US embassy cable - 04KATHMANDU367

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 KATHMANDU 000367 
 
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, FEBRUARY 21- 
27, 2004 
 
REFERENCE:  (A) KATHMANDU 0313 
 
            (B) KATHMANDU 0280 
 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1.   Three senior members from the Maoist Victims' 
Association (MVA) have resigned following the murder of its 
president.  The Prime Minister acknowledged that human 
rights abuses have increased, but said steps would be taken 
to ensure that it would not continue.  The Prime Minister 
also said that general elections could be held in October, 
without any need for UN mediation of a peace accord with the 
Maoists.  Tibetan authorities reportedly arrested seven 
people for supplying arms to the Maoists.  Maoist ambushes 
on security forces killed nine security personnel and 
injured thirty-two.  Fifteen insurgents reportedly were 
killed by security forces in clashes this week.  A Maoist- 
called nationwide closure (bandh) yielded unusually low 
levels of popular compliance.  The Home Ministry reported 
that the total number of surrendered Maoists has reached 
nearly six hundred.  Tribhuvan University proceeded with the 
Free Students Union (FSU) elections on February 26 despite 
Maoist threats.  Maoists reportedly continue to round up 
large numbers of students.  Attacks on civilians left four 
people dead, including a nine-year-old child.  End Summary. 
 
RESIGNATIONS FOLLOW CHILUWAL MURDER 
----------------------------------- 
 
2.  Following the brutal murder of Ganesh Chiluwal, 
President of the Maoist Victims' Association (MVA), (Ref A) 
three senior members from the organization have resigned. 
Chiluwal was gunned down on February 15 by two Maoist hitmen 
reportedly for his part in organizing a rally in which 
effigies of Maoist leaders Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai 
were burned.  The treasurer and a central committee member 
of the MVA resigned on the day of Chiluwal's killing.  On 
February 21, another central committee member announced his 
resignation, quick to point out that "I was not involved in 
the burning of Maoists' effigies on February 13."  Maoists 
issued a statement on February 18, claiming responsibility 
for the cold-blooded murder, accusing Chiluwal of spying on 
them. 
 
PRIME MINISTER ADMITS INCREASE IN 
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS 
--------------------------------- 
 
3.  Addressing the Nepal Bar Association on February 26, 
Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa admitted that human 
rights abuses had increased.  The Prime Minister blamed the 
"abnormal situation" in the country and the collapse of the 
ceasefire for the increase, but assured the audience that it 
would not continue.  Thapa also said he would tell the 
appropriate government bodies to make public the whereabouts 
of detainees, and promised that anyone found guilty of 
violating human rights would be "punished as per the 
existing laws." 
 
NO UN MEDIATION NEEDED 
---------------------- 
 
4.  Speaking to reporters on February 26, the Prime Minister 
said United Nations (UN) mediation was not necessary and the 
Government of Nepal (GON) would "not accept mediation by a 
third party" in the GON-Maoist conflict.  The Prime Minister 
declared that the "Maoist problem" would be solved by 
holding dialogue or by "other ways" soon. 
 
ELECTIONS IN OCTOBER 
-------------------- 
 
5.  Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa said the GON has 
"almost finished the work" needed to hold general elections, 
which he said could be held as early as October or November. 
Thapa said security in the country had improved 
significantly and the GON could now focus on forming an all- 
party government. 
 
MAOIST SUPPLIERS ARRESTED IN TIBET 
---------------------------------- 
 
6.  A report on February 22 from the eastern district of 
Sankhuwasabha, said that Tibetan police arrested seven 
people, including four Nepalese businessmen, on charges of 
supplying arms and explosives to Maoists from Tibet.  The 
seven were later released after paying a fine, and Tibetan 
authorities reportedly have now imposed a ban on people 
without identification crossing the Nepal-Tibet border 
freely. 
 
MORE CASUALTIES 
---------------- 
 
7.  Maoist ambushes on security forces killed nine security 
personnel and injured thirty-two.  On February 23, a police 
constable was killed by Maoists in the eastern district of 
Morang while returning home.  The rebels reportedly took him 
to the center of town and shot him nine times.  On February 
22, Maoist detonated landmines in the districts of Bara and 
Kapilbastu killed two Royal Nepal Army (RNA) soldiers, two 
policemen and a civilian bus driver.  On February 21, 
Maoists shot and killed a police constable in Bara District, 
and three RNA soldiers were killed and eighteen injured by a 
Maoist-planted landmine in Khotang District in the east. 
 
8.  On February 22, Maoists launched an unsuccessful attempt 
on security personnel guarding the Bhote Koshi power plant 
in Sindhupalchowk.  According to Post's contacts, the rebels 
tried to push a boulder from off a cliff onto the army's 
helicopter pad.  Unable to budge the boulder, the rebels 
launched several socket bombs which caused no harm. 
Ultimately, the members of the so-called "Peoples' Army" 
resorted to throwing stones at the army personnel.  No 
injuries were reported from the Maoist "attack."  (FYI: The 
company guarding the power plant was attacked during the 
celebration of the same anniversary last year in the western 
district of Accham). 
 
9.  Fifteen insurgents reportedly were killed by security 
forces this week: one in the eastern district of Rautahat on 
February 26; two rebels were killed in Sarlahi District in 
the east on February 24; five in the central and western 
districts of Kapilbastu and Dailekh on February 21; and 
seven in the western district of Banke on February 20. 
 
10.  At a press conference on February 20 Home Ministry 
spokesman Gopendra Bahadur Pandey said 1,674 people have 
been killed in the current fiscal year: 1100 Maoists, 259 
civilians, 130 policemen, 56 Armed Force Police (APF) 
personnel, and 129 RNA soldiers. (Note: Nepal's fiscal year 
begins July 15.  End note). 
 
STRIKE YIELDS MIXED RESULTS 
--------------------------- 
 
11.  The All Nepal National Independent Student Union- 
Revolutionary (ANNISU-R), the Maoist-affiliated student 
wing, called off its five-day nationwide closure after the 
first two days were ineffective.  The strike yielded mixed 
results, with many businesses and schools remaining open, 
particularly in the Kathmandu Valley.  A large number of 
vehicles were also seen on the roads. The strike began on 
February 25 amid confusion after ANNISU-R accused 
"reactionaries" of publishing false stories that the strike 
would be limited to educational institutions.  The Home 
Ministry appealed to people to defy the bandh, assuring them 
that adequate security measures had been taken to maintain 
law and order.  For the most part the two-day strike 
remained peaceful, although there were reports of bomb 
blasts at two college campuses in the Kathmandu Valley on 
the first day of the strike.  Three other pressure cooker 
bombs were found in Kathmandu District on February 26. 
Security forces defused two of them, and one exploded.  No 
casualties were reported. 
 
12.  The United Nations (UN) issued a press release on 
February 24, urging the Maoists to withdraw the strike.  The 
statement decried the strike as "tragic" and said children 
should not be deprived of learning "because of a political 
dispute among adults." 
 
MAOIST SURRENDERS EXCEED FIVE HUNDRED 
--------------------------------------- 
 
13.  At a press briefing on February 24, Home Ministry 
Spokesman Gopendra Bahadur Pandey reported that the total 
number of surrendered Maoists had surpassed 555 since the 
announcement of the Government of Nepal's (GON) amnesty 
program.  Maoists from 56 of the country's 75 districts have 
surrendered.  Recent surrenders include a battalion 
commander and twenty-two members of Maoist-affiliated 
student organizations.  The surrendered rebels also 
relinquished ammunition, weapons, socket bombs and money. 
The amnesty program's deadline has been extended to April 
12. 
 
STUDENTS DEFY MAOISTS; ELECTIONS HELD 
------------------------------------- 
 
14.  On February 26, the Free Students Union (FSU) elections 
were held at the majority of campuses in Kathmandu, despite 
threats and a nationwide strike called by the All Nepal 
National Independent Student Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R). 
The local press reported a large turnout for the elections. 
ANNISU-R is protesting the elections, and has warned the 
vice-chancellor and election commission members of Tribuhvan 
University to quit. 
 
MAOIST ABDUCTIONS CONTINUE 
-------------------------- 
 
15.  On February 26, Maoists reportedly abducted sixty 
students from a school in the remote district of Rukum.  On 
February 20, the local press reported that Maoists had 
gathered three hundred students from a school in Rolpa 
District, a Maoist stronghold.  It is believed that the 
students have been taken forcibly to participate in the 
rebels' military training and indoctrination programs. On 
February 22, Maoists reportedly abducted fifty-two people in 
separate incidents.  The local press reported that forty-six 
teachers were gathered from the western district of Kailali 
and taken to an unidentified location.  They were released 
five days later on the condition that they would teach only 
communist education.  On that same day, six people were 
rounded up in Nawalparasi District and remain missing.  On 
February 24, the local press reported that Maoists abducted 
six girls who had managed to break free from the rebels 
after security forces confronted the group.  The women had 
been trying to return home for the past week when the 
insurgents caught up with them again.  On February 22, 
Maoists reportedly abducted a fourteen-year-old boy from his 
home in Dadeldhura District. 
 
16.  The recent spate of "abductions" have caused alarm 
after an article in an English-language newspaper said the 
Maoists plan to raise a 50,000 strong child militia by May. 
According to Kamal Shahi, a central secretariat member of 
the All Nepal National Independent Student Union- 
Revolutionary (ANNISU-R), the Maoist-aligned student wing, 
recruitment will be conducted under the slogan "one 
educational institution, one excellent militia."  The 
insurgents claim it is to help the students defend 
themselves in case of an "attack by the RNA." 
Representatives from UNICEF have condemned the recent spate 
of abductions, declaring that "children must not be used in 
any form in war."  Local human rights organizations claim 
that over thirty percent of the Maoists' army is under the 
age of eighteen. 
 
MAOIST ATTACKS LEAVE CIVILIANS DEAD 
----------------------------------- 
 
17.  A nine-year-old boy was killed on February 26 by a 
Maoist-planted bomb in Rautahat District.  On that same day, 
rebels reportedly shot and killed a member of the Rastriya 
Prajatantra Party (RPP) in Jhapa.  He reportedly had escaped 
after being abducted by the insurgents.  On February 22 
Maoists reportedly shot and killed two people in Bara 
District: a Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist 
(CPN-UML) activist and a teacher. 
 
MALINOWSKI