US embassy cable - 04KATHMANDU147

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 KATHMANDU 000147 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/NEA 
STATE ALSO PLEASE PASS USAID/DCHA/OFDA 
STATE ALSO PLEASE PASS PEACE CORPS HQ 
USAID FOR ANE/AA GORDON WEST AND JIM BEVER 
MANILA FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA 
LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY 
TREASURY FOR GENERAL COUNSEL/DAUFHAUSER AND DAS JZARATE 
TREASURY ALSO FOR OFAC/RNEWCOMB AND TASK FORCE ON TERRORIST 
FINANCING 
JUSTICE FOR OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL/DLAUFMAN 
NSC FOR MILLARD 
SECDEF FOR OSD/ISA LILIENFELD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINS, PTER, CASC, PGOV, NP, PHUM, Maoist Insurgency 
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, JANUARY 17-23, 
2004 
 
REFERENCE:  (A)  KATHMANDU 0133 
 
            (B)  KATHMANDU 0120 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1.   On January 19, the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) launched 
aerial raids on the purported site of a Maoist gathering 
(Ref A).  Thirty-one Maoists and eight security personnel 
reportedly were killed in other clashes.  On January 16, the 
Ministry of Defense announced plans to add more than 6,400 
recruits to the RNA.  The RNA announced it had averted three 
bombing plots by the Maoists, including an assassination 
plan against the Chief of Army Staff.  Minister of 
Information and Communication Kamal Thapa touted the 
"significant success" of the GON in restoring law and order 
to Nepal.  A surrendered Maoist commander publicly admitted 
that two Indian terrorist groups had provided training to 
Maoists in Nepal on three separate occasions.  Maoist 
spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara reportedly said that if the 
King relinquishes his position as Commander in Chief of the 
army, and top-level army officers resigned, "the monarchy 
would be acceptable to us."  Maoists announced a new draft 
constitution for their "Peoples' Republic."  The insurgents 
reportedly continue to threaten government officials to 
resign, while police arrested two for alleged involvement in 
last week's murder of Gopal Giri, the mayor of Birgunj (Ref 
B).  The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and UNICEF 
issued strong statements condemning human rights violations 
in Nepal, particularly against children.  Maoists reportedly 
killed two civilians and abducted two others, and continue 
to victimize civilians, including the elderly, young mothers 
and young children.  End Summary. 
 
RNA LAUNCHES AIR STRIKES 
------------------------ 
 
2.  On January 19, the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) conducted 
aerial strikes against a site in the mid-western district of 
Jajarkot, where a mass rally was being held by Maoists (Ref 
A).  RNA troops have been unable to reach the site of the 
attacks, and conflicting reports have emerged on casualties 
inflicted by the bombings.  The army has not yet commented 
publicly on the air strikes.  The National Human Rights 
Commission (NHRC) said it plans to visit the scene to 
investigate. 
 
3.  Thirty-one Maoists reportedly were killed in other 
clashes.  On January 22 three insurgents were killed in the 
central districts of Myagdi and Baglung.  On January 21 
three were killed in the eastern district of Dolakha, and 
four others in Nuwakot District, north of Kathmandu. 
Clashes on January 20 left three rebels dead, two in the 
eastern district of Tehrathum, and one in the western 
district of Dailekh.  Seven insurgents were killed on 
January 19: five in the eastern districts of Sindhupalchowk 
and Dhankuta, one in the central district of Gulmi, and 
another in Dhading District, just west of Kathmandu.  Two 
rebels were killed on January 18 in Nuwakot District, and 
five others on January 16 in the eastern districts of 
Ydayapur and Sankhuwasabha.  On January 17 security forces 
killed three Maoists in a clash in Dhading District. 
 
4.  On January 22, Maoists reportedly gunned down a 
policeman in Tanahun District, and another one in Kavre 
District on January 21.  On January 20, a RNA soldier was 
killed in Myagdi District, in the west.  On January 18, four 
soldiers died, seven suffered injuries and four are missing 
after a Maoist-planted landmine exploded along a major 
highway in Dhangadi.  One Armed Police Force (APF) officer 
was killed by Maoists on that same day in Morang District. 
RNA BULKS UP; GON CLAIMS "SIGNIFICANT SUCCESS" 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
5.  On January 16, the Ministry of Defense announced plans 
to add more than 6,400 recruits to the Royal Nepal Army 
(RNA).  According to press reports, most of the new 
personnel will be deployed to provide extra security at 
airports, hydropower stations, and telecommunications 
towers.  The RNA reportedly has also asked for additional 
funding to improve surveillance and intelligence 
capabilities. 
 
6.  On January 22, RNA spokesman Colonel Deepak Gurung 
announced to the press that intelligence received by the RNA 
helped to avert three bombing plots by the Maoists, 
including one to assassinate Chief of Army Staff General 
Pyar Jung Thapa. The RNA displayed two vehicles it seized, 
which reportedly had been modified to hold explosives to be 
detonated in the Kathmandu Valley.  On January 18, a 
vernacular newspaper reported that Maoists have smuggled in 
a large cache of weapons and ammunition from India and are 
preparing to launch a major attack.  The weapons are 
believed to have reached the western districts of Rolpa and 
Rukum. 
 
7.  On January 18, Minister of Information and Communication 
Kamal Thapa touted the "significant success" of the GON in 
restoring law and order to Nepal, citing the Maoists' 
inability to launch major attacks and their consequent 
return to individual assassinations.  Thapa said that Maoist 
cadres continue to surrender, and reaffirmed the GON's 
promise to rehabilitate them.  Twenty-one Maoists reportedly 
surrendered this week throughout Nepal, bringing the total 
to 124 since the GON announced its amnesty program.  Several 
of the cadres claimed they had been forced by threats to 
join the insurgents. 
 
8.  Minister Thapa issued a warning to the student wings of 
the major political parties not to align themselves with the 
Maoists.  Reacting to a report in a vernacular paper on 
January 17, which claimed that the student wings of the five 
agitating parties were seeking the help of the Maoists, 
Thapa declared that the GON "will take necessary action to 
stop such infiltration."  Thapa said that such an invitation 
would only "harm the political parties in the long run." 
 
MAOIST CLAIMS "INDIAN REBELS TRAINED US" 
--------------------------------------- 
 
9.  On January 22, a former Maoist commander publicly 
admitted that "the Peoples' War Group (PWG) and the Maoist 
Communist Center (MCC) used to train us."  Jaya Bahadur 
Gharti, who surrendered six months ago, told reporters that 
the PWG and the MCC, two Indian terrorist groups, provided 
training in Nepal on three separate occasions, with as many 
as 150 Maoist cadres in attendance.  Gharti did not provide 
the specific locations of the training centers, but said 
they were in the western region of Nepal.  The former 
commander also said that Maoist leadership is "thoroughly 
confused," and that there is a "split among the Maoists." 
 
MAOIST LEADERSHIP SHIFTING GEARS 
OR CHANGING TACTICS? 
--------------------------------- 
 
10.  The Maoist leadership issued separate statements this 
week which appear to conflict with their long-term 
philosophies.  On January 22, Maoist spokesman Krishna 
Bahadur Mahara hinted that the party might accept the 
monarchy under certain conditions.  (Note: The Maoists have 
been fighting to overthrow the monarchy and demanding that 
the king abdicate. End Note).  Mahara reportedly said that 
if the King relinquishes his position as Commander in Chief 
of the army, and 200 top-level army officers resigned, "the 
monarchy would be acceptable to us."  Only days later, 
Mahara addressed a gathering on January 22 in the west, 
declaring that the Maoists "have reached the stage to grab 
power in the center."  Earlier this week, on January 16, 
Maoist supremo Prachanda issued a statement that his party 
favors a constituent assembly if both sides dismantled their 
armies.  Prachanda also called on the involvement of 
international bodies, such as the UN, to oversee elections, 
thereby reversing prior statements that foreign influence is 
not wanted in Nepal. 
 
11.  Human rights activists and senior political activists 
dismissed the Maoist doublespeak as yet another tactic.  On 
January 17, the Chairman of the Human Rights and Peace 
Society said "it would be foolish" to trust the Maoists, and 
that their policies "lack honesty and uniformity." 
Representatives from Nepali Congress (NC) and the Rastriya 
Prajatantra Party (RPP) agreed that "there is room for 
suspicion." 
 
MAOISTS DRAFT NEW CONSTITUTION 
------------------------------ 
 
12.  Maoists drafted a new constitution, based largely on 
the principles of Marxism, Leninism, Maoism and Prachanda 
Path.  The draft calls for a Peoples' Assembly as the 
supreme power, and calls for the Peoples' Liberation Army to 
be the central military power.  The Maoist party also calls 
for the establishment of a central government run by the 
United Revolutionary Peoples' Council and outlines 
fundamental rights and responsibilities pertaining to 
religion, equality, education, employment and health. 
Maoist concepts of "peoples' power" were clear from the 
restrictive elections in which Maoist cadre have forced 
villagers to participate in some areas. 
 
MAOISTS THREATEN GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS 
------------------------------------- 
 
13.  On January 18, Maoists reportedly threatened the mayor 
and deputy mayor in Kailali District.  The rebels sent 
letters to the mayors, demanding their resignations, and 
warned of "physical action" if they did not comply.  The 
threats follow the January 15 murder of Gopal Giri, the 
mayor of Birgunj (Ref B).  On January 21, police arrested 
two individuals allegedly involved in that brutal murder. 
 
14.  Maoists reportedly have also threatened other appointed 
government officials.  According to reports, a recently 
appointed District Development Committee (DDC) member in 
Makwanpur District submitted his resignation on January 20, 
due to Maoist pressure.  On January 17, a government 
official in Dailekh District submitted his resignation after 
being held captive and later released by Maoists.  A newly 
appointed DDC member of Nuwakot District reportedly was 
abducted by Maoists on January 19.  He remains missing. 
 
15.  Maoists reportedly destroyed the homes of RNA spokesman 
Colonel Deepak Gurung and a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) 
of Police.  On January 19, a group of rebels bombed the 
ancestral house of Gurung in Nawalaparasi District after 
ordering all of the family members to vacate it.  The 
insurgents also stole cash, gold and medals belonging to 
Gurung's eighty-five-year-old father, a retired Major.  On 
January 16 in Kathmandu District, Maoists reportedly 
detonated pressure cooker bombs in the house of a DIG, 
destroying it. 
 
NHRC CONDEMNS MAOIST KILLINGS 
----------------------------- 
 
16.  On January 16, the National Human Rights Commission 
(NHRC) issued a press release condemning the Maoists for the 
brutal killings of unarmed civilians.  The statement decried 
the violence perpetuated by the rebels as being against the 
norms and values of human rights, and called for everyone to 
increase efforts at restoring peace.  On January 21, Nayan 
Bahadur Khatri, Chairman of the NHRC, declared that Nepal 
has "never witnessed such a high level of violations," and 
opined that democracy and peoples' rights were at risk. 
 
17.  UNICEF echoed the concern over rising human rights 
violations, especially the "appalling violations" involving 
children.  On January 21, Carol Bellamy, the Executive 
Director of UNICEF, addressed the UN Security Council and 
said "girls and boy continued to be caught up in war." 
Bellamy reported to the council that schools in Nepal have 
been turned into recruitment centers, military bases and 
targets, and this misuse of schools was "one of the worst 
violations of child rights."  The Director also lambasted 
the continued abductions and maiming of children, as well as 
attacks on schools and hospitals. 
 
18.  A joint team of security personnel reportedly shot and 
killed a man on January 18 in Gulmi District.  Local 
security officials claim he was involved in Maoist activity, 
but locals are refuting that statement, saying he was an 
innocent civilian.  On January 16, the Chief of Army Staff 
General Pyar Jung Thapa issued directives on human rights to 
158 new officers, stressing the need to "protect the life 
and property of innocent people."  The RNA continues to be 
criticized for human rights violations. 
 
MAOIST BRUTALITY 
---------------- 
 
19.  On January 17, Maoists reportedly killed a civilian in 
Bara District.  On January 18, a teacher in Morang District 
and a Nepali Congress (NC) worker in Ramechhap were shot and 
killed by rebels.  On that same day in Dhading District, 
three civilians, including two children, were injured when a 
socket bomb left by Maoists exploded.  Five civilians were 
injured, and one woman killed on January 19, after a Maoist- 
planted landmine exploded in Myagdi District.  The ambush 
was meant for patrolling security teams. On January 18, 
Maoists reportedly abducted a teacher in Parbat District, 
and a member of the Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist 
Leninist (CPN-UML) on January 17 in Dailekh. 
 
20.  On January 19, a vernacular newspaper reported that 
Maoists in the western district of Kalikot are forcing 
villagers, including children, to not only act as guards, 
but to also carry weapons in direct violation of 
international law.  The rebels demand that elderly villagers 
and women, often holding newborn babies, act as sentinels to 
warn them of approaching security forces.  Young children 
reportedly are also forced to carry weapons while patrolling 
the villages.  The newspaper quoted a sixty-year-old woman 
as saying that the Maoists "will punish us severely if we 
don't follow their orders," and would not hesitate to "use 
old people and women as human shields." 
 
MALINOWSKI