NEPAL: HOME MINISTER LISTS PRIORITIES TO DASD SCHER

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 000871

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/INSB

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/21/2019
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER KDEM IN NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: HOME MINISTER LISTS PRIORITIES TO DASD SCHER

REF: KATHMANDU 741

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Jeffrey A. Moon. Reasons 1.4 (
b/d).


1. (C) Summary: Home Minister Bhim Rawal highlighted to
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) Scher his
commitment to improving national and regional security,
curbing political violence, resolving the most contentious
peace process issues with the Maoists, and upholding human
rights. In a meeting with the Home Minister on September 17,
DASD told Rawal he has one of the most important jobs in
Nepal and commended him for recognizing and working to solve
specific security and political challenges. He and the
Charge d'Affaires commended the Home Minister for addressing
abuses in an effort to end impunity. DASD said Nepal needs
political leadership and each side needs to adhere to
agreements -- including the discharge of disqualified Maoist
combatants from the cantonments and the integration and
rehabilitation of the other Maoist combatants. End summary.

Special Security Plan
--------------

2. (C) Home Minister Bhim Rawal, in a meeting with DASD
Scher on September 17, explained the special security program
he introduced in late July (reftel) to stabilize law and
order, end impunity, and protect human rights. Rawal
described the five components of the security plan:

- To counter serious crimes like abduction, trafficking in
persons, narcotics and arms trade.
- To improve safety in the capital, including wide-scale
arrests of gang leaders.
- To disarm 109 armed groups operating in the eastern Terai,
eastern hills, and mid-western hills.
- To prevent the closure of highways and essential services
during "bandhs," widely enforced political strikes.
- To build awareness among the civil service, media and
general public about the law.


3. (C) The Home Minister highlighted the interception of
several small explosive devices in Kathmandu ver the past
several weeks as a result of increased attention to security.
He commented on the success of his plan: security forces
have been mobilized, highway patrols and traffic checks have
increased, and a half dozen training conferences have been
organized across the country for security personnel and
district officers. The cabinet has approved 15,000
additional Nepal Police and Armed Police Force as part of the
long-term goal.

Political Violence
--------------

4. (C) Common crime and political upheaval are the two
threats to Nepal's security. The CDA said bandhs, the
destruction of property, and the Maoists' recent protest
method of flying black flags and throwing stones at cabinet
ministers are examples of "politics of vandalism." Rawal
said he would like to separate political and criminal
activities, but they are intertwined. He hopes enforcing the
law would force politicians to distance themselves from
crime. Rawal noted he has refused to intervene on behalf of
political persons arrested for offenses -- a practice rampant
among previous Home Ministers. The CDA, adding to DASD's
encouragement of Rawal, said he is pleased the Home Minister
is addressing these issues.

Maoists
--------------

5. (C) The Home Minister stressed he was trying to create an
atmosphere conducive to keeping the Maoists engaged in the
peace process. The Maoist leaders have assured Rawal they
will stop their party members from throwing stones at cabinet
ministers and other forms of violent protest. Rawal said he
was hopeful a recent round of political meetings would be
valuable because the Maoist leaders were making overtures for
consensus -- even reaching out to the Prime Minister despite
the Maoists' boycott of parliamentary proceedings. Rawal was

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optimistic the Maoists would reach an agreement with the
other parties, but he also questioned the Maoists' internal
statements to be prepared for a possible renewed insurgency.
Why would they risk radicalizing their cadres to a point that
would not be easy to control if they were truly committed to
the peace process? Rawal said the Maoists would have to
prove their commitment to peace through actions, not words.
Rawal said the GON needs close cooperation "from all
friends," particularly the United States and international
community, to push the Maoists and help the political parties
reach consensus. He said informal meetings to encourage the
parties to solve their issues in a democratic manner have
helped in the past. Some of these meetings took place
"outside the country" (a reference to Indian involvement) and
were beneficial.

Nepal Army
--------------

6. (C) Rawal was adamant that there is no disagreement
regarding civilian control of the Nepal Army (NA). He said
all of the parties agree on the importance of civilian
control, but the Maoists managed to obscure this fact with
the controversy over the dismissal of the former Chief of
Army Staff. Rawal expressed confidence the NA -- a
professional, obedient, and apolitical army -- is committed
to civilian authority. He conveyed frustration toward the
NA's continued confinement to barracks. He stated the GON
must complete the peace process and then "immediately"
release the NA so it can address the threat of cross-border
and other armed groups trying to destroy "communal harmony."
(Note: The Armed Police Force currently serves as Nepal's
counter-insurgent organization, but many observers believe
the NA is better trained for this role. End note.)

Terai, Terrorism and Regional Security
--------------

7. (C) Rawal told DASD the GON could not easily "keep tabs"
on groups in the Terai and in rural areas, and criminals
could cross into India for smuggling and "training" without
difficulty. The most dangerous activities in the Terai are
extortion and abduction of businessmen for "economic
advantage," according to Rawal. He said small arms also
threaten security. The GON has requested the Indian
authorities look into cross-border groups. Pointing to the
attack on hotels in Mumbai in November 2008 and Nepal's open
border with India, Rawal declared India has its own interest
in regional security. The Home Minister said there is no
concrete evidence that international terrorist organizations
operate in Nepal, but he could not rule it out. He suggested
the armed groups in the Terai could align themselves with
international terrorist organizations if security forces do
not control them now. He noted a small group in the western
Terai district of Kailali is already calling itself
"al-Qa ida". (Comment: This group has no apparent
connection or ideological allegiance to al-Qa ida. End
comment.) DASD referred to the tribal areas of Afghanistan
and Pakistan and -- alluding to the limited reach of the GON
in the Nepalese countryside -- emphasized that having
eliminating areas is essential to regional security.

Committed to Human Rights
--------------

8. (C) The Home Minister underscored and later reiterated
his commitment to human rights. He said he has clearly
instructed security personnel to honor a code of conduct and
abide by international standards of human rights. Rawal
stressed the security forces should respect human rights even
during special security operations.

Comment
--------------

9. (C) Bhim Rawal, who has expressed his disapproval of a
political structure set up to reward "self-aggrandizement"
rather than working for the people, is one of the few
politicians taking concrete actions to improve national
security. Despite initial mixed reactions toward Rawal's
special security plan, there has been a noticeable crackdown
on crime, particularly in the capital and in the eastern

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Terai.
MOON