NEPAL: MAOIST RESPONSE TO BENCHMARKS PROMISED

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 000063 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2019 TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NP SUBJECT: NEPAL: MAOIST RESPONSE TO BENCHMARKS PROMISED REF: KATHMANDU 01174 Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i., John M. Ordway. Reasons 1.4 (b /d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Maoist party wants to deepen its engagement with the United States, and is preparing to address the benchmarks for removal from the U.S. terrorism lists, according to United Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda". Prachanda told PDAS Moon that the party is having problems with India, which is making it difficult to negotiate with the other political parties. Prachanda said his challenge is to transform the Maoists from an insurgent group to one supportive of multi-party democracy. PDAS Moon urged the Maoist leader to work with the other political parties and be flexible in negotiating agreements on the peace process and the constitution. PROBLEMS WITH INDIA RELATIONSHIP -------------- ¶2. (C) In a January 19 meeting, SCA PDAS Patrick Moon told Prachanda, who was accompanied by Maoist foreign affairs director Krishna Bahadur Mahara, that the United States wants to see a peaceful, stable and democratic Nepal, and urged Prachanda to work with the other political parties on finalizing the peace process. Moon recognized that progress had been made, especially on the discharge of the disqualified Maoist combatants. Prachanda said they were working well with the other parties and progress was possible. The peace process is "very delicate and sensitive, with lots of ups and downs." He reported that the other political parties are uncomfortable with the current situation -- the Maoists holding the largest number of seat in the Constituent Assembly. If the Constitution is completed, it will likely include many fundamental changes the Maoists promised their supporters. For this reason, many politicians in the other parties are not eager to see the completion of the Constitution or the peace process. ¶3. (C) Prachanda expressed concern that India, in particular, was working against progress on the peace process and constitution drafting, also out of concern that Maoist policies would not be good for India. Prachanda said the Maoists want positive relations with India but that Nepal must revise the unequal treaties that were negotiated during the monarchy. "The two countries must be on equal footing," he said "and the big brother, little brother relationship must end." Prachanda said the United States has the ability to help shape India's policy, and requested the United States talk to New Delhi about India's engagement with the Maoist party. MAOISTS WILL ADDRESS BENCHMARKS -------------- ¶3. (C) PDAS Moon informed Prachanda, now that peace has come to Nepal, the United States wants to increase interaction and engagement with the Maoist party. Before that can happen, however the Maoists need to address the terrorist benchmarks. Prachanda responded that it is "time to have good relations between the United States and the Maoists." He said there is consensus that the party needs to get off the U.S. terrorist list. Prachanda said he was discussing the U.S. benchmarks non-paper, which Charge Berry presented December 29 (reftel), with a group of high-level Maoists leaders and will present a written response soon, possibly within a week. He also said he was speaking with the Young Communist League (YCL) about the U.S. benchmarks. HIGH LEVEL POLITICAL MECHANISM -------------- ¶4. (C) Prachanda said the High Level Political Mechanism (HLPM) represents the best opportunity to break the political impasse. He plans to include Madhesi party leaders as well, and wants the HLPM to focus on integration and rehabilitation and constitution drafting. PDAS Moon agreed that the HLPM showed promise, and urged the Maoist leader to be flexible KATHMANDU 00000063 002 OF 003 during negotiations. If the party feels like the HLPM is effective, then the Maoists will call off the nationwide general strikes planned for January 24. The Maoists have tried to limit the impact of their strikes on the general public, according to Prachanda. CHALLENGE FOR PARTY TO COME FROM INSURGENCY -------------- ¶6. (C) According to Prachanda, the biggest challenge for the Maoist leadership is to transform an insurgency into a political party. There is consensus that the party needs to "support multi-party democracy for the sake of a vibrant society. The Soviet Union and China all showed that this was necessary." But, he said the party had to remember its goals to "end the marginalization of minorities." The party leadership values the importance of human rights and rule of law as an essential part of multi-party democracy. HUMAN RIGHTS -------------- ¶7. (C) PDAS Moon encouraged the Maoists to provide a full accounting of past human rights abuses, saying it was necessary for the peace process. He suggested that a truth and reconciliation commission could help significantly with the healing process, and encouraged the Maoists to support it. Prachanda agreed the commission could be useful, and said the HLPM will attempt to "sort it out." He said he was disappointed the government has not been able to get the commission established. (Note: The government is set to bring a Truth and Reconciliation Commission bill to Parliament within the coming weeks.) NEGOTIATIONS ON 19,000 COMBATANTS CONTINUE -------------- ¶8. (C) Moon commended the Maoists for discharging the disqualified Maoist combatants, and acknowledged it was an important step in the peace process. Prachanda said that the current negotiations regarding the integration and rehabilitation of the 19,000 verified Maoist combatants were progressing. During the original peace agreements Prachanda said that G.P. Koirala agreed a certain percentage of the Maoist combatants would be integrated into the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and other security forces, and that the rest would be allowed to reenter society. He said G.P. Koirala agreed to integrate 5,000 - 10,000 combatants into the Army. Now, Prachanda suggested that approximately 5,000 will go into the Nepal Army, although he admitted the actual number was subject to negotiations. He emphasized that before any deal was finalized, the Maoist party wanted to ask the combatants what they wanted to do. YOUNG COMMUNIST LEAGUE -------------- ¶9. (C) PDAS Moon asked Prachanda about reports that the Young Communist League (YCL) is involved in criminal activities. Prachanda called the reports "baseless" and said YCL military activity has decreased significantly and has shifted to peaceful activities. He said media stories about the YCL have gone down considerably. There are still isolated cases of ex-militants, and these people need to be "remolded," but more than 90 percent of the YCL members are conducting peaceful work. Prachanda blamed the UML's Youth Force for current youth violence, claiming Youth Force members recently killed four YCL members. He said the UML-led government is not prosecuting the individuals responsible. CONSTITUTION DEADLINE UNLIKELY TO BE MET -------------- ¶10. (C) The Maoist leader reported the final stages of drafting the constitution will be a "very challenging job" and time is limited. It is possible to complete the constitution on time, but only if all parties come together. Even if the Constituent Assembly cannot finish by the May 28 deadline, Prachanda claimed the deadline could be extended by six months if there is something to present to the people. KATHMANDU 00000063 003 OF 003 COMMENT -------------- ¶11. (C) Prachanda was positive and upbeat, and clearly wants a deeper relationship with the United States, possibly to enhance his party's credibility or as a counterweight to India. We need to resist being entangled in the Maoists' complex and problematical relationship with India. Nonetheless, there is still scope for an improvement in our relationship with the Maoists, particularly in the policy context of seeking a neutral position among all of Nepal's political parties. The Maoists appear to be taking the U.S. terrorist benchmark non-paper seriously. Since we presented the nonpaper on December 29, there has been progress on the peace process benchmarks, but no evidence of behavior change on the YCL or human rights cases. The Maoists have made frequent verbal promises in the past, but frequently failed to deliver on them. ORDWAY