NEPAL: DISQUALIFIED MAOISTS TOLD TIME TO GO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000958 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/17/2019 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NP SUBJECT: NEPAL: DISQUALIFIED MAOISTS TOLD TIME TO GO Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i., Jeffrey A. Moon. Reasons 1.4 ( b/d). ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The Peace and Reconstruction Minister, Maoist military commanders and UN representatives visited a Maoist cantonment on October 11-15 to restart the process for "discharging" former Maoist combatants. Maoist leaders told former combatants to prepare for reintegration into Nepali civil society. Nepali government and UN officials discussed retraining assistance options with the former Maoist soldiers. The tone of discussions was positive, but many details must be resolved before Maoists actually begin departing the cantonments. VISIT SENT THE RIGHT MESSAGE -------------- ¶2. (C) The Peace and Reconstruction Minister, Maoist commanders, and UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) and UN Development Program (UNDP) officials traveled to a Maoist cantonment on October 11-15 to "restart" the discharge process for disqualified former combatants. UNMIN's Political Affairs chief, Kathy Jones told Emboff on October 15 the delegation met with several hundred disqualified combatants. According to Jones, Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA) Deputy Commander Chandra Prakash Khanal "Baldev" and Kul Prasad K.C. "Sonam" told the disqualified combatants to prepare for their departure from the cantonments. Jones interpreted the commanders' statements and the combatants' apparent acceptance of their leaders' judgment to mean that the Maoists had finally made a "clear decision" to move forward on the discharge process. ¶3. (C) UNICEF Child Protection Officer Annette Lyth agreed the visit signified that all sides want to move ahead, and partially credited increased UN pressure over disqualified combatants who were or are still minors. Lyth estimated the process could take from six months to a year to complete, even with consensus from all parties. DISCUSSION OF THE PACKAGES -------------- ¶4. (C) A group of Peace Ministry and UNDP officials held several days of consultations with disqualified combatants in conjunction with the visit. Their discussions with approximately 800 combatants focused on rehabilitation program options. According to UNMIN Political Affairs Officer Yohn Medina-Vivanco, the combatants requested long-term education support from primary schooling through university, guaranteed employment, and economic assistance packages (e.g., loans or land grants). UNDP was surprised the Maoists did not request vocational short-term skills training programs. The Peace Ministry and UNDP are not prepared to offer financial assistance or guaranteed jobs, and were thus disappointed that Maoist PLA Deputy Commander Khanal demanded financial assistance for combatants in statements to the Kathmandu press that combatants subsequently repeated to the visitors. ¶5. (C) Michael Brown, UNDP Peacebuilding and Recovery Unit chief, told Emboff on October 15 that UNDP will revise its proposed rehabilitation plans based on responses received during this visit and another upcoming trip to a cantonment in Ilam district. UNDP is concerned, however, that the Peace Ministry lacks sufficient capacity to administer the program. He noted, for example, that the Ministry has only one official coordinating the establishment of transition centers and retraining programs for all 4,008 disqualified combatants. EXPENSIVE PLAN -------------- ¶6. (C) The government of Norway has earmarked USD 5 million to assist with the discharge process, approximately one-third of the total USD 15 million cost. Dag Nagoda, a Political Officer from the Norwegian Embassy, said the Embassy will provide the funds if at least some disqualified combatants leave the cantonments by January 22. The Norwegian deadline KATHMANDU 00000958 002 OF 002 coincides with the date the UNSC is scheduled to review UNMIN's mandate. ¶7. (SBU) Comment: The symbolism of the cantonment visit was useful and significant, but it remains unclear when the Maoist disqualified combatants will actually begin departing their camps. MOON