US embassy cable - 04KATHMANDU190

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KATHMANDU 000190 
 
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 24-30, 
2004 
 
REFERENCE:  03 KATHMANDU 2475 
 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1.   An attempted bank robbery by Maoists on January 23 was 
foiled by security forces, leaving six dead.  Twenty-six 
other Maoists reportedly were killed in separate incidents 
with security forces.  Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa 
claimed the Government of Nepal (GON) clearly has the "upper 
hand" in fighting the insurgency.  A total of 186 Maoists 
reportedly have surrendered since the GON's amnesty program 
was announced.  Surrendered female Maoists alleged rampant 
sexual abuse by Maoists against their female comrades. 
Allegations of forced evictions of Nepalis living along the 
India-Nepal border by Indian security forces have provoked 
published denials by the Indian Embassy.  Acknowledging the 
increase in cross-border terrorism, Indian Ambassador Shyam 
Saran said that security at border checkpoints would be 
improved.  A two-member team from Amnesty International (AI) 
arrived in Nepal on January 24 to assess the human rights 
situation.  At a press briefing on January 29, the Royal 
Nepal Army (RNA) spokesman said action had been taken 
against 23 soldiers for various human rights violations over 
the past two years.  RNA officials also announced that its 
troops had successfully established bases in four districts 
considered to be Maoist strongholds.  On January 26, 
simultaneous bombs rocked the buildings of two prominent 
India-Nepal joint ventures.  Maoists reportedly rounded up 
almost 300 students in the far west for forced participation 
in rebel programs.  Maoists in the western district of 
Baglung have warned of "dire consequences" to any nominated 
officials who do not resign.  Insurgents destroyed medicine 
and health posts, and went on looting sprees throughout 
Nepal.  End Summary. 
 
MAOIST BANK HEIST ENDS VIOLENTLY 
-------------------------------- 
 
2.  A failed bank robbery attempt by Maoists on January 23 
left six people dead.  Security forces, already on high 
alert, shot dead six people who they claimed were Maoists 
attempting to rob the Agricultural Development Bank in 
Chitwan District.  Several others reportedly managed to 
escape.  Before entering the bank, the armed insurgents 
reportedly cut the phone lines and subsequently overpowered 
bank personnel.  According to press reports, one person 
killed was an innocent civilian.  On January 25, the Maoists 
claimed responsibility for the foiled attempt, and said they 
were trying to determine why the robbery failed.  Their 
website also claimed only five of the people killed were 
Maoists and supported local press reports that the sixth 
person killed was an innocent Indian national.  Royal Nepal 
Army (RNA) spokesman Colonel Deepak Gurung announced on 
January 24 that seven RNA personnel responding to the bank 
robbery had received promotions for "their bravery." 
 
3.  Twenty-six other Maoists reportedly were killed in 
separate clashes with security forces.  On January 27, two 
were killed in Nawalparasi District, and a Maoist commander 
in Janakpur on January 26.  On January 25, security 
personnel killed two insurgents in Dailekh and two in 
Surkhet, and four more in Bara District on January 24.  On 
that same day, one rebel was killed in Dhading.  On January 
23, fourteen Maoists were killed in separate clashes in the 
districts of Jajarkot, Nuwakot, Udayapur, Baglung and 
Sindhupalchowk. 
4.  On January 29, the RNA announced that its troops had 
successfully established bases in the Maoist heartland areas 
of Rolpa, Rukum, Dailekh, and Jajarkot Districts in the 
west.  The movement comes after the Maoists announced an 
autonomous government in the region, declaring that no 
foreign organizations or state representatives would be 
permitted entry.  Maoist cadres had threatened that those 
who tried to enter would not return alive.  RNA officials 
said they met no resistance when entering the districts, and 
that the Maoists had run away.  In a recent interview with 
Time Magazine, Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa said the 
Government of Nepal (GON) clearly has the "upper hand" in 
fighting the insurgency.  Thapa said the "Maoists are 
feeling the heat" and would be forced to return to the 
negotiating table. 
 
MAOIST COMMANDERS URGE SURRENDER 
-------------------------------- 
 
5.  On January 24, five surrendered former high-ranking 
commanders of the Maoists called on other Maoist cadre to 
surrender, declaring that the so-called "Peoples' War" is 
not for the "well-being of the country and the people."  The 
former brigade commanders urged people to take advantage of 
the Government of Nepal's (GON) amnesty program, and return 
to a "normal life."  On January 29, for the first time in 
the far-eastern district of Morang, a district-level Maoist 
leader surrendered, saying he was "disgusted" with the 
senseless violence committed by the Maoists.  Twenty more 
Maoists, including eight area commanders, surrendered to 
security and government officials this week, bringing the 
total to 186 since the amnesty program was announced. 
 
6.  On January 29, the local press reported allegations of 
rampant sexual abuse by Maoists against their female 
comrades.  A group of recently surrendered female Maoists 
told reporters that they were sexually exploited and at 
times beaten by higher-level cadres. The women also said 
that there were many other women who want to surrender but 
are unable to escape.  On January 28, Maoists in Gorkha 
District reportedly killed two former cadres who had 
surrendered, accusing them of betraying their party. 
 
INDIA-NEPAL BORDER ISSUES 
------------------------- 
 
7.  Allegations of forced evictions have evoked a war of 
words between the Indian Embassy and the local press.  On 
January 26, the local press reported that India's Special 
Services Bureau (SSB), which patrols the India-Nepal border, 
was forcibly evicting Nepalese families from residences 
along the eastern border of Nepal.  According to the Chief 
District Officer (CDO) in Morang District, which borders 
India in the far east, an agreement was made to vacate a 
security corridor along the Indian side.  Locals, however, 
alleged that the SSB was torturing and threatening Nepalese 
families, and that SSB had issued eviction notices that 
caused panic among Nepalis living near the border.  A SSB 
post commander acknowledged that "all houses and huts on the 
Indian side" are being cleared to curb criminal activity. 
In a press statement released on January 28, the Indian 
Embassy in Kathmandu hotly denied the reports of forced 
eviction, calling the news reports "factually incorrect and 
baseless," and "contrary to the prevailing spirit of 
friendship and cooperation."  The statement further said 
that SSB patrols routinely come upon families encroaching on 
Indian land, and advise them that "their occupation of the 
land is illegal." 
8.  Indian Embassy contacts confirmed to Post that there are 
over 2,000 SSB troops deployed at strategic points along the 
India-Nepal border, with future reinforcements possible. 
However, the contact denied press reports that the troops 
were forcing out Nepali families, and reiterated that only 
homes that fell on Indian land were being leveled.  Both 
sides reportedly have agreed to create a corridor five 
meters wide on both sides free of structures, but Nepalese 
families apparently have not adhered to this. 
 
9.  On January 26, Indian Ambassador Shyam Saran said that 
security at border checkpoints would be improved in order 
better to monitor the thousands of people who travel between 
Nepal and India daily.  Acknowledging the increase in cross- 
border terrorism, Saran said improvements at the major 
border posts were necessary to keep out "unwanted elements." 
Ironically, on that same day, SSB forces reportedly found 
Maoist-laid explosives in India 100 meters from the border 
of Nepal's Tanakpur District.  The SSB, along with Nepali 
security forces, defused them. 
 
AI TEAM TO ASSESS HUMAN RIGHTS IN NEPAL 
--------------------------------------- 
 
10.  On January 24, the local press reported that a two- 
member team from Amnesty International (AI) arrived in Nepal 
to assess the human rights situation.  The team plans to 
meet with government and security officials, and will also 
attempt to meet with Maoist leaders.  Opining that "the 
situation is definitely getting worse," one of the AI team 
members said they will look into alleged human rights abuses 
by both the government and the Maoists, and eventually make 
public their final report. 
 
11.  At a press meet on January 29, RNA spokesman Colonel 
Deepak Gurung said 23 soldiers had been disciplined, court- 
martialed, and in some cases sent to prison, for various 
human rights violations in the past two years.  Brigadier 
General B.A. Kumar Sharma, Chief of the RNA's Human Rights 
Cell, reiterated the RNA's commitment to human rights, and 
said they would continue to cooperate with local and 
international human rights commissions and diplomats. 
 
12.  ON January 23, the Committee for Human Rights Concern 
(CHRC), a local NGO, published a list of 254 people who 
allegedly have gone missing in the past four months alone. 
Representatives from CHRC accused both the GON and the 
Maoists of committing human rights violations, and demanded 
information on the whereabouts of those missing. 
 
MAOISTS FOLLOW THROUGH ON EXTORTION THREAT 
----------------------------------------- 
 
13.  On January 26, simultaneous bombs rocked the Durbar 
Nepal and Surya Tobacco Nepal Ltd buildings in the eastern 
district of Bara.  Maoists had demanded that the two 
prominent India-Nepal joint ventures pay a "special tax" of 
USD 135,000 and USD 67,000 by December 26, 2003 (Reftel). 
No casualties were reported. 
 
MAOISTS FORCIBLY INDOCTRINATING SCHOOLCHILDREN 
--------------------------------------------- - 
14.  On January 26, Maoists reportedly rounded up 150 
schoolchildren from the far-western district of Accham, and 
forced them to participate in Maoist programs.  The children 
were released several days later.  On January 29, the local 
press reported that rebels in neighboring Kalikot District 
surrounded a school and forced 140 students, including 30 
girls, to leave with them, warning of "severe punishment" if 
they tried to escape.  The children have yet to be released, 
and authorities suspect they too are being forced to 
participate in Maoist programs. 
 
15.  Maoist interference in education continues.  Insurgents 
in the central district of Tanahu reportedly are refusing to 
allow teachers selected by the central government's 
Education Service Commission to report to their new jobs. 
Maoists have warned the newly-hired teachers not to enter 
the schools where they have been assigned.  In the western 
district of Jajarkot, rebels have issued a new calendar 
omitting religious and national holidays, as well as 
holidays celebrating the King.  It also calls for a boycott 
of the old curriculum. 
 
RESIGNATIONS AMID THREATS 
------------------------- 
 
16.  Maoists in the western district of Baglung have warned 
of "dire consequences" to any nominated officials who do not 
resign.  The rebels have demanded that all representatives 
resign from their posts.  To date, only one ward chairman 
has resigned.  In Dhading District, west of Kathmandu, 
insurgents have also ordered the chairman of the Urban 
Development Committee to resign in ten days. 
 
MAOIST LOOTING SPREE 
-------------------- 
 
17.  On January 26, Maoists reportedly robbed twenty 
vehicles in a one-hour span.  The rebels blocked a major 
highway in the eastern district of Rautahat and stopped 
buses and trucks traveling the route.  The insurgents, armed 
with guns and knives, then robbed the occupants. 
 
18.  On January 25, Maoists in the northern district of 
Gorkha torched two vehicles, including one that was carrying 
medicine.  The insurgents stopped the vehicles and ordered 
the passengers out, torching them afterwards.  On January 
25, Maoists in Lamjung District looted medicine from a 
health post, and on January 29 Maoists in Nepalgunj set fire 
to a health post, destroying all of the medicine inside. 
 
MALINOWSKI