, he had "never experienced such a successful general
strike." The seven-party alliance organized demonstrations
against the municipal elections in most cities and towns.
The demonstrations never became large, as police arrested
more than 300 party cadre attempting to protest around Nepal.
Police had arrested 17 protesters in Kathmandu, 70 in
Rajbiraj (Saptari District in eastern Nepal),35 in
Biratnagar (Morang District in Eastern Nepal),23 in Pokhara
(in western Nepal),49 in Nepalgunj (Banke District in
midwestern Nepal),and more in other districts as of 3:00 pm
local time. In Pokhara, police reportedly fired bullets at
demonstrators, injuring one.

Affecting Candidates Filing For Elections
--------------


2. (SBU) The Parties scheduled the bandh for January 26 to
prevent candidates from filing for the municipal elections
scheduled for February 8; January 26 was the deadline for
filing (reftel). Radio reports that the number of candidates
filing is low; in some municipalities, no candidates have
filed. INSEC, a respected Nepali NGO, told Emboff that the
seven-party alliance had blockaded the district election
office in Birgunj, Parsa District (south central Nepal) so no
one could register. Police sources reported that 100 people
gathered at Thimi municipality, Bhaktapur (in Kathmandu
Valley),to stop candidates from registering their candidacy
(an hour and a half before the deadline, nobody had filed to
run for Mayor or Deputy Mayor). HURON, a Nepali human rights
organization, reported that the situation in Bhaktapur was
tense. Police sources told us that eight candidates had
registered for Mayor of Kathmandu and two in Lalitpur.
Students were preventing the Election Commission from setting
up polling places in schools in two districts, Bara District
(south central Nepal) and Siraha District (southeastern
Nepal),for fear the Maoists would bomb the polling stations
and destroy the schools. INSEC reported that Maoists had
threatened the people in Siraha District who support
municipal elections.

Maoist Violence Continues
--------------


3. (C) The Maoists continue to make their presence felt in
urban areas by using violence. The Maoists kidnapped Ram
Kumar Tharu, who was expected to file to run for mayor of
Guleri municipality, west of Nepalgunj (in mid-western
Nepal). Maoists also bombed two Village Development
Committee buildings north of the ring road in Boudhanilkantha
in the Kathmandu Valley on January 25. No one was hurt,
although the explosions badly damaged the buildings. INSEC
also told us that Maoists bombed a municipality building in
Sindhuli District (central Nepal) early in the morning of
January 26; no one was harmed, although the building was
damaged.

Comment
--------------


4. (C) The Parties will likely be heartened by the success of
their bandh. The continued demonstrations across the country
also indicate that their movement could be gaining momentum.
The upswell in public support for the demonstrations,
combined with the continued Maoist violence and threats,
makes it increasingly unlikely that the upcoming elections
will prove credible. However, the King as yet shows no signs
of postponing them.
MORIARTY