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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- 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