US embassy cable - 05KATHMANDU1321

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001321 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/INS 
LONDON FOR POL/BELL 
NSC FOR DORMANDY 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, NP, Government of Nepal (GON) 
SUBJECT:  GOVERNMENT APPOINTS DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT 
COMMITTEE CHIEFS 
 
Classified By: Charge Elisabeth Millard, reasons 1.4 (b/d). 
 
 ON THE APPOINTMENT OF DDC CHIEFS 
-------------------------------- 
 
1. (SBU) On June 13, the government appointed 
chairmen and vice chairmen of the District Development 
Committees (DDC) in 25 out of 75 districts of the 
country in accordance with the Local Self Governance 
Act of 1999.  The Ministry of Local Development stated 
that the remaining 50 districts' DDC chiefs and 
members would be nominated soon.  The posts of heads 
and members of the DDCs had remained vacant after the 
five-year term of the members expired in 2002.  The 
government headed by Surya Bahadur Thapa in 2003 had 
appointed the chiefs and members of the DDC, but 
following the appointment of Sher Bahadur Deuba as 
Prime Minister in June 2004, the government passed the 
responsibility to conduct the work of the DDC to the 
Local Development Office of the respective districts. 
 
REACTION TO THE APPOINTMENTS 
---------------------------- 
 
2. (C) Arjun Narsingh K.C., Spokesperson of the 
Nepali Congress (NC), told EmbOff that the appointment 
of the DDC chiefs indicated that King Gyanendra was 
trying to bring the entire power structure of the 
government under his grip "to maintain his autocratic 
rule."  Kashi Nath Adhikari, Central Committee Member 
of the CPN (UML), concurred and said that the 
appointment of the DDC chiefs was part of the King's 
roadmap, and was a "continuation of his dictatorship." 
Minendra Rijal, Spokesperson of the Nepali Congress 
(Democratic), stated that the DDC chiefs' appointments 
was a "conspiracy of the King to prolong his despotic 
regime," which showed that the King was trying to form 
his own political party. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
3. (C) The parties have ignored the fact that a 
prior government also appointed people to these posts. 
We have heard mixed reviews of the appointees, but are 
unsure how much DDC work had been occurring prior to 
the posts being refilled.  Following on the heels of 
the King's reinstituting and appointing zonal and 
regional administrators, the King will have to 
overcome the political parties' perception that he is 
consolidating his power. 
MILLARD