Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KATHMANDU965
2006-04-13 12:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
MAOISTS BLOCK FOOD ACCESS TO BHUTANESE REFUGEE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0022 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHKT #0965/01 1031207 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 131207Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1108 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 4197 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0344 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 4467 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 0310 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 9557 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 2455 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3852 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 9562 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0173 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 0283 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0759 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1106 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1753 RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000965
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/INS, PRM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2016
TAGS: PREF PTER NP
SUBJECT: MAOISTS BLOCK FOOD ACCESS TO BHUTANESE REFUGEE
CAMPS
REF: KATHMANDU 944
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Maoist Roadblocks Prevent Food From Reaching Camps
--------------------------------------------- ------
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000965
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/INS, PRM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2016
TAGS: PREF PTER NP
SUBJECT: MAOISTS BLOCK FOOD ACCESS TO BHUTANESE REFUGEE
CAMPS
REF: KATHMANDU 944
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Maoist Roadblocks Prevent Food From Reaching Camps
-------------- --------------
1. (C) Maoist roadblocks on the highways in eastern Morang
District, part of the Maoist "support of the seven-party
alliance movement" (reftel),have prevented the World Food
Program (WFP) from resupplying Bhutanese refugee camps with
foodstuffs. Over 100,000 Bhutanese refugees in seven camps
in Morang and Jhapa Districts depend on WFP for food. The
April 13 Himalayan Times reported that Maoist disruption in
transportation services has created a shortage of foodgrains
in the camps, and quoted Kishor Rai, representative of the
Bhutanese Human Rights Organization, as saying the WFP had
not distributed any rice or vegetables to Beldangi and
Sanischare camps for the past week. Rai explained that the
WFP usually provided 400 grams of rice to each refugee daily,
and noted that vegetables were also in short supply. "As
transportation has ground to a halt, the supply of food
grains has been affected. Stocks have run out," the WFP said
in a press statement on April 12. The WFP in Kathmandu told
Emboff that the last shipment of food from Biratnagar to the
camps was on April 8 and confirmed the current food crisis.
World Food Program Appeals to Maoists
--------------
2. (C) A WFP representative told Emboff that trucks with
food for the camps had been waiting in Biratnagar, Morang
District since April 9, but due to Maoist roadblocks, the WFP
could not reach the camps. She explained that the WFP had
been in contact with local Maoists and had proposed running a
convoy of trucks, led by UN vehicles, to transport the food
to the camps. However, the Maoists noted that the roads were
blocked by felled trees and large boulders, as well as
explosive devices, so the Maoists could not allow the WFP
trucks through. When WFP stressed that the Maoist leadership
had promised not to interfere with UN activities, the local
Maoists told WFP they would have to "consult" with their
senior leaders. In order to pressure the Maoists to act, the
WFP decided to issue a press statement on April 12. The WFP
also decided to take the supply trucks to the camps by going
south from Biratnagar, into India, and back west into Nepal
via Kakarbhitta, Jhapa District. WFP hoped to have the
trucks depart Biratnagar on April 13, and reach six of the
seven camps by April 15. However, the Maoists were blocking
roads to one of the camps, and would need to allow WFP to
pass in order for the food to reach the seventh camp.
Tibetan Reception Center Has Plenty of Supplies
-------------- ---
3. (C) The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
reported no problems with food supplies at the Tibetan
Reception Center in Kathmandu. The Center was currently
housing 400 people who had fled Tibet and were waiting at the
Center to transit to India. No one had been able to transit
to India since the beginning of the general strike on April 6
as no public buses were running. However, many people were
poised to take buses to India once commercial transportation
resumed.
Comment
--------------
4. (C) The worsening security situation surrounding the
Bhutanese refugee camps highlights the urgent need to address
getting people out of the camps permanently.
MORIARTY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/INS, PRM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/13/2016
TAGS: PREF PTER NP
SUBJECT: MAOISTS BLOCK FOOD ACCESS TO BHUTANESE REFUGEE
CAMPS
REF: KATHMANDU 944
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Maoist Roadblocks Prevent Food From Reaching Camps
-------------- --------------
1. (C) Maoist roadblocks on the highways in eastern Morang
District, part of the Maoist "support of the seven-party
alliance movement" (reftel),have prevented the World Food
Program (WFP) from resupplying Bhutanese refugee camps with
foodstuffs. Over 100,000 Bhutanese refugees in seven camps
in Morang and Jhapa Districts depend on WFP for food. The
April 13 Himalayan Times reported that Maoist disruption in
transportation services has created a shortage of foodgrains
in the camps, and quoted Kishor Rai, representative of the
Bhutanese Human Rights Organization, as saying the WFP had
not distributed any rice or vegetables to Beldangi and
Sanischare camps for the past week. Rai explained that the
WFP usually provided 400 grams of rice to each refugee daily,
and noted that vegetables were also in short supply. "As
transportation has ground to a halt, the supply of food
grains has been affected. Stocks have run out," the WFP said
in a press statement on April 12. The WFP in Kathmandu told
Emboff that the last shipment of food from Biratnagar to the
camps was on April 8 and confirmed the current food crisis.
World Food Program Appeals to Maoists
--------------
2. (C) A WFP representative told Emboff that trucks with
food for the camps had been waiting in Biratnagar, Morang
District since April 9, but due to Maoist roadblocks, the WFP
could not reach the camps. She explained that the WFP had
been in contact with local Maoists and had proposed running a
convoy of trucks, led by UN vehicles, to transport the food
to the camps. However, the Maoists noted that the roads were
blocked by felled trees and large boulders, as well as
explosive devices, so the Maoists could not allow the WFP
trucks through. When WFP stressed that the Maoist leadership
had promised not to interfere with UN activities, the local
Maoists told WFP they would have to "consult" with their
senior leaders. In order to pressure the Maoists to act, the
WFP decided to issue a press statement on April 12. The WFP
also decided to take the supply trucks to the camps by going
south from Biratnagar, into India, and back west into Nepal
via Kakarbhitta, Jhapa District. WFP hoped to have the
trucks depart Biratnagar on April 13, and reach six of the
seven camps by April 15. However, the Maoists were blocking
roads to one of the camps, and would need to allow WFP to
pass in order for the food to reach the seventh camp.
Tibetan Reception Center Has Plenty of Supplies
-------------- ---
3. (C) The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
reported no problems with food supplies at the Tibetan
Reception Center in Kathmandu. The Center was currently
housing 400 people who had fled Tibet and were waiting at the
Center to transit to India. No one had been able to transit
to India since the beginning of the general strike on April 6
as no public buses were running. However, many people were
poised to take buses to India once commercial transportation
resumed.
Comment
--------------
4. (C) The worsening security situation surrounding the
Bhutanese refugee camps highlights the urgent need to address
getting people out of the camps permanently.
MORIARTY