VIOLENCE CONTINUES ON THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000427 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SA/INS NSC FOR RICHELSOPH E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2016 TAGS: PGOV PTER PHUM NP SUBJECT: VIOLENCE CONTINUES ON THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF NEPAL'S MAOIST REVOLUTION REF: KATHMANDU 379 Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4(b/d). ABDUCTIONS, EXPLOSIONS AND SEIZURES CONTINUE -------------- ¶1. (SBU) February 13 marked the 10-year anniversary of the beginning of the Maoist insurgency in Nepal. Following a major Maoist ambush on Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) troops attempting to remove a blockade across a key highway in Sunwal-Butwal in Nawalparasi District on February 10, in which 17 security personnel, 4 Maoists and one civilian died, violence continued across the country. Security forces defused 38 bombs and reopened the Mahendra Highway (running East-West across the Terai) on February 12, which Maoists had blocked since February 5. An explosive planted by the Maoists on a bridge on the Mahendra Highway in Dudhrakshya, Rupandehi District (south-western Nepal) went off on February 12, killing one civilian and injuring two others. A Maoist bomb injured two children in Banepa (eastern Kathmandu Valley) on February 11, while a bomb blast in Dhangadhi municipality (south-western Nepal) injured three other civilians. There was also an explosion in Nepalgunj (western Nepal) on the evening of February 12. Maoists abducted 17 civilians, including 11 youths, from the Ramechhap District (eastern Nepal) on February 11. Local papers reported that Maoists kidnapped the children to "play volleyball" on the eve of the Maoists' anniversary and they took the others to "participate" in an anniversary program. Maoists have abducted another 151 civilians from Rukum District (midwest Nepal) since February 10. ¶2. (SBU) The Maoists seized two kerosene trucks that were traveling from Nepalgunj to Dang (western Nepal) on February 12; one truck was able to return to Nepalgunj. Meanwhile, two other trucks were torched by the Maoists in the Basamadhi area of Makwanpur (central Nepal) on February 12 for defying the transportation strike called by the Maoists. The Maoists released 12 security personal from Palpa (southwest Nepal) on February 11, but abducted three government employees from Kapilbastu (southern Nepal). PRACHANDA: EXILE OR EXECUTION FOR KING -------------- ¶3. (SBU) The Maoist leader Prachanda continued his media blitz, sending mixed messages in which he expresses vague hopes for a peaceful future while ultimately endorsing the Maoist use of violence. In a February 13 interview with the BBC, he stated that he thought the King would either be executed (by a people's court) or exiled within the next five years. The violent remarks contrast with other parts of the interview where Prachanda commented that the Maoists would accept the monarchy if the people supported it. However, he blamed the King for all of Nepal's troubles: "The King has taken steps that do not give any room for compromise. It would be correct to say that the path he has taken is the road to hell." When commenting about the agreement reached with the political parties late last year, Prachanda said that the recent commitment to multi-party democracy was not just a tactic and that he was not pressing to become head of state himself. As in his February 7 interview with Kantipur publications (reftel),he commented that support from the U.S., U.K. and India to the Royal Nepalese Army had made it difficult for the Maoists to realize their goal of taking control of the Kathmandu Valley. The Maoist leader remained unrepentant about using violence against those he described as informers. COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) The February 13 statement by Prachanda clearly illustrates the Maoist plan to continue using violence as well as working with the political parties to push for the removal of the King. The tenth anniversary like most previous anniversaries of the insurrection witnessed an intensification of violence. This year the Maoists have married that violence with a media strategy to try to convince some that, despite their use of terror and arms, they have become more rational and would be open to compromise. Unfortunately, a close reading of their rhetoric, as well as their actions, belies that claim. MORIARTY