MAOISTS THREATEN ELECTION PARTICIPANTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000284

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SA/INS
NSC FOR MILLARD AND RICHELSOPH

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2016
TAGS: PTER PGOV NP
SUBJECT: MAOISTS THREATEN ELECTION PARTICIPANTS

REF: A. 05 KATHMANDU 2956


B. KATHMANDU 228

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


1. (U) Pravakiran, Kathmandu Valley Commander of the
Communist Party of Nepal, released the following press
statement on January 28, 2005, warning people "not to
participate in the elections in any way." He threatened that
those who did so would "face the most serious consequences."

Begin text. (Unofficial translation)

Press Release

Our great party CPN (Maoist),realizing its responsibility
for peaceful political settlement, has been able to establish
a twelve point understanding with parliamentary parties.
Today, it is widely recognized that the crux of Nepal's
serious problems are the autocratic monarchy. Therefore, the
end of autocratic monarchy and establishment of complete
democracy (or loktantra) to empower people with sovereignty
through the constituent assembly is today's consensus for
political settlement.

Accordingly, to move forward for the political settlement,
our party declared a three month long unilateral cease-fire
and extended it for another month after requests from all
concerned parties. However, the autocratic feudal government
took this as our weakness and mobilized tens of thousands of
royal butchers in Rolpa and Rukum, forcing us to call off the
cease-fire. By attacking Thankot and Dhadhikot Police Post in
Bhaktapur as well as with several sabotages within the
valley, our party has broken the back of royal government.
With their defeat, the royal government has lost its mind and
by preventing the political parties' mass meeting and by
disrupting communications systems in the country, the royal
government has shown its timidity. The royal government, by
pretending to hold an election, on one hand, and at the same
time preventing the political demonstrations on the other,
has made itself a laughing stock. Gyanendra is bent on
legitimizing his illegal February 1st coup by holding
municipal elections.

These elections are an attempt to mislead the nation and its
international supporters; thus to foil this so-called
election is the responsibility of all democratic forces. Only
a handful of royal courtiers are the only ones who would
participate in Gyanendra's election at this time. Anyone who
directly or indirectly participates in Gyanendra's so-called
election is an enemy of this country and the people.

Therefore, we urge everybody not to participate in the
election in anyway - not to file candidacy or participate in
election campaigns. We warn those who ignore our requests to
remain ready to face most serious consequences. Furthermore,
we appeal all nominated Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur
District Development Chairmen to resign by February 1st.
Otherwise, be prepared to face the most serious consequences.

January 28, 2006
(Pravakiran)
CPN (Maoist)
On behalf of Valley Bureau

End text.

OHCHR Working To Confirm With Maoists
--------------


2. (C) David Johnson, Senior Human Rights Advisor in the
United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights (OHCHR),told Emboff that OHCHR was trying to confirm
with Maoists the meaning of this statement in light of the
Maoists' December 28 assurances to OHCHR that the Maoist
leadership had not instructed cadre to abduct or kill as part
of their anti-election plan (ref A). OHCHR released a
statement on January 23 condemning the killing of candidate
Bijay Lal Das (ref B),and calling on the Maoists to also
condemn the killing and "to state publicly and to all its

KATHMANDU 00000284 002 OF 002


cadres, that it is against the policy of the Party for any
unarmed civilian to be killed, including candidates and
officials in the municipal elections." A candidate for Mayor
of Lalitpur (Kathmandu's sister city) was shot by armed men
on motorcycles, the afternoon of January 30, and has been
hospitalized, but is expected to recover (septel).

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


3. (C) The Maoist statement seems to make clear that Maoists
will use force and the threat of force to intimidate anyone
form participating in municipal elections. Maoist efforts
have already succeeded as about fifteen percent of the
previously-registered candidates (septel) withdrew from the
race. The Maoist violence undercuts any political party
efforts to use moral persuasion to convince people to boycott
the elections. The Parties' peaceful opposition to the
election will not be the primary reason the election will
almost certainly fail; the Maoists will be able to claim that
it was their ongoing violence and threats, rather than any
action by the Parties, that made the King's municipal
election unsuccessful. It also likely forces the King to dig
in further: fearing he could be seen as capitulating to
Maoist threats, this sort of statement makes it even less
likely the King will postpone the election.
MORIARTY