NEPAL'S MAOISTS RUN AMOK IN RAMECHHAP AND OTHER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000404

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/INSB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2018
TAGS: PGOV PTER KDEM NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL'S MAOISTS RUN AMOK IN RAMECHHAP AND OTHER
DISTRICTS

REF: A. KATHMANDU 400

B. KATHMANDU 377

C. KATHMANDU 375

D. KATHMANDU 364

Classified By: Ambassador Nancy J. Powell. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).

Maoists Threaten Other Parties
--------------


1. (SBU) Following the resignation of Prime Minister Pushpa
Dahal on May 4, the Maoist District Organization Committee in
Ramechhap, a hilly district 75 km east of Kathmandu, issued
an ultimatum to members of the Nepali Congress (NC) and
Communist Party of Nepal - United Marxist Leninist (UML) to
leave the district within five days. The Maoists accused the
NC and UML of conspiring with "foreign forces" and demanded
that party members leave the district, sever ties to the NC
and UML, or face the consequences (Ref C). On May 5, Maoist
cadres in Ramechhap vandalized the UML district office and
attempted to take a senior UML leader under control until the
police intervened, according to the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Post and OHCHR have
received reports from other districts across Nepal of similar
Maoist threats to parties who supported President Ram Baran
Yadav's reinstatement of Chief of Army Staff Katawal (Ref D).


OHCHR Investigates
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2. (C) Richard Bennett, the Nepal Representative for OHCHR,
told the Ambassador on May 11 -- a day after the Maoists'
ultimatum date -- that local officials did not expect the
situation to escalate. An OHCHR team that traveled to the
district May 6-11 reported that there had been no incidents
since May 7. (Note: OHCHR and embassy contacts say that the
threats continue, although none have led to violence. End
note.) The Ramechhap Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP)
told the OHCHR team that he was unable to arrest the
responsible Maoist district leader because of security
concerns. The DSP said he would need additional security
forces to carry out the arrest and was concerned that he did
not have enough evidence to detain the Maoist leader for more
than a couple of days. Nevertheless, the police did not
request extra staff. OHCHR plans to send another team to
Ramechhap on May 13.

Threats in Other Districts
--------------


3. (SBU) OHCHR has received numerous reports of threats by
Maoist or Young Communist League (YCL) cadres against NC and
UML members in the eastern districts of Panchthar, Taplejung,
Terhathum, Khotang, and Siraha and in the central districts
of Rasuwa, Sindupalchok, Dolakha, Dhading, and Sindhuli.
With the exception of Panchthar -- in which scuffles on May 6
and 9 led to the stabbing of an NC member in the hand and, in
a separate incident, the YCL assault of a UML supporter, her
family, and several bystanders over a local dispute at a
water tap -- threats have not resulted in serious violence.
Most districts to the west of Dhading were largely peaceful
following the Prime Minister's resignation, although the
Maoists did stage widespread demonstrations that in some
cases got out of hand. On May 7, Maoists threw stones that
damaged the house of an NC supporter in Bardiya district in
the midwestern Terai. The same evening in Bardiya, ten
masked men reportedly thrashed a UML-affiliated former
Village Development Committee chair and two NC activists,
although the Maoists denied responsibility. On May 9, Maoist
cadres again attacked UML and NC supporters in Bardiya,
alleging that these two parties had backed the decision of
the President.

Comment
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KATHMANDU 00000404 002 OF 002



4. (C) Whether the incidents in Ramechhap and other
districts were the result of clear direction from the Maoist
leadership in Kathmandu is unclear. However, there is little
to suggest that the Maoist leadership has actively dissuaded
their district-level cadres to desist from threats of
violence. Ambassador Powell raised the issue at the May 6
and 11 meetings of the diplomatic corps and Prime Minister
(Refs A and B). On May 11, the Ambassador and the heads of
mission of the UK, Netherlands, Germany, France, Finland and
Denmark sent a letter to the Prime Minister expressing their
concern about the incidents and offering to travel in person
to Ramechhap to monitor the situation. Post will continue to
urge the central Maoist leadership to direct its party
affiliates to cease all forms of intimidation and vandalism.
Post will also continue to encourage the Maoists, NC, and UML
-- as well as the Madhesi parties -- to reach a consensus to
move beyond the current political impasse.
POWELL