US embassy cable - 04KATHMANDU465

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000465 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/SA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/14/2014 
TAGS: PTER, ASEC, EAID, CASC, NP, Maoist Insurgency 
SUBJECT: NEPAL:  US NGO CONFIRMS MAOIST THREAT IN SIRAHA 
DISTRICT 
 
Classified By: DCM RKBOGGS.  REASON:  1.5 (B,D). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  On March 13 Keith Leslie (protect), Country 
Director for Save the Children US, confirmed that Nepali NGOs 
partnered with SAVE in the southeastern district of Siraha 
had received Maoist threats.  Leslie advised that all SAVE 
staff in the district (all of whom are Nepali) have been 
moved temporarily out of Siraha to Biratnagar.  SAVE will 
reassess the situation at the end of the month.  End summary. 
 
2.  (C)  On March 13 Save the Children US Country Director 
Keith Leslie (protect) confirmed to the Embassy that two of 
SAVE's Nepali partner NGOs in Siraha District (about 400 km 
southeast of Kathmandu) had reported receiving Maoist threats 
directed against SAVE.  The threats, accusing SAVE aid 
workers of being "spies" and "giving oxygen" to the royal 
government, were posted on the doors of the partners' 
offices.  (Note:  SAVE does not maintain its own project 
office in Siraha, but runs activities, in partnership with 
three Nepali NGOS, involving primary school education, school 
construction, early childhood development, and neonatal and 
maternal health.  The programs operate in 24 communities in 
the district.  SAVE has no American or expatriate staff 
members in Siraha.  End note.) 
 
3.  (C)  As a precautionary measure, SAVE temporarily has 
moved all of its Nepali staff from Siraha to Biratnagar, a 
larger city with better security in the southeastern corner 
of the country.  Leslie said SAVE will reassess the situation 
at the end of the month to determine if and when the staff 
can return to Siraha. 
 
4.  (C)  Because SAVE has been operating in Siraha for many 
years and its programs are popular, Leslie expressed optimism 
that the problem will be quickly resolved.  In fact, he said, 
the Maoists' district commander in Siraha earlier had let 
SAVE know that he approved of its programs and that no action 
would be taken against the organization despite its U.S. 
affiliation.  Leslie speculated that the threats were issued 
without the knowledge or approval of the district commander, 
who is believed currently to be away from the area, and might 
reflect schisms within the Maoist organization.  "Discussions 
are ongoing," he said, and he is hopeful that Nepali SAVE 
staff will be able to return to Siraha soon.  When asked if 
he had contacted the Government of Nepal, Leslie said no, 
adding "They can't help."  Instead, he said he would rely on 
community pressure from the beneficiaries of SAVE programs to 
persuade the Maoists to allow their operations to resume. 
 
5.  (C)  Comment:  SAVE-US' American affiliation has earned 
it unwelcome attention before from the Maoists.  In September 
SAVE-US closed down a project early in the north-central 
district of Nuwakot because of Maoist threats and 
intimidation.  We have been hearing that Maoists from the 
west and mid-west have been moved into eastern areas of 
Nepal; the threats against SAVE in Siraha, which contradict 
what apparently had been the now-absent district commander's 
laissez-faire policy, may reflect a transfer of "harder-core" 
cadres from the Maoist heartland into less-affected southern 
areas along the Indian border.  We have no doubt that SAVE's 
programs are popular with the poor and disadvantaged in 
Siraha, but fear that the Maoists--who have never shown any 
particular regard for the poor people they claim form their 
constituency--may be unmoved by that argument.  If anything, 
the Maoists may view effective pro-poor activities by a 
US-affiliated agency as a threat to their own spurious claims 
to represent the interests of the oppressed.  We will 
continue to consult with SAVE officials as the situation 
develops. 
 
 
MALINOWSKI