Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07KATHMANDU1069
2007-05-30 12:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR URGES HOME MINISTER TO HOLD MAOISTS

Tags:  PREF PTER PHUM ASEC PREL PGOV BT NP 
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P 301211Z MAY 07
FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6110
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5390
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 1314
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 6084
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 5777
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 4109
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1517
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY 3522
RHMFISS/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1668
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 2712
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001069 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2017
TAGS: PREF PTER PHUM ASEC PREL PGOV BT NP
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR URGES HOME MINISTER TO HOLD MAOISTS
ACCOUNTABLE

REF: A. KATHMANDU 1059


B. KATHMANDU 1036 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty for reasons 1.4(b/d).

Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 001069

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/30/2017
TAGS: PREF PTER PHUM ASEC PREL PGOV BT NP
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR URGES HOME MINISTER TO HOLD MAOISTS
ACCOUNTABLE

REF: A. KATHMANDU 1059


B. KATHMANDU 1036 (NOTAL)

Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty for reasons 1.4(b/d).

Summary
--------------


1. (C) In a May 30 meeting with Home Minister Krishna Prasad
Sitaula, the Ambassador sharply criticized the
Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League (YCL) for attacking
his vehicle in Jhapa on May 25 and for threatening and
intimidating Nepalese with impunity across the country. The
Maoist leadership had to be held accountable for the YCL's
abuses. The Ambassador asked Sitaula to obtain assurances
from Maoist Chairman Pushpa Dahal (alias Prachanda) that the
YCL would not target U.S. officials or citizens. He also
urged the Government of Nepal (GON) to take firm action
against YCL cadre found breaking the law. Similarly, the GON
needed to increase security in and around the Bhutanese
refugee camps in Jhapa District to prevent the Communist
Party of Bhutan (CPB) from threatening and intimidating other
refugees in the run-up to a U.S. resettlement program.
Sitaula suggested that the eight political parties might soon
agree to hold Constituent Assembly elections in mid-November.
He complained that the UN was delaying verification of
Maoist combatants and asked the Ambassador for his support
during this difficult time.

Young Communist League Attack in Jhapa Unacceptable
-------------- --------------


2. (C) In a meeting May 30 with Home Minister Krishna Prasad
Sitaula, the Ambassador condemned the May 25 attack on his
vehicle by Young Communist League (YCL) cadre in Jhapa
District (Refs A, B). The YCL cadre had appeared
unexpectedly minutes prior to the Ambassador's scheduled
arrival at the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
sub-office in Damak, suggesting that the attack was
well-planned. The Ambassador appreciated the efforts of the
Nepal Police to prevent the YCL from approaching the vehicle.
However, for the Maoist-affiliated league to openly attack a

foreign diplomat demonstrated the group's belief that it
could act with impunity. (Note: UNHCR Resident
Representative Abraham Abraham and Embassy RefCoord were also
present in the vehicle. End Note.) Unless the Government of
Nepal (GON) took this incident seriously, the YCL would
continue to see what it could get away with. This time they
had thrown rocks, the next time they could fire a bullet, he
added. Sitaula expressed regret over the incident and noted
that five YCL leaders in Jhapa District were in police
custody under "public disturbance" charges. The Home
Minister commented that he had told Maoist Chairman Pushpa
Dahal (alias Prachanda) May 25 that the YCL needed to desist
from these activities. Dahal had lied and had claimed that
the incident did not involve the YCL.

YCL Activities Must Be Brought Under Control
--------------


3. (C) The Ambassador said that the Maoist leaders had
created the YCL intentionally to intimidate the Nepali people
and political parties. The League might destroy the
government if not brought under control, he added. Although
no one was injured on May 25, the YCL had tried to cause
bodily harm. If the GON could not protect foreign diplomats
or Nepali citizens, Nepal ran the risk of becoming a failed
state. He expressed dismay that the GON had a coalition
partner, a member of the interim government, that was getting
away with an active policy of intimidation and violence. The
Ambassador noted that YCL leaders had publicly bragged about
participating in police assassinations as members of the
People's Liberation Army (PLA),but had faced no
consequences. According to the arms management agreement and
peace accords, all PLA combatants were supposed to be in the
cantonment sites. He urged Sitaula to hold the Maoists
accountable for these violations.

KATHMANDU 00001069 002 OF 003



Maoist Chairman Pushpa Dahal Ignored His Commitments
-------------- --------------


4. (C) The Ambassador pointed out that in his meeting with
Sitaula in February, following Pushpa Dahal's allegation of a
royalist plot to assassinate U.S. officials, the Ambassador
had asked the GON to obtain assurances from the Maoist
chairman that Maoist cadre would not view the plot allegation
as an opportunity to attack Americans and blame it on the
palace. The GON had sought and received these assurances:
the Maoist Chairman had claimed that he had instructed all
cadre not to attack U.S. officials or citizens. However,
Dahal had either ignored this commitment or he had lied. The
GON needed to criticize Dahal publicly for continuing to use
terror to accomplish his political objectives; it was a
mistake for the GON to allow any political party to operate
outside the law. The Ambassador asked Sitaula to tell Dahal
to bring the YCL under control. If not, the GON needed to
provide assurances of its own in this regard. Not only did
YCL actions represent a threat to himself and other U.S.
officials, but all other Americans in Nepal, the Ambassador
added. Sitaula agreed to discuss this problem with Dahal.
The Home Minister also volunteered that, at a planned Nepali
Congress rally in Jhapa District on June 2, he intended to
criticize publicly the YCL abuses.

Security For Bhutanese Refugees Also a Must
--------------


5. (C) Home Minister Sitaula expressed concern about the
security situation in the Bhutanese refugee camps and at the
Indo-Nepal border at Mechi Bridge. He noted that Indian
security forces had killed one refugee on May 29. The Home
Ministry had issued a statement requesting that the refugees
return to the camps, while district-level political party
leaders were also working to calm the situation. Sitaula
indicated that the GON had asked Maoist leader Dahal why he
was encouraging this movement. At the eight party meeting on
May 31, Sitaula said, he would raise the refugee issue with
Dahal again. He also planned to travel to Jhapa in the next
day or two to visit the refugee camps. The Ambassador
acknowledged that the police had been overwhelmed and chased
outside the refugee camps, but stressed that they needed to
begin patrolling inside the camps to provide security to the
refugees. The Ambassador urged Sitaula to take action
against Communist Party of Bhutan (CPB) activists who were
threatening refugees known to support third-country
resettlement.

More Security Needed for U.S. Resettlement Program
-------------- --------------


6. (C) Sitaula agreed that the majority of the refugees were
interested in resettlement. He asked about the USG timeline
for resettlement. RefCoord explained that processing would
begin in September with the first departures in January 2008.
Sitaula worried that more security problems would arise in
the camps during the interim period. The Ambassador
responded that the Embassy would work closely with the Home
Ministry to ensure that additional security in and around the
camps was in place to allow resettlement activities to
proceed. Sitaula opined that most Bhutanese refugee
political leaders were democratic, not aligned with the
Maoists, and could be persuaded to support resettlement. The
Ambassador noted that as the Bhutanese community in the U.S.
grew, it would more easily make its voice heard on the need
for human rights and democracy in Bhutan.

Election Dates and Verification of PLA Combatants
-------------- --------------


7. (C) Sitaula mentioned that the eight parties were close to
an agreement on dates for the Constituent Assembly election.
Most likely, the election would be held in the third week of
November, he said. The Ambassador welcomed this news; the
U.S. would support any GON decision on election dates. He

KATHMANDU 00001069 003 OF 003


informed Sitaula that the USG had decided to provide an
additional USD 3 million for security sector reform,
primarily for police infrastructure and training. Sitaula
expected the second phase of PLA combatant verification to
begin o/a June 9, but complained that the UN was moving too
slowly. The Ambassador commented that the UN believed it
needed a more explicit agreement from the Maoists to proceed.
Sitaula said that, if this were the case, then the UN should
say so publicly. Noting the many challenges he faced as Home
Minister, Sitaula requested the Ambassador's support. "The
government's position on the Maoists has become tougher,
putting me in a more difficult position with them," he said.
The Nepal Police had arrested Maoists in five districts,
including most recently for a murder case in Humla. "The
Maoists have become tougher on me, too," Sitaula added.

Comment
--------------


8. (C) The good news from this meeting was that Sitaula was
for the first time unambiguous in acknowledging the need to
crackdown on Maoist abuses. He heard the message loud and
clear that the U.S. expected the GON to hold the Maoist
leadership responsible for the May 25 attack on the
Ambassador's vehicle. He also seemed to understand the need
to extract assurances from Maoist chief Dahal that the Young
Communist League would not target U.S. officials or citizens
in the future. That said, we have little confidence in
Sitaula's ability to hold the Maoists' feet to the fire.
With both the Prime Minister and Home Minister scheduled to
attend, the Nepali Congress rally on June 2 in Jhapa District
may help to calm tensions with the Bhutanese refugees and to
improve security in and around the camps. Election dates and
verification of combatants are important steps forward, but
will mean little without a contemporaneous improvement in
Maoist behavior.
MORIARTY