Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KATHMANDU1172
2009-12-29 11:33:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
NEPAL CABINET PROMOTES TORAN SINGH, DRAWS CRITICISM
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 001172
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/27/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM MARR NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL CABINET PROMOTES TORAN SINGH, DRAWS CRITICISM
REF: A. KATHMANDU 1112
B. KATHMANDU 1078
C. KATHMANDU 0982
D. KATHMANDU 0929
E. KATHMANDU 0906
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Randy W. Berry. Reasons 1.4 (b/
d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 001172
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/27/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM MARR NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL CABINET PROMOTES TORAN SINGH, DRAWS CRITICISM
REF: A. KATHMANDU 1112
B. KATHMANDU 1078
C. KATHMANDU 0982
D. KATHMANDU 0929
E. KATHMANDU 0906
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Randy W. Berry. Reasons 1.4 (b/
d).
1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 8.
2. (C) SUMMARY: Brushing aside the concerns of the
international community and Nepal's own human rights groups,
the Cabinet approved the promotion of Toran Singh to Chief of
the General Staff on December 24, making Singh the second
highest ranking officer in the Nepal Army. Post and the UN
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
criticized the decision. We have repeatedly warned Nepal's
senior leadership that the promotion of Singh could impact
U.S. military assistance (reftels). Post recommends that the
Department consult with the Department of Defense to
coordinate a U.S. Government response that would underscore
our strong human rights concerns while preserving key aspects
of our military cooperation with the Nepal Army. END SUMMARY.
After Long Delay, Singh Promoted
--------------
3. (C) On December 24, Nepal's Cabinet approved the promotion
of Toran Jung Bahadur Singh as Chief of the General Staff,
the second-in-command of the Nepal Army. PM Nepal had
delayed Singh's promotion for six months because of concerns
about Singh's human rights record. Singh was the commander
of the 10th Brigade when one of his subordinate battalions,
the Bhairabnath Battalion, allegedly detained, tortured, and
"disappeared" 49 suspected Maoists in 2003. No one has been
held accountable for this incident, one of the high-profile
emblematic cases identified by OHCHR and human rights groups.
The Government of Nepal says it conducted an internal
inquiry into Singh's role in the human rights abuses (ref B).
The inquiry -- which has not been made public -- reportedly
found that Singh was not directly responsible for the human
rights abuses, but did not assign blame to anyone else.
Criticism of Promotion
--------------
4. (U) Following the cabinet decision, UN Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued a press release
expressing concern about the promotion of Singh. OHCHR head
Richard Bennett said that Singh should not be promoted until
the Nepal Government completes a "full, transparent and
impartial investigation" of human rights charges. Such an
investigation would "enhance, not diminish, the prestige of
the Nepal Army at home and abroad," Bennett said. Several
organizations, including Advocacy Forum, the Nepal Bar
Association, and the International Commission of Jurists,
also opposed Singh's promotion.
5. (U) Embassy spokesperson publicly said on December 24 that
the promotion of Toran Singh "could have an impact on the
U.S. assistance to the Nepal Army." The spokesperson added:
"We have repeatedly expressed our concern about the promotion
to the Nepali government. We also want to stress that our
concern is not about one individual, rather all the human
rights abuses that were committed by the Maoists and the
Nepal Army during the decade-long conflict. These abuses
need to be thoroughly investigated and those abusers held
accountable. This is what the people of Nepal, especially
the victims and their families, deserve."
Comment and Action Request
--------------
6. (C) PM M.K. Nepal was under tremendous pressure from
conservatives -- and likely from New Delhi -- to promote
Singh. PM Nepal's ultimate acquiescence demonstrates that
the Army elite's self-interest continues to trump long-term
human rights goals. Besides the negative signal about the
GON's commitment to human rights, the Singh promotion also
means that General Gaurav Shumsher Rana will likely become
KATHMANDU 00001172 002 OF 002
the next head of the Army. Rana, who is from one of Nepal's
traditional elite families, is viewed as a protector of the
military, close to India (his wife is Indian),and is more
likely to resist the "democratization" of the military,
including integration of Maoist combatants.
7. (C) Post recommends that the Department consult with DOD
on the appropriate response to Singh's promotion. We have
repeatedly warned that the promotion could impact U.S.
military cooperation, so believe that some formal response is
necessary to reaffirm the importance of human rights and
ending Nepal's culture of impunity.
BERRY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/27/2019
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM MARR NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL CABINET PROMOTES TORAN SINGH, DRAWS CRITICISM
REF: A. KATHMANDU 1112
B. KATHMANDU 1078
C. KATHMANDU 0982
D. KATHMANDU 0929
E. KATHMANDU 0906
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Randy W. Berry. Reasons 1.4 (b/
d).
1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 8.
2. (C) SUMMARY: Brushing aside the concerns of the
international community and Nepal's own human rights groups,
the Cabinet approved the promotion of Toran Singh to Chief of
the General Staff on December 24, making Singh the second
highest ranking officer in the Nepal Army. Post and the UN
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
criticized the decision. We have repeatedly warned Nepal's
senior leadership that the promotion of Singh could impact
U.S. military assistance (reftels). Post recommends that the
Department consult with the Department of Defense to
coordinate a U.S. Government response that would underscore
our strong human rights concerns while preserving key aspects
of our military cooperation with the Nepal Army. END SUMMARY.
After Long Delay, Singh Promoted
--------------
3. (C) On December 24, Nepal's Cabinet approved the promotion
of Toran Jung Bahadur Singh as Chief of the General Staff,
the second-in-command of the Nepal Army. PM Nepal had
delayed Singh's promotion for six months because of concerns
about Singh's human rights record. Singh was the commander
of the 10th Brigade when one of his subordinate battalions,
the Bhairabnath Battalion, allegedly detained, tortured, and
"disappeared" 49 suspected Maoists in 2003. No one has been
held accountable for this incident, one of the high-profile
emblematic cases identified by OHCHR and human rights groups.
The Government of Nepal says it conducted an internal
inquiry into Singh's role in the human rights abuses (ref B).
The inquiry -- which has not been made public -- reportedly
found that Singh was not directly responsible for the human
rights abuses, but did not assign blame to anyone else.
Criticism of Promotion
--------------
4. (U) Following the cabinet decision, UN Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued a press release
expressing concern about the promotion of Singh. OHCHR head
Richard Bennett said that Singh should not be promoted until
the Nepal Government completes a "full, transparent and
impartial investigation" of human rights charges. Such an
investigation would "enhance, not diminish, the prestige of
the Nepal Army at home and abroad," Bennett said. Several
organizations, including Advocacy Forum, the Nepal Bar
Association, and the International Commission of Jurists,
also opposed Singh's promotion.
5. (U) Embassy spokesperson publicly said on December 24 that
the promotion of Toran Singh "could have an impact on the
U.S. assistance to the Nepal Army." The spokesperson added:
"We have repeatedly expressed our concern about the promotion
to the Nepali government. We also want to stress that our
concern is not about one individual, rather all the human
rights abuses that were committed by the Maoists and the
Nepal Army during the decade-long conflict. These abuses
need to be thoroughly investigated and those abusers held
accountable. This is what the people of Nepal, especially
the victims and their families, deserve."
Comment and Action Request
--------------
6. (C) PM M.K. Nepal was under tremendous pressure from
conservatives -- and likely from New Delhi -- to promote
Singh. PM Nepal's ultimate acquiescence demonstrates that
the Army elite's self-interest continues to trump long-term
human rights goals. Besides the negative signal about the
GON's commitment to human rights, the Singh promotion also
means that General Gaurav Shumsher Rana will likely become
KATHMANDU 00001172 002 OF 002
the next head of the Army. Rana, who is from one of Nepal's
traditional elite families, is viewed as a protector of the
military, close to India (his wife is Indian),and is more
likely to resist the "democratization" of the military,
including integration of Maoist combatants.
7. (C) Post recommends that the Department consult with DOD
on the appropriate response to Singh's promotion. We have
repeatedly warned that the promotion could impact U.S.
military cooperation, so believe that some formal response is
necessary to reaffirm the importance of human rights and
ending Nepal's culture of impunity.
BERRY