US embassy cable - 05KATHMANDU1257

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 001257 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, NP 
SUBJECT: IFES NEGATIVE ABOUT SUPPORTING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS 
 
REF: KATHMANDU 923 
 
Classified By: Classified by Charge Elisabeth Millard; Reasons 1.4 (b/d 
). 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. (C) Two members of IFES, an international nonprofit 
organization that supports building democracies, visited 
Nepal as part of a USAID funded project to investigate 
opportunities to work with the Nepal Election Commission. 
IFES concluded that its support is not needed for the King's 
proposed November municipal elections, claiming that the 
process was so flawed that there was nothing IFES could do to 
improve the situation. IFES biggest concern was the security 
situation and the threat Maoists would pose to voters and 
candidates as well as the prevailing political environment. 
Embassy disagrees and believes that it is premature to write 
off the value of assistance to elections in Nepal. End 
Summary. 
 
IFES: Municipal Elections Impossible in Nepal 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
2. (C) Ian Smith and Dr. Julia Buxton, two representatives of 
IFES, visited various areas in Nepal for approximately three 
weeks in May to examine possibilities for working with the 
Nepal Election Commission. In reporting its preliminary 
conclusions on June 6, IFES stated that democratic elections 
in Nepal were impossible at this time. Smith and Buxton said 
they would recommend that IFES not support the King's 
proposed municipal elections as the process was so flawed 
that there was no capacity building or other work that IFES 
could do to improve the situation. IFES alleged that the 
proposed municipal election were a tool of the King to buy 
time to consolidate power and manipulate the international 
community. 
 
Challenges to an Election 
------------------------- 
 
3. (C) IFES painted a dark picture of the proposed municipal 
election: Some political parties have said they would not 
participate in municipal elections and voter turnout would be 
low. (Note: Internally displaced people cannot vote unless 
they return to their 2001 registered area. End note.) 
Although municipal elections would only cover 14 percent of 
the electorate according to voter rolls based on the 2001 
census, IFES nevertheless recognized that the election would 
be a positive step toward the development of multiparty 
democracy in Nepal. However, they raised other concerns and 
challenges that led them to believe the election would be 
impossible. The biggest challenge identified was the lack of 
security -- the Maoist threat to voters and candidates was 
too great. In addition, the correct environment for elections 
was not in place. If FM Radio stations and other media 
outlets continue to be censored, it would affect both 
campaigning and voter education. Voter education would be 
especially important as voting booths would probably need to 
be consolidated for security reasons and many people would 
need to learn the location of their new polling places. 
Furthermore, voters might be intimidated if elections were 
held in and around army barracks to provide security for the 
ballot box. Security would be needed not just for voting day 
but for the long term, especially for election workers, who 
reportedly inquired about IFES support for increasing their 
life insurance. 
 
Embassy Questions IFES Conclusions 
---------------------------------- 
 
4. (C) Embassy officials agreed that there were many 
challenges to the proposed election, but pushed back, 
stressing the possibilities and benefits of aid to democratic 
municipal elections. The Charge questioned IFES' blanket 
contention that no political parties would participate in a 
municipal election, noting that such a conclusion was 
premature and did not take into account the diversity of 
opinion among the parties. Post noted that people had elected 
the non-Maoist candidates in Maoist-run local elections and 
thus it was premature to predict with certainty low voter 
turnout in any upcoming election. Post also cautioned IFES 
not to assume that the current media censorship would 
continue, as the international community would exert strong 
pressure on the King to allow open campaigning in the media 
and would not view the current environment as acceptable for 
free and fair elections. Embassy officials also noted that it 
was not a foregone conclusion that voting booths would be in 
and around army barracks, explaining that the parties and 
others were troubled by such a proposal. Embassy disagrees 
with the IFES preliminary conclusion that any election in 
Nepal was impossible in the near future. 
Possibility of Longer Term Aid to Election Commission 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
5. (C) IFES saw many areas in Nepal's voting system that 
needed strengthening, including new voter registration and 
identification cards. However, the IFES representatives had 
doubts about working with the Nepal Election Commission. IFES 
stated that currently the Nepal Election Commission was 
"completely compromised" and not at all independent as the 
Commission lacked its own resources (including manpower and 
transportation), which must be requested from the Chief 
District Officer, who was appointed by the King. IFES found 
the Central Election Commissioners hostile and unwilling to 
listen to ways to improve their independence, although 
mid-level staff and District Commissioners seemed interested 
in working with IFES. 
6. (C) Embassy officials agreed that much could be done to 
improve the Nepal Election Commission. Embassy suggested that 
the current Central Election Commissioners' support was 
needed to work with even mid-level staff. We also noted that 
while the funding status certainly could be improved, the 
current situation was not a deviation from past elections 
where the Election Commission also had to request resources 
from the Chief District Officer, who was appointed by the 
central government. 
 
IFES Offends Election Commission 
-------------------------------- 
 
7. (C) Chief Commissioner of the Election Commission, K. R. 
Rajbhandari, and Secretary S. L. Shrestra expressed to us 
their dissatisfaction with the "undiplomatic and 
inappropriate" manner with which the IFES consultants had 
approached them -- "making demands instead of offering 
comments and suggestions." Shrestra said that if the Election 
Commission were to work with IFES, then a signed MOU would be 
needed to give structure to the relationship. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
8. (C) IFES has identified a number of challenges that His 
Majesty's Government of Nepal must address to hold successful 
elections. Embassy continues to believe that the 
international community should push for the right environment 
in which to hold free and fair elections. International 
community assistance and involvement will be needed for this 
to occur. In this meeting and a subsequent meeting at USAID, 
the IFES team was pressed to come up with recommendations to 
work with the Election Commission despite the current 
challenges they identified. Post noted that circumstances 
could well change before elections actually occur. It will be 
interesting to see what the IFES report will say in this 
regard. 
MILLARD