US embassy cable - 03KATHMANDU1685

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KATHMANDU 001685 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, PGOV, PREL, KMDR, NP 
SUBJECT:  WEEKLY NEPAL MEDIA REPORT: AUGUST 26 
TO SEPTEMBER 2, 2003 
 
 
-STATE FOR NP, AC, PM 
-STATE FOR IN/R/MR 
-STATE FOR SA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO 
-STATE FOR SA/PPD 
 
 1.  MAOISTS  BREAK  CEASEFIRE 
 
- -  Maoi sts  break  cease - fire ,  blame  government : 
 The  Maoi sts  un i latera 1 ly  broke  of f  ( 8/27 )  the 
 seven-month-old cease-fire and the subsequent 
 peace process with the government "for the 
 time being" saying it had lost its relevance 
 while blaming the government for it.  The 
 government described the Maoists' announcement 
 of the collapse of the peace talks as a 
  serious setback  to efforts to resolve the 
 Maoist problem, but reiterated its commitment 
to finding a peaceful resolution  by 
discussing all available alternatives. 
(Compiled from major dailies, 8/28) 
 
 -- Prime Minister ready to resume talks: Prime 
Minister Thapa has said that the government 
was ready to resume talks with the Maoists 
despite their unilateral announcement of the 
break off of the ceasefire.  According to a 
representative of Civil Society who met the 
Prime Minister, PM Thapa was ready to lift the 
terrorist tag put on the Maoists if they came 
back to negotiating table. (Centrist 
"Spacetime Dainik," V/D, 9/1) 
 
 -- No emergency: Minister of Culture, Tourism 
and Civil Aviation Sarbendra Math Shukla has 
said that the government will not impose 
emergency in the country. ("Spacetime Dainik," 
9/1) 
 
 -- Government to enforce entry permit system: 
The government is preparing to enforce entry 
permit requirement to the three districts of 
the Kathmandu valley.  With the enforcement of 
the entry permit system, more than five people 
cannot assemble at one place. ("Spacetime 
Dainik," 9/10) 
 
 -- U.S. and British envoys suggest 
reconciliation: The U.S. and British 
ambassadors, Michael E. Malinowski and Keith 
Bloomfield, told (8/31) Nepali Congress 
President Girija Prasad Koirala to unite with 
the monarchy and government to fight the 
Maoist insurgency.  Both ambassadors opined 
that the Maoist insurgency was the greater 
problem facing the country rather than the 
royal intervention of October 4, 2002.  The 
two ambassadors gave similar advice last week 
to Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of 
the UML. (Centrist "Kathmandu Post," E/D, 9/1) 
-- Need to agree on new constitution: Nepal s 
conflict may not be contained unless we agree 
on a new constitution.  It is a critical but a 
democratic choice. (Op-ed by senior political 
scientist in pro-India "Himalayan Times,  E/D, 
9/1) 
 
 -- PM addresses nation: Prime Minister Surya 
Bahadur Thapa in an address to the nation on 
8/29 appealed to the agitating political 
parties to postpone their agitation 
considering the gravity of the situation 
developed after the Maoists breached the 
seven-month ceasefire.  Thapa underlined the 
government s commitment to foil all sorts of 
 violent  actions targeted at the popular 
sovereignty, multiparty democracy and 
constitutional monarchy at all cost. 
Political parties have flayed the public 
statement of Prime Minister Thapa, saying that 
he was nowhere near the solution. They have 
also firmly said that their announced movement 
from September 4 would not stop. (Media 
reports, 8/30) 
 
 -- Peace facilitators relieved: Following the 
violation of the seven-month ceasefire by the 
Maoists, the government relieved (8/29) the 
facilitators of the peace talks from their 
responsibility. ("The Kathmandu Post" and 
others, 8/30) 
 -- Thousands march with anti-war slogans: More 
than 50,000 scho 
olchildren, accompanied by 
parents, teachers and businessmen strode 
through the streets of Kathmandu fighting the 
scorching heat and humidity and holding 
banners that read  We want peace,   War does 
not help,  Peace is mandatory.  ("The 
Kathmandu Post," 8/30) 
-- Road ahead:   The road ahead can expected 
be hard and difficult, and if the government 
(political parties) are to go on yielding 
ground, it would be best to hand over power to 
the Maoists.  Then at least we will have a 
lasting peace of grave.  (Op-ed by former 
editor of  The Katmandu Post  in the Post, 
8/30) 
 
 -- Maoists urged by one and all to restart 
peace talks: The United States and the 
European Union (EU) mission in Kathmandu today 
"deplored" (8/28) the Maoists' decision to 
call off the cease-fire by and urged the party 
to resume peace negotiations immediately. 
Similarly, China and Japan expressed concern 
and regret over the setback suffered by the 
peace process and urged for an early 
resumption of the peace process.  The U.S. 
accused the Maoists of ignoring the 
overwhelming support within Nepal and the 
international community for a negotiated 
settlement of a senseless conflict, which has 
already claimed thousands of Nepali lives and 
disrupted efforts to develop Nepal s economic 
and political infrastructure.  Expressing its 
belief that the conflict could only be settled 
through peaceful and democratic means, the 
U.S. urged the Maoists to restore the cease- 
fire and resume the negotiation process. 
Similarly, issuing a statement here today, the 
EU "deeply deplored " the unilateral 
suspension of the cease-fire by the Maoist 
leadership." (Media reports, 8/29) 
 
 -- Government declares Maoists terrorists: 
Within 12 hours of Maoist attack on two army 
colonels, the government declared the Maoists 
terrorists and any organization affiliated 
with them as terrorist outfits. (Government- 
owned Nepal Television and Radio Nepal, 8/28). 
  " . The government declares the Maoists 
terrorists again.  The U.S., agreeing 
indirectly to this decision, has indicated 
that it may revise the "Terrorist Watch List" 
and put the Maoists on the list of 
International Terrorist List " (Centrist 
"Kantipur," V/D, 8/29) 
 
 -- Curfew in six districts: Curfew was imposed 
in and around Udaypur, Ramechap, Baglung, 
Dhading, Rukum and Tehrathum district 
headquarters Thursday evening. (Media reports, 
8/29) 
 
2.  FIVE PARTIES "DECISIVE" MOVEMENT 
 
 -- UML to reconsider movement: We might 
consider reviewing our 18-point agenda after 
meeting with the king, said UML general 
secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal. ("Kantipur," 
 
SIPDIS 
9/1) 
 
 -- The government has started a shameful 
campaign to jeopardize the movement against 
regression.  However, the five parties are 
determined to bring the capital to a 
standstill. (Leftist "Chhalphal," V/W, 8/31) 
 
 -- Maoists to support movement: The Maoists 
have announced their support for the 
 decisive  movement by the five political 
parties. (Centrist "Rajdhani," V/D, 9/1) 
 
 -- Thousands of students from across the 
country are set to converge in Kathmndu this 
week to muster up support for the September 4 
"decisive" struggle planned by the major 
political parties. ("Kantipur," 8/26) 
 
 -- The government is going to launch a high 
security check system from the first week of 
September, keeping in mind the five parties 
"decisive" movement and Maoists' possible pull 
out from talks, an announcement said 
Monday. (Nepalnews.com, 8/26) 
 
3.  SECURITY FORCE, MAOIST CLASHES . MAOIST 
VIOLENCE 
 
 -- Clashes leave 19 dead: At least nine 
security personnel and 10 Maoist rebels were 
killed in the latest incidents of encounters 
and shootings in different parts of the 
country. (Media reports, 9/1) 
 
 -- 217 VIPs on  hit list : A reliable police 
source told  The Katmandu Post  that the 
residences of 217 VIPs suspected of featuring 
in the Maoists  hit list have been tightly 
secured.  Security has been tightened 
 in the 
residences of high-ranking government 
officials, former officials, political 
figures, former politicians, diplomats, party 
offices of major political parties and 
vulnerable public areas. (Media reports, 8/31) 
 
 -- Maoists unleash terror wave: On Friday 
(8/29), the Maoists shot at Former Minister of 
State for Home Devendra Raj Kandel at his 
home, bombed Finance Minister Dr. Prakash 
Chandra Lohani s ancestral house in Nuwakot 
district and robbed about Rs. 2.5 million cash 
from a branch office of the Nepal Bank Limited 
in Parsa. (Media reports, 8/30) 
 
 -- Maoists turn violent, shoot army official: 
In two separate shooting incidents in the 
capital Thursday morning, the Maoists shot 
dead a Royal Nepal Army (RNA) colonel and 
seriously injured another. The attacks came a 
day after the unilateral withdrawal of 
ceasefire by the Maoists on Wednesday. 
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy, Kathmandu 
denounced the terrorist attacks by the Maoists 
against the two RNA colonels.  In a statement, 
the Embassy termed these attacks as 
demonstrating the Maoists  rejection of the 
Nepali people s overwhelming call for peace 
and the Maoists  continuous willingness to 
resort to brutality to achieve their 
objectives. (Media reports, 8/29) 
 
 -- Maoists rob bank in pang: A group of 
Maoists shot the bank manager and robbed a 
branch office of Rastriya Banijya Bank in 
Tulsipur, pang Thursday. (Media reports, 8/29) 
 
 -- Maoists' 3-day Nepal shut down: After being 
labeled terrorists again, the Maoists Thursday 
announced a 3-day countrywide general strike 
starting September 18. (Media reports, 8/29) 
 
 -- Maoists abduct three CPN-UML cadres: The 
Maoists yesterday abducted former vice 
chairman, area member and former ward chairman 
in Makwanpur district and took them to an 
unknown place. (The Kathmandu Post, 8/28) 
 
 -- Maoists shot dead three police personnel 
and abducted three in Sarlahi and Mahottari 
districts, on Tuesday. (Media reports, 8/27) 
 
 -- Maoists attack Former Prime Minister: 
Former Prime Minister and President of Nepali 
Congress (Democratic) Sher Bahadur Deuba 
escaped unscathed from an attempt on his life 
by the Maoists in west Nepal on 8/25. (Media 
reports, 8/26). The Maoists said that the 
incident was a mistake.  A Maoist press 
statement said that the peoples  army in their 
pursuit to finish off the security force of 
the "old regime" did not know that the 
occupant of the vehicle happened to be Deuba. 
Diplomatic missions in Kathmandu condemned and 
expressed concern over the attack on him. 
Issuing a statement, the United States Embassy 
in Kathmandu strongly condemned the attack on 
Deuba.  ("The Kathmandu Post," 8/27) 
 
 -- An alleged group of Maoists set fire on 
Everest Paper Factory in Dhanusha district 
damaging property of million rupees on Sunday 
night. (Media reports, 8/26) 
 
 -- 10 Maoists killed as army men return fire: 
10 Maoists, seven in Panchthar and 3 in 
Darchula districts, were killed when security 
forces counterattacked in self defense after 
armed Maoists attacked joint security forces 
on regular patrol on 8/27, the Ministry of 
Defense said. (Government-owned "Rising 
Nepal," E/D, 8/28) 
 
 -- Maoists kill 3 policemen, ex-minister's 
house bombed: Three policemen were killed on 
the spot and one seriously injured when a 
group of armed Maoists attacked them in Siraha 
district on 8/27, district police office 
stated.  Meanwhile, a band of Maoists set fire 
to the police post in Udaypur district on 
Wednesday. ("The Rising Nepal," 8/28) 
 
 -- NHRC committee on Doramba killings: The 
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today 
appointed separate inquiry commissions to 
probe the Doramba incidents that killed 19 
Maoists, a NHRC press release said here today. 
The British Embassy and other diplomatic 
missions had been pressing for a probe on 
Doramba killings. ("The Kathmandu Post," 8/27) 
Around 10 Maoists were shot dead in two-hour- 
long exchange of fire 
between the army and the 
rebels at Shera rivet area of Nauthar VDC in 
Lamjung Monday morning. (Nepalnews.com, 8/26) 
4.  BHUTANESE REFUGEES 
 
 -- Include UNHCR or face aid cuts: The UNHCR 
and the World Food Program (WFP) have warned 
the governments of Nepal and Bhutan of 
slashing foreign aid should they fail to 
include the UNHCR as third party mediator in 
resolving the Bhutanese refugee crisis. ("The 
Kathmandu Post,"  8/31) 
 
5.  OTHERS 
 
 -- Generalized AIDS epidemic imminent, says 
activists: Keeping in view Nepal s abject 
poverty and the available treatment being 
beyond the reach of common people, the country 
might be heading towards a generalized AIDS 
epidemic from a concentrated one, HIV/AIDS 
activists warned today.   The scariest part of 
the situation in the country is that 97 per 
cent of the HIV infected people are between 
ages 15 to 19,  said the country director for 
POLICY project of the USAID, Bhoj Raj 
Pokharel, addressing a press interaction on 
AIDS and STD control held by the American 
Center. (Media reports, 8/30) 
 
MALINOWSKI