US embassy cable - 04KATHMANDU845

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000845 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/INS, LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY, NSC FOR MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, NP, Political Parties 
SUBJECT: NEPAL: POLICE ARREST TOP POLITICAL PARTY LEADERS 
 
REF: KATHMANDU 813 
 
1. On May 3, Nepal's Armed Police Force (APF) arrested 
Communist Party of Nepal - United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) 
Chairman Madhav Nepal and Nepali Congress (NC) President G.P. 
Koirala.  Both political leaders were arrested from their 
homes at approximately 1230 and 1430, respectively, and are 
being held at APF headquarters.  The top leaders of the other 
three agitating political parties, the Nepal Sadbhavana 
Party, the Peasant's and Worker's Party and People's Front 
Nepal, NC General Secretary Sushil Koirala, and most of the 
Nepali Congress Central Committee were also arrested.  Staff 
at Nepali Congress headquarters also reported that roughly 
1,000 demonstrators were arrested from the street protests 
and are being held at the National Stadium.  All five leaders 
of the political parties were scheduled to address a mass 
political gathering at 1530 today in Kathmandu.  As of 1700, 
none had been released from custody. 
 
2. Comment.  Although the reasons behind the arrests remain 
unclear, it appears that the Government of Nepal (GON) 
preemptively seized these leaders to forestall the mass 
political gathering scheduled for this afternoon that was 
expected to attract thousands of participants.  Curtailing 
the political parties' freedom of expression on the eve of 
the Nepal Development Forum, when all eyes are focused on the 
government's record on human rights and good governance, 
seems sadly miscalculated, particularly since Nepal's donors 
had agreed to participate despite the political parties' 
requests for a delay (Reftel).  Although the party leaders 
will likely be released shortly after nightfall, the GON may 
come under additional criticism at the NDF for this action. 
The arrests also are likely to provide the agitating parties 
with another complaints against the monarchy, which they can 
try to use to breathe new vitality into their daily 
demonstrations.  End Comment. 
BOGUE