GORKHAS CALL FOR INDEFINITE STRIKE IN WEST BENGAL'S

UNCLAS KOLKATA 000179 SENSITIVE SIPDIS TAGS: PGOV PHUM CASC ASEC IN SUBJECT: GORKHAS CALL FOR INDEFINITE STRIKE IN WEST BENGAL'S DARJEELING HILLS ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On June 16 the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha's (GJMM) called for an indefinite "bandh" or strike in the Darjeeling hills in its protest for a separate Gorkhaland state for ethnic Nepalis. Earlier, GJMM had called an indefinite strike on June 11 which was later relaxed on June 12 (reftel), partly due to escalating clashes with ethnic Bengalis. Schools, colleges and tea gardens have been exempted from this latest strike. Outside of the hill areas, where Gorkhas are not in majority, GJMM supporters will participate in relay hunger strikes to increase pressure on the state as well as the GOI to accede to a Gorkhaland state. However, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has already rejected the demand for a separate statehood. On June 17, WB Chief Minister (CM) Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee hopes to conduct an all party meeting on this issue but none of the three hill-based state legislators or representatives from the major opposition party Trinamul Congress are expected to attend. Post's American Citizens Services section confirmed with local law enforcement and popular hotels and guest houses in the region that AmCit tourists had safely left the area. End Summary. ¶2. (U) On June 16, GJMM called for another indefinite strike in the Darjeeling hills. However, schools and colleges have been exempted from the shutdown. Darjeeling's all important tea gardens, which employ the largest workforce in the hills, will also be unaffected. The GJMM has also pulled back from trying to enforce the bandh in neighboring lowland areas, outside of the Gorkha-dominated hills, as violence has erupted the last few days with the ethnic Bengalis. The GJMM leadership has asked its supporters not to enforce the shutdown in plain areas which are majority Bengali and instead will rely on successive hunger strikes to press for the statehood demand. ¶3. (SBU) On June 14, the GOI expressed its willingness for a dialogue with the GJMM. However, India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who held a brief meeting with CM Bhattacharya, informed media that "There is no question of creating a separate state of Gorkhaland." In response to Mukherjee's statement, GJMM General Secretary Roshan Giri in Darjeeling told the press that the GJMM is ready for talks with the GOI but added that the government should not think that "Gorkhaland" is a separatist demand. Giri said that "We will go to Delhi to meet Central (federal) government leaders and tell them of our grievances." Local reporters told Post, however, that the GJMM leadership does not trust the federal ministers from West Bengal - External Affair Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Das Munshi. The GJMM wants these ministers to be excluded from any talks with the GOI. Previously on June 13, the GJMM president Bimal Gurung had rejected the GOWB's offer for talks. WB's main opposition party Trinamul Congress, led by Mamta Banerjee, has already rejected CM Bhattacharjee's call to attend the proposed June 17 all-party meeting on this issue. ¶4. (SBU) On June 13 news reports indicated that buses carrying tourists from Darjeeling were attacked and pelted with stones by demonstrators. No AmCit tourists were targetted by the demonstrators. Also no AmCit was reported injured in the agitations. Post's American Citizens Services (ACS) section confirmed with local law enforcement as well as popular hotels and resorts in the area that AmCit tourists had safely departed the region. (Note: Hotels are required to report to police when foreign guests check in/out of their establishments. End Note.) According to local law enforcement, the last registered AmCit tourist departed the region on June 12. Twenty three AmCits living in the region have registered with the Consulate. All received the Warden Message distributed last week (reftel). ¶5. (SBU) Comment: While GJMM will not push its bandh into the majority Bengali areas near the Darjeeling hills, having faced strong Bengali opposition last week, additional violence and agitations can be expected given lack of effective dialogue between the GJMM and the GOWB. JARDINE