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