US embassy cable - 04KATHMANDU677

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000677 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/SA, NSC FOR MILLARD, LONDON FOR 
POL/GURNEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, NP, Political Parties 
SUBJECT: NEPAL: GOVERNMENT BAN ON PUBLIC GATHERINGS IGNORED 
BY POLITICAL PARTIES 
 
REF: KATHMANDU 620 
 
1. Summary.  Late on April 8, the Government of Nepal (GON) 
declared a ban on all public gatherings, except for religious 
purposes, of more than 5 people.  Despite the ban, roughly 
4000 political party activists attempted to gather in central 
Kathmandu on April 9, but a heavy police presence prevented 
the protesters from marching in the direction of the Royal 
Palace.  By 1600 hours, police personnel deployed in the area 
had arrested between 300-400 people and, in one instance, had 
charged the crowds in response to stone-throwing.  This is 
the second time Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa has 
imposed a ban on public gatherings, which have also been used 
by previous democratically-elected governments to prevent 
civil disturbance.  April 9 witnessed the second lowest 
turnout since the protests began on April 1, most likely in 
reaction to the government ban.  End Summary. 
 
2. Late in the evening of April 8, the Home Ministry released 
a public statement declaring areas where protesters normally 
gather to be "riot-torn" areas and imposed a ban on 
gatherings, except for religious purposes, of more than 5 
people in these areas.  According to the statement, the 
Government of Nepal initiated the ban as a result of 
information that the Maoists had infiltrated the political 
protests and intended to exploit them to incite violence. 
Political party leaders quickly criticized the ban and 
indicated that the parties would continue into the ninth day 
of public demonstrations. 
 
3. At approximately 1300 hours, political activists began to 
gather in and around the Ratna Park area in central 
Kathmandu.  By 1400, approximately 4,000 demonstrators had 
gathered in various groups, but a heavy police presence 
prevented them from converging into one mass.  The police 
moved quickly to arrest potential protesters.  By 1530, 
almost 200 demonstrators had been arrested, including roughly 
one dozen senior party leaders, such as CPN-UML Chairman 
Madhav Nepal, the President of People's Front Nepal, Amik 
Sherchen, and the head of Nepal's Workers and Peasants Party, 
Naryan Bijukchhe.  Tensions rose following the arrests when 
police charged a group of protesters with "lathi," or bamboo 
canes, in response to stone-throwing by the protesters. 
Whether anyone was seriously injured remains unknown. 
 
4. Comment.  The government ban on public gatherings is the 
second such ban under Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa. 
The first instance was in September 2003, following the 
collapse of the ceasefire on August 27 and was imposed in 
response to political party protests, which the government 
feared the Maoists would use to incite violence.  Like today, 
the parties chose to ignore the ban and, as a result, nearly 
1,000 demonstrators were arrested, but were released shortly 
thereafter.  Previous democratically-elected governments in 
Nepal, including the most recent one, have also imposed bans 
on public gatherings.  April 9 witnessed the second lowest 
turnout by political protesters since the demonstrations 
began on April 1.  (The lowest turnout occurred on April 7, 
most likely due to rainy weather.)  While the low attendance 
today is likely a response to the government ban, journalists 
and other intellectuals have suggested that the current 
political movement in Kathmandu is not inspiring the masses 
with the same ideological fervor and commitment witnessed in 
the 1990 "Jana Andolan," or People's Movement, that 
precipitated Nepal's transition to democracy.  End Comment. 
 
 
MALINOWSKI