Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KATHMANDU991
2006-04-17 13:31:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
MAOISTS SHOOT AND INJURE ONE BHUTANESE REFUGEE
how-toVZCZCXYZ0015 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHKT #0991/01 1071331 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 171331Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1141 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 4217 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0346 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 4481 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 0312 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 9575 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 2471 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 3870 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 9582 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 0175 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 0285 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0769 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1108 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY 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 000991
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/INS, PRM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2016
TAGS: PREF PTER PREL NP
SUBJECT: MAOISTS SHOOT AND INJURE ONE BHUTANESE REFUGEE
REF: A. KATHMANDU 965
B. KATHMANDU 950
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Maoists Shoot and Injure Refugee
--------------------------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000991
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/INS, PRM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2016
TAGS: PREF PTER PREL NP
SUBJECT: MAOISTS SHOOT AND INJURE ONE BHUTANESE REFUGEE
REF: A. KATHMANDU 965
B. KATHMANDU 950
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Maoists Shoot and Injure Refugee
--------------
1. (C) The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for
Refugees (OHCHR) office reported to Emboff that Maoists shot
and injured a Bhutanese refugee on April 16 outside the
Beldangi refugee camp in Jhapa District during an Armed
Police Force (APF) and Maoist gunfight. On April 15 several
shops outside the Beldangi camp burned down. Four members of
the APF were inspecting the burnt shops on April 16, when
Maoists shot at the APF members. Maoists killed one APF, and
injured three bystanders, including one Bhutanese refugee
from Beldangi camp. Police transported the injured
bystanders, including the refugee, to a hospital in
Biratnagar. "It appears that the refugee was in the wrong
place, at the wrong time," commented the UNHCR official. He
explained that there was no evidence that the refugee was
connected to the Maoists in any way.
Food Supplies Reach Bhutanese Camps
--------------
2. (C) On April 17, a World Food Program (WFP) officer told
Emboff that supply trucks originally unable to reach the
camps due to Maoist roadblocks (ref A) had gone through India
and used back roads in Jhapa and Morang Districts to deliver
food to all Bhutanese refugee camps in eastern Nepal on April
16. WFP noted that there was now enough grain supply in all
the camps to allow distribution until April 21. WFP was
already working on the next food convoy, stating it was
"doing our best to get food to the camps." The WFP
representative noted with concern that WFP would have to
negotiate purchasing kerosene with the Nepal Oil Corporation,
which could prove to be difficult due to widely reported
shortages in the country (septel). WFP provides kerosene to
refugees to use as fuel and light.
Indians Thinking of Pressuring Bhutan
--------------
3. (C) On April 13, Indian Ambassador Shiv Mukherjee told the
Ambassador that the Nepali Ambassador to India, Karna
Adhikari, had discussed the Bhutanese refugee issue with the
Indian Foreign Ministry Joint Secretary Pankaj Saran (ref B).
Mukherjee reported that there was a "real shift" in views at
the Joint Secretary level in the Foreign Ministry on how to
resolve the Bhutanese refugee issue in Nepal. The best way
forward, in Saran's view, was for India to pressure Bhutan to
take a token hundred refugees back. This would then open up
Nepal to the idea of third country resettlement. Mukherjee
explained that India needed just a little time to clarify
this position. He was optimistic that in his next meeting
with Foreign Minister Pandey, Pandey would request Mukherjee
to encourage New Delhi to pressure Bhutan. Mukherjee was
optimistic that this message would be well received in New
Delhi. (Comment: The deteriorating political situation here
might make progress on this issue more difficult. End
Comment.)
Tibetan Reception Center Construction on Target
-------------- --
4. (C) Despite twelve days of a general strike in Kathmandu,
the Lutheran World Federation reported on April 17 that
construction on the extension wing of the Tibetan Reception
Center (TRC) was on schedule. The LWF contractor was using
materials previously purchased and so was not experiencing
any difficulties despite increased commodity prices (septel).
UNHCR reported that TRC was not experiencing a shortage of
food, however spinach and water buffalo meat were in short
supply and LWF was working to substitute other foods. UNHCR
noted that there were a number of new arrivals who had called
UNHCR from inside the Nepali border. However, due to the
transportation freeze as part of the general strike, UNHCR
could not safely transfer the Tibetans to Kathmandu and the
TRC. UNHCR was working to pass the word to Tibet that it was
not safe to come to Nepal until local transportation resumed.
MORIARTY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SCA/INS, PRM
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/17/2016
TAGS: PREF PTER PREL NP
SUBJECT: MAOISTS SHOOT AND INJURE ONE BHUTANESE REFUGEE
REF: A. KATHMANDU 965
B. KATHMANDU 950
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Maoists Shoot and Injure Refugee
--------------
1. (C) The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for
Refugees (OHCHR) office reported to Emboff that Maoists shot
and injured a Bhutanese refugee on April 16 outside the
Beldangi refugee camp in Jhapa District during an Armed
Police Force (APF) and Maoist gunfight. On April 15 several
shops outside the Beldangi camp burned down. Four members of
the APF were inspecting the burnt shops on April 16, when
Maoists shot at the APF members. Maoists killed one APF, and
injured three bystanders, including one Bhutanese refugee
from Beldangi camp. Police transported the injured
bystanders, including the refugee, to a hospital in
Biratnagar. "It appears that the refugee was in the wrong
place, at the wrong time," commented the UNHCR official. He
explained that there was no evidence that the refugee was
connected to the Maoists in any way.
Food Supplies Reach Bhutanese Camps
--------------
2. (C) On April 17, a World Food Program (WFP) officer told
Emboff that supply trucks originally unable to reach the
camps due to Maoist roadblocks (ref A) had gone through India
and used back roads in Jhapa and Morang Districts to deliver
food to all Bhutanese refugee camps in eastern Nepal on April
16. WFP noted that there was now enough grain supply in all
the camps to allow distribution until April 21. WFP was
already working on the next food convoy, stating it was
"doing our best to get food to the camps." The WFP
representative noted with concern that WFP would have to
negotiate purchasing kerosene with the Nepal Oil Corporation,
which could prove to be difficult due to widely reported
shortages in the country (septel). WFP provides kerosene to
refugees to use as fuel and light.
Indians Thinking of Pressuring Bhutan
--------------
3. (C) On April 13, Indian Ambassador Shiv Mukherjee told the
Ambassador that the Nepali Ambassador to India, Karna
Adhikari, had discussed the Bhutanese refugee issue with the
Indian Foreign Ministry Joint Secretary Pankaj Saran (ref B).
Mukherjee reported that there was a "real shift" in views at
the Joint Secretary level in the Foreign Ministry on how to
resolve the Bhutanese refugee issue in Nepal. The best way
forward, in Saran's view, was for India to pressure Bhutan to
take a token hundred refugees back. This would then open up
Nepal to the idea of third country resettlement. Mukherjee
explained that India needed just a little time to clarify
this position. He was optimistic that in his next meeting
with Foreign Minister Pandey, Pandey would request Mukherjee
to encourage New Delhi to pressure Bhutan. Mukherjee was
optimistic that this message would be well received in New
Delhi. (Comment: The deteriorating political situation here
might make progress on this issue more difficult. End
Comment.)
Tibetan Reception Center Construction on Target
-------------- --
4. (C) Despite twelve days of a general strike in Kathmandu,
the Lutheran World Federation reported on April 17 that
construction on the extension wing of the Tibetan Reception
Center (TRC) was on schedule. The LWF contractor was using
materials previously purchased and so was not experiencing
any difficulties despite increased commodity prices (septel).
UNHCR reported that TRC was not experiencing a shortage of
food, however spinach and water buffalo meat were in short
supply and LWF was working to substitute other foods. UNHCR
noted that there were a number of new arrivals who had called
UNHCR from inside the Nepali border. However, due to the
transportation freeze as part of the general strike, UNHCR
could not safely transfer the Tibetans to Kathmandu and the
TRC. UNHCR was working to pass the word to Tibet that it was
not safe to come to Nepal until local transportation resumed.
MORIARTY