US embassy cable - 02KATHMANDU1590

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 001590 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS AND DRL/PHD 
LONDON FOR POL/RIEDEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, EAID, PREL, PHUM, NP, U.S-Nepali Relations, Government of Nepal (GON) 
SUBJECT: Nepal's Forthcoming Elections: What the U.S. Can 
Do to Help 
 
REF: A) Kathmandu 1546, B) Kathmandu 1348 
 
1. Nepal is preparing to hold national elections beginning 
November 13, followed by local elections sometime around 
April, 2003.  The ongoing violent Maoist insurgency will 
complicate security arrangements and increase expenditures 
at a time when economic conditions are deteriorating. 
Moreover, recent natural calamities resulting from 
unusually heavy monsoon rains have worsened the resource 
crunch.  Without significant foreign support, Nepal will 
not be able to hold the elections, let alone create an 
environment where the results will be considered free, 
fair and legitimate by the electorate. 
 
2. Ref A related the UN's plans for election assistance 
for the November Parliamentary elections and passed on its 
request for aid and its call for donor nations to sponsor 
election observers.  Ref B related the National Election 
Commission's request for material assistance. 
Additionally, Post has been contacted by a number of NGOs 
with proposals for election assistance.  Brief summaries 
are included at paragraph 4.  We have ranked in priority 
order those the Embassy considers the most worth funding. 
These programs are ready to go, and lack only the 
resources to implement them.  The Embassy strongly urges 
that the Department fund these programs.  Most of these 
programs target the national elections, and additional 
resources should be added to provide similar support for 
the local elections in the Spring. 
 
3. Proposals A, B and C are expansions of existing 
programs that USAID or State has already funded.  If 
additional money were made available for these programs, 
USAID could channel the funds to the relevant 
organizations with minimal paperwork.  In order for USAID 
to obligate funds this fiscal year to the proposed 
programs, specific approved funding levels have to be 
notified to Congress by September 3. 
 
4.  Proposals to support elections in Nepal: 
 
A. Local-level Public Meetings ($75,000) 
The Asia Foundation (TAF) 
USAID is already providing TAF $125,000 for this project. 
An additional $75,000 would allow for two meetings per 
constituency instead of one, and for the program to be 
extended to twenty additional constituencies, for a total 
of 170 instead of 150 of Nepal's total of 205 
constituencies. 
 
B. Voter Education ($255,000) 
National Democratic Institute (NDI) 
USAID is already providing NDI $125,000 for this project. 
An additional $255,000 will allow additional voter 
education materials to be provided in all of Nepal's 75 
districts, and for ten local NGOs to conduct village-level 
campaigns using NDI materials. 
 
C. Expansion of Electoral Observer Program  (No Estimate) 
Consortium for Elections and Political Process 
Strengthening (CEPPS) 
Post has tagged $164,000 of FY 2002 ESF monies for 
international, regional or local observers funded through 
USAID's CEPPS program.  Additional funding would allow for 
more election observers.  Post notes that it is still 
awaiting Department approval of its requested ESF funding 
for FY 2002. 
 
D. Regional International Observers (94,000) 
TAF, through the Bangkok-based Asian Network for Free 
Elections (ANFREL), would provide thirty observers from 
South, Southeast and East Asia.  [Note:  As with D, E and 
F, below, cost includes $38,000 for an International 
Elections Consultant (IEC).  Were more than one of these 
four programs to be funded, the IEC cost could be shared 
among them.  End Note.] 
 
E. Local Long-term International Observers ($255,000) 
TAF would train and deploy twenty-five locally-based 
expatriates as observers over the course of the elections, 
estimated at six weeks.  [Note:  The International 
Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) and the Carter 
Center have also expressed interest in sending 
international observers, but have not yet offered an 
estimate of projected expenses.  End Note.] 
 
F. Expatriate Election-day Observers ($46,000) 
TAF would organize and deploy volunteer expatriate 
observers on election day only. 
 
G. Election Monitoring ($355,000) 
NDI would support a total of about 25 individuals, 
including long-term, short-term and post-election 
monitors, and one-day training workshops on poll 
monitoring for political parties and NGOs.  [Note:  Funds 
in support of this program could be channeled through 
USAID's central electoral support project (CEPPF).  End 
Note.] 
 
H. Regional Election Reporting ($30,000) 
TAF would support the Center for Investigative Journalism 
in Nepal to establish a special cell for election 
coverage. 
 
5. It is clearly in the USG interest to support the 
holding of free and fair elections at this critical period 
of Nepal's democratic development.  Both domestic and 
international resources committed to date are inadequate 
to meet the requirements of two major sets of elections 
within six months.  Post urges immediate consideration of 
additional funding to enable the USG to demonstrate its 
support for Nepal's fledgling democracy. 
 
MALINOWSKI