US embassy cable - 05KATHMANDU2529

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 002529 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/21/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PTER, PHUM, NP 
SUBJECT:  UML HAS SUCCESSFUL DEMONSTRATION IN WEST 
 
REF: KATHMANDU 2519 
 
Classified By: Amb. James F. Moriarty, Reason 1.4 (b/d) 
 
Thousands Participate in Peaceful Demonstration 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
1. (C) On November 19, CPN-UML held a peaceful mass meeting 
to protest against the King and in favor of democracy in 
Butwal, Rupandehi District.  Despite reported government 
efforts to prevent supporters from reaching Butwal, thousands 
attended.  Estimates of the crowd vary: Birendra Chhetri, 
Chairman of the Rupandehi District Development Committee, 
told us that the turnout was about 15,000; Assistant Chief 
District Officer (CDO) Rudranath Basyal said about 20,000. 
However, Kashinath Adhikari, CPN-UML Central Committee Member 
put the number at approximately 70,000, and K.P. Oli, another 
Central Committee Member, told us that about 130,000 people 
took part.  UML sources confirmed that the demonstration was 
peaceful and the government did not arrest anybody.  Adhikari 
said that, although the government did not declare any 
restricted areas in Butwal, security personnel blocked the 
highways.  Chhetri asserted that there was no blockade along 
the highways, but security personnel were deployed in various 
areas to conduct security checks.  Basyal also stressed that 
there was no blockade as alleged by the UML, and questioned 
how UML supporters could have come in the numbers claimed if 
the government had blocked the roads. 
 
2. (U) CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal told 
those gathered that the seven-party alliance and the Maoists 
had "come up with constituent assembly as a common ground of 
agreement."  He asserted that the Maoists had "even agreed to 
lay down arms under the supervision of the United Nations." 
According to the press, the UML will continue its program of 
zonal meetings: in Pokhara November 25, Janakpur on November 
27, Kathmandu on December 2, Biratnagar on December 17, and 
Birgunj on January 6. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
3. (C)  MK Nepal is working to convince his party members 
that the Maoists have made enough concessions to form the 
basis of an agreement with the insurgents to go against the 
King.  However, many party members are worried about the 
Maoists' own silence to date regarding any commitment to 
renounce violence and their continued use of threats and 
violence, including against UML cadre attempting to return to 
the villages. 
MORIARTY