NEPAL: CONTROVERSIAL GENERAL'S PROMOTION ON HOLD

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000929 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/08/2019 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM PREL MARR PINR NP SUBJECT: NEPAL: CONTROVERSIAL GENERAL'S PROMOTION ON HOLD REF: KTM 00906 Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i., Jeffrey A. Moon. Reasons 1.4 ( b/d). ¶1. (SBU) Nepal's Cabinet deferred on October 8 a decision on the promotion of Army Major General Toran Singh. Singh, who is alleged to be complicit in human rights abuses, was under consideration for promotion to Lieutenant General (reftel). The Cabinet reportedly discussed Singh's appointment but said it needed more time to study human rights allegations. ¶2. (SBU) Rumors of Singh's promotion have circulated since June. If promoted, Singh would be the second-in-command in the Nepal Army. The government conducted an internal investigation of Singh's alleged human rights violations and failed to come to any conclusions about his guilt or innocence. ¶3. (C) During a series of receptions October 3-4, Charge told Prime Minister M.K. Nepal, Nepali Congress party leader G.P. Koirala, Chief of the Army Staff General Gurung, Home Minister Bhim Rawal, Defense Minister Bidya Bhandari, Energy Minister Prakash Mahat, and Federal Minister Minendra Rizal that the United States had serious concerns about the promotion of Singh. He noted that Singh's promotion could have negative consequences for the future of U.S.-Nepal military cooperation. ¶4. (C) Comment: At the moment, Singh's promotion appears to be on hold. Powerful forces within Nepali politics and the Nepal Army support Singh, and this issue could reappear. Post will continue to monitor the situation and stress to Nepal counterparts the U.S. concerns regarding Singh's human rights record. MOON