US embassy cable - 03KATHMANDU2332

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 002332 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/SA; LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY; NSC 
FOR MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/27/2013 
TAGS: ASEC, PTER, NP, Maoist Insurgency 
SUBJECT: NEPAL: MAOIST ATTACKS AND THREATS AGAINST COCA-COLA 
 
REF: A. A) KATHMANDU 2246 
     B. B) KATHMANDU 1964 
     C. C) KATHMANDU 2323 
 
Classified By: DCM Robert K. Boggs for reasons 1.5 (B,D). 
 
 1. (C) SUMMARY: According to Colonel Mohan Singh, 
Coca-Cola's Chief Security Officer in Nepal, two bombs 
exploded on November 28 approximately 100 meters from the 
main gate of the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Bharatpur, 
Chitwan District. In addition, Col. Singh reported a separate 
incident in which a Coca-Cola distribution van was torched in 
Butwal, Rupandehi District, and the distributor was told that 
the Maoists in Butwal wanted Coca-Cola out of the district. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (C) Col. Mohan Singh, Coca-Cola's Chief Security Officer, 
stated that two bombs exploded today about 100 meters east of 
the Coca-Cola main gate.  He indicated that the first blast 
was caused by an improvised explosive device, which was 
followed by an exchange of gunfire between undercover 
security personnel and the Maoists.  The second explosion was 
from an improvised "socket bomb."  Col. Singh stated that the 
closest security checkpoint is 3 km west of the factory. 
Security causalities included one dead RNA soldier and three 
severely injured.  No Coca-Cola personnel or facilities were 
damaged in today's attack.  Col. Singh indicated that the 
company does not believe that the attacks were directly 
intended for the Coca-Cola factory. 
 
3.  (C)  In addition to the explosions outside the Bharatpur 
factory, Col. Singh reported that a Coca-Cola distribution 
van had recently been torched in Butwal, Rupandehi District. 
Col. Singh reported that the driver, sales distributor and 
two associates were released unharmed, but were told by the 
Maoist perpetrators that a decision had been made at the 
district level that Coca-Cola must leave the district.  Col. 
Singh mentioned that the main distributor for Coca-Cola 
received an extortion demand about a week ago, which was not 
paid.  (NOTE: 30 Peace Corps trainees left Butwal on November 
18 after being threatened by the Maoists.  On September 17, a 
Pepsi-Cola truck was torched in Butwal. See reftels A and B. 
END NOTE.) 
 
4.  (C) COMMENT:  In a previous meeting with PolsChief, NN 
Singh, Coca-Cola's Managing Director reported that security 
personnel make several patrols throughout the day around the 
Coca-Cola bottling plant.  Given NN Singh's information, it 
is certainly plausible, as Col. Singh stated, that the Maoist 
attack was meant to target the security forces outside the 
bottling plant rather than the plant itself.  In Rupendehi 
District, however, the Maoists appear to be bent on chasing 
all foreign presence out of the area (per reftels) to clear 
their supply lines between India and districts in the western 
hills where the Maoists have substantial interests to 
protect.  END COMMENT. 
MALINOWSKI