US embassy cable - 05KATHMANDU2615

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 002615 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/INS 
NSC FOR RICHELSOPH 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/28/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, NP 
SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT SILENCES RADIO STATION 
 
REF: A. KATHMANDU 2318 
 
     B. KATHMANDU 2595 
 
Classified By: Charge Elisabeth Millard. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). 
 
1. (U) This is an action request.  Please see paragraph 8. 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
2. (U) On November 27, the Government shut down Nepal's first 
community radio station, Radio Sagarmartha, and seized its 
satellite uplink equipment at gunpoint.  The government 
claimed that the station was violating laws against aiding 
terrorism.  Police also arrested five radio station 
employees, releasing them on November 28.  The government's 
action against Radio Sagarmartha followed a similar seizure 
of equipment from Kantipur FM on October 21 (ref A).  The 
police action came as Sagarmartha was beginning to air a BBC 
Nepali Service interview with Maoist Chairman Prachanda (ref 
B).  End Summary. 
 
Government Seizure of Equipment Linked with Maoist Interview 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
3. (U) Police entered Radio Sagarmartha in Kathmandu as the 
station had begun to air a relay transmission of BBC Nepali 
Service taped interview with Maoist Chairman Prachanda at 
8:45 pm local time on November 27.  Radio Sagarmartha had 
broadcast the first few sentences of the interview, when 
police raided the station.  The police ordered the staff not 
to use a phone, seized satellite uplink equipment for 
simultaneous rebroadcast and took five journalists and 
technicians working at the station into custody.  The police 
released a female journalist that evening and the others on 
November 28.  The police left behind two letters, one asking 
the station to shut down its transmission until further 
notice for airing programs "aiding terrorism," and the other 
"requesting" the station to "send" transmission equipment 
(the equipment that the police seized) for investigation to 
ensure compliance with the October 9 media ordinance. 
 
Government Gave No Warning 
-------------------------- 
 
4. (C) Radio Sagarmartha acting station manager Gamaraj 
Luitel told Emboff that the government had not previously 
sent any letter to the station requesting them to stop BBC 
Nepali service or any other program.  Thus, the government 
action came as a surprise.  He said the government ordered 
the station to cease all transmission.  He noted that, in 
addition to satellite uplink equipment needed for relaying 
broadcasts, the government took equipment necessary for 
regular broadcasting, making it "difficult if not impossible" 
for the station to continue with any transmission. 
Therefore, Radio Sagarmartha was forced to go off the air. 
Luitel said the station planned to file a case with the 
Supreme Court.  (Note: Kantipur FM also brought a suit 
against the government following the government's seizure of 
its satellite uplink equipment on October 21 (ref A). End 
note.) 
 
Strong Reaction Against the Raid 
-------------------------------- 
 
5. (U) On November 27, as news of the raid spread, local 
media and human rights activists and international media 
freedom organizations expressed outrage at the government 
action.  Dozens of journalists and human rights activists 
staged a protest in front of the police office where the 
arrested station staff were being held.  On November 28, the 
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) issued a 
statement against the government's attempt to "quell all 
dissenting voices."  IFJ President Christopher Warren said in 
the statement that, "the use of intimidation tactics by the 
Nepalese Government in attempts to silence the media and 
dissenting, critical voices is unacceptable."  Local NGO 
Freedom Forum Nepal also condemned the government's actions, 
and called on the government to allow "access to 
international news media." 
 
FM Radio News Harder to Find 
---------------------------- 
6. (U) Radio Sagarmartha went off the air following the 
incident.  The government has reportedly blocked local 
internet access to BBC Nepali Service website.  However, BBC 
World Service in English and BBC short-wave Nepali news 
service were not affected and continue to broadcast news and 
other programs.  Kantipur FM has not broadcast news since 
October 21, but  broadcasts other information and 
entertainment programs.  Imaje Metro, a private commercial 
radio station based in Kathmandu, is one of the few stations 
continuing to broadcast news. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
7. (C) The government has some basis for its action, as the 
government was broadcasting Chairman Prachanda's interview, 
and thus possibly susceptible to the charge that it was 
aiding terrorism.  However, in the wake of the Kantipur FM 
raid, the government's arrest of journalists and seizure of 
equipment raises the concern that the government will 
continue to take more repressive actions curtailing media 
freedoms. 
 
Action Request 
-------------- 
 
8.  (U) If asked about His Majesty's Government of Nepal 
actions against Radio Sagarmartha, Embassy suggests the 
following response: 
 
Begin suggested text. 
 
The United States is deeply disappointed and concerned by the 
state authorities' seizure at gunpoint of radio equipment and 
the arrest of five journalists from the Kathmandu office of 
Radio Sagarmartha, an independent FM radio station, on 
November 27.  A free media is one of the hallmarks of a 
democratic nation, and restricting the publication or 
broadcast of news does not create an environment in which 
free and fair elections, such as the proposed February 9 
municipal polls, can take place. 
Reestablishment of a democratic government united against the 
Maoist insurgency is the best path to restoring peace.  The 
United States calls on the King and the government to move 
quickly toward restoring multi-party democratic institutions, 
protecting civil and human rights, and reaching out to the 
political parties in dialogue. 
 
End suggested text. 
MILLARD