PROFESSIONALS INCREASING SUPPORT FOR PRO-DEMOCRACY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000957 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2016 TAGS: PGOV ECON KDEM NP SUBJECT: PROFESSIONALS INCREASING SUPPORT FOR PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT REF: KATHMANDU 948 Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). MANY PROFESSIONALS ANNOUNCING SUPPORT FOR PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT -------------- -------------- ¶1. (C) Numerous professionals and professional organizations have either announced their support through press statements or staged protests around the country as pro-democracy demonstrations called by the seven-party alliance continued into a seventh day. Health services in major hospitals around the country were affected by doctors protesting in lieu of working. The Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu halted outpatient services beginning on April 11. Approximately 500 doctors in Kathmandu reportedly rallied on April 11 during curfew hours. According to news reports, security forces arrested 57 university and school teachers at an anti-government rally in Pokhara (central Nepal) on April 11. The Nepal Bar Association announced in a press release that it would organize a torch rally on April 18 to pressure the King to give power back to the political parties. The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) issued a press release on April 11 calling for the restoration of democracy and urging members not to work. United Marxist-Leninist (UML) General Secretary Amrit Bohra told the Ambassador that FNCCI and other representatives of trade and industrial organizations had participated in a protest in Biratnagar (eastern Nepal). The Gulariya Chamber of Commerce (western Nepal),the Trekking Guide Association of Nepal, and the Auto Mechanics Association of Nepal have all issued press statements in support of the pro-democracy movement. CIVIL SERVANTS ALSO JOINING THE BANDWAGON -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Civil servants have also started to join in pro-democracy protests. Employees of the Home Ministry reportedly staged a "pen down" pro-democracy strike from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm on April 12. (Comment: This was rather remarkable, given the hardline stance toward the general strike shown by Home Minister Kamal Thapa. End Comment.) Kumar Jung Karki, President of the Nepal Telecom Workers Union, told Emboff the union demanded the restoration of democracy and a resumption of Nepal Telecom (NT) mobile phone service, which had been down since April 8. Karki said that all members of the union were encouraged to stop working as of April 11 to show their support for the union's protest, and on April 12 union members did not report to work but protested in front of NT headquarters instead. The President of the state-run Nepal Water Supply Corporation said on April 11 that, "besides the supply of water, other work was completely stopped today." The Nepal Electric Authority's workers union issued an April 11 press release announcing it would continue to cease all but essential services. All government workers in the town of Kawasoti in Nawalparasi District (south-central Nepal) have reportedly been off protesting for the past two days. FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED; LACK OF PAYCHECKS COULD INCITE MORE ANGER -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Financial services around the country have been affected by employees showing support for the seven-party alliance's strike by not coming to work. L.P. Sitaula, Director of Nepal Rastra Bank's (NRB) Central Office (Nepal's central bank),explained to Emboff that, while most managers were working, low-level employees had not reported to work and he suspected some were engaged in protests. Sitaula added that NRB's banking division, which provided cash transactions, had been closed during the Parties' strike. Raju Nepal, Chief Treasury Manager, Nepal Bank Limited, stressed that people were "desperate for money" and opined that, if the general strike continued for three more days, people "would riot for lack of paychecks." (Note: Nepalis use a lunar calendar and traditionally get paid on the last day of the month. The last day of the current Nepali month is April 13. End Note.) Raju Nepal mentioned he had heard that some private sector banks had received threats from members of the seven-party alliance to close, and noted that Standard Chartered Bank in Biratnagar was closed on April 12. COMMENT -------------- ¶4. (C) The increasing number of professionals voicing support for a return to democracy is another indicator that the anti-Royal movement is gaining momentum. There is also a sense that professionals are eager for normalcy and thus are willing to add their voice to the ongoing Party protests in hopes that their support will help force a resolution of the crisis sooner rather than later. That said, if thousands of Nepalis are unable to get their paychecks as of April 13, it could have a negative impact on the Parties' movement. The Parties may factor this in when determining whether to continue their general strike or to call it off and focus on the demonstrations. MORIARTY