NEPAL: ELECTION SITREP FIVE

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000407 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KDEM NP SUBJECT: NEPAL: ELECTION SITREP FIVE REF A: KATHMANDU 400; REF B: KATHMANDU 401; REF C: KATHMANDU 402; REF D: KATHMANDU 404 SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) SINCE OUR LAST SITREP (REF D),BALLOT COUNTING CONTINUED ACROSS NEPAL THIS AFTERNOON. ADDITIONAL REPORTS OF SIGNIFICANT VIOLENCE HAVE OCCURRED. ALL U.S. MISSION OBSERVER PERSONNEL ARE SAFE AND ACCOUNTED FOR. BALLOT COUNTING CONTINUES -------------- ¶2. (U) BALLOT COUNTING CONTINUED THIS AFTERNOON IN 26 DISTRICTS (71 CONSTITUENCIES). U.S. MISSION OBSERVERS IN THE COUNTING CENTERS IN THE KATHMANDU VALLEY REPORTED THAT THE COUNT WAS ORDERLY AND PROCEDURES WERE FOLLOWED. REPORTS FROM OBSERVERS OUTSIDE KATHMANDU REPORT MOSTLY PEACEFUL COUNTING, ALTHOUGH THERE IS AT LEAST ONE REPORT OF VIOLENCE IN THE FORM OF BURNING TIRES BY COMMUNIST PARTY OF NEPAL - UNITED MARXIST-LENINIST (UML) AND MAOIST PARTY MEMBERS BECAUSE OF ACCUSATIONS OF BALLOT BOOTH CAPTURING BY THE NEPALI CONGRESS AND THE MADHESI PEOPLE'S RIGHTS FORUM. ¶3. (U) THE ELECTION COMMISSION ANNOUNCED AT 1800 LOCAL TIME THAT, AS OF 1700, 60 POLLING STATIONS WOULD NEED TO HAVE A RE-VOTE, UP FROM 33 EARLIER, DUE TO IRREGULARITIES, INCLUDING KILLINGS, THE CAPTURING OF POLL CENTERS BY POLITICAL PARTIES, EXPLOSIONS, GUNSHOTS AND DESTRUCTION OF BALLOT BOXES AND OTHER POLLING MATERIAL. THIS NUMBER MAY RISE AS MORE DISCREPANCIES ARE FOUND DURING THE COUNTING PROCESS. THE RETURNING OFFICER FOR EACH CONSTITUENCY WILL DECIDE UPON A DATE FOR THE RE-VOTE FOR EACH STATION. ADDITIONAL REPORTS OF VIOLENCE AND BALLOT COUNTING OBSTRUCTION -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) BROADCAST AND MEDIA REPORTS INDICATE SPORADIC VIOLENCE IN THE TERAI AND HILLS DISTRICTS. IN THE TOWN OF BIRGUNJ, PARSA DISTRICT, THERE WERE REPORTS OF A SMALL BOMB GOING OFF INJURING TWO PEOPLE. IN DARKHA TOWN, DHADING DISTRICT, THERE ARE REPORTS OF A MAOIST-AFFILIATED YOUTH GROUP, THE YCL, FIRING AT A NEPALI CONGRESS (NC) PARTY MEMBER. EFFORTS TO RESCUE THE NC PARTY MEMBER BY HELICOPTER FAILED. NO OTHER DETAILS WERE REPORTED. ¶5. (U) THE THIRTY-THREE U.S. MISSION PERSONNEL THAT HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED AROUND THE KATHMANDU VALLEY AND ACROSS NEPAL TO MONITOR ELECTIONS ACTIVITY ARE ALL SAFE AND ACCOUNTED FOR. ALL OBSERVERS DEPLOYED OUTSIDE KATHMANDU HAVE NOW RETURNED TO THE CAPITAL. ¶6. (U) EMBASSY KATHMANDU WILL CLOSE ITS ELECTION OPERATIONS CENTER AT 1900 LOCAL (0915 EASTERN STANDARD TIME),DUE TO THE SLOW PACE OF POLLING RETURNS. POWELL