US embassy cable - 05KATHMANDU2700

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 002700 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, NP 
SUBJECT: KING RETURNS, PROTESTS CONTINUE 
 
REF: KATHMANDU 2692 
 
Classified By: Charge Elisabeth Millard. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
1. (SBU) Following his return to Nepal after a three week 
absence, the King issued a statement on December 2 calling on 
the people of Nepal to unite with patriotism.  Though he did 
not specifically address the Party-Maoist 12 point 
understanding announced in his absence, he termed efforts 
toward peace praiseworthy, but clearly focused on his plan of 
municipal and then general elections.  Embassy interlocutors 
viewed the King's silence on the Maoist-Party understanding 
as positive.  The incident on December 2, when UML-organized 
protesters pelted stones (reftel) at the Crown Prince's 
motorcade on the way to the airport to greet his parents had 
a variety of consequences: The Crown Prince instructed the 
government to launch an investigation into the security 
lapse; the police held five suspected rock throwers under the 
Public Offense Act and released thirteen others who 
subsequently charged the police with torture and other abuses 
while in custody; on December 3, police had to stop a 
pro-Palace group from attacking CPN-UML headquarters; and 
student groups around the country demonstrated against the 
pro-Palace group's actions, with police using teargas to 
break up protests in Kathmandu on December 4.  The previously 
planned December 3 Nepali Congress rally in Biratnagar to 
urge the King to take advantage of the cease-fire was 
peaceful, though party cadre charged the government with 
stopping busloads of people who planned to participate.  End 
Summary. 
 
King's Statement: Welcoming Peace Initiatives 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
2. (SBU) Returning from his three week trip abroad, the King 
issued a statement on December 2 discussing his travels, 
calling for peace and looking toward the upcoming municipal 
elections (see para 9 for full text.)  The King said, 
"Restoration of a lasting peace and a meaningful exercise in 
multiparty democracy is what Nepal needs and what the 
Nepalese people yearn for.  As peace and security in the 
country has improved, the country is gearing up for municipal 
and general elections."  While he did not directly comment on 
the Party-Maoist 12 point understanding which was announced 
in his absence, he lauded efforts toward peace, "Such a state 
of affairs is a matter of joy to all those who believe in 
democracy and any contribution towards strengthening this 
situation which will restore sustainable peace and enable 
elected representatives to govern is praiseworthy."  The King 
suggested that free and fair elections could only be realized 
if violence was renounced and efforts were made to win "the 
hearts and minds" of the people by focusing on "patriotism." 
The King also thanked his son for "discharging duties on our 
behalf during our absence."  Embassy interlocutors viewed the 
King's silence on the Maoist-Party understanding as positive. 
 
Paras Questions Security Lapse 
------------------------------ 
 
3. (U) December 4 newspapers headlined Crown Prince Paras' 
visit to police headquarters on Saturday to investigate 
throwing of stones at his motorcade as he traveled to the 
airport to meet his parents on December 2 (reftel).  Paras 
summoned all four security agency chiefs for a meeting on 
December 3.  The security agencies formed a panel to 
investigate the incident, and subsequently the panel 
suspended three police officials, including the Chief of the 
Kathmandu District police, for lapsed  security allowing the 
stone throwing incident to occur. 
 
Youths Detained for Stone Throwing 
----------------------------------- 
 
4. (U) Amid allegations of police abuse, police released 
thirteen of the eighteen individuals detained following the 
stone throwing at the royal motorcade and charged the 
remaining five under the Public Offense Act (POA) (reftel). 
Under the POA, the police can hold individuals for 25 days 
for further investigation before presenting them to the Chief 
District Officer.  Students told media they had been walking 
home from classes and had sought refuge inside a bakery to 
wait for the stone throwing to end.  Shanker Thing, a 12 year 
old waiter, said "the policemen dragged the students out and 
put them in a van.  They took me as well, saying we were the 
ones who had pelted stones at the royal motorcade."  One of 
four boys who identified themselves as students, Sachin 
Bhatta, 15, claimed that the police "hit us, seized our bags 
and asked us which party and union we belonged to."  He said 
the police did not give detainees food for over 24 hours. 
Sainla Lama, father of one of the detained students, asserted 
that police denied parents and relatives access to detainees. 
 Ram Hari Neupane, 17, claimed that the police beat him while 
in custody and after learning he worked for Himal Media, told 
him, "it makes no difference as all media houses in the 
country would soon close down."  Tenth grader Surya Prakash 
Bhatt, one of five detained under POA, said security 
personnel threatened to beat detainees, telling them they 
were "insignificant" and "it wouldn't matter even if you 
died."  Human rights representatives, including the United 
Nations Office of High Commissioner for Refugees and the 
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), met with the 
prisoners on December 4.  CPM-UML General Secretary M.K. 
Nepal spoke at the police station on December 4, saying the 
detainees were held without arrest warrants and tortured.  He 
noted that the violence occurred "after a sponsored group 
provoked peaceful demonstrators." 
 
Attack on UML Party Headquarters Averted... 
------------------------------------------- 
 
5. (U) Following the stone throwing incident at the motorcade 
and the confrontation of a pro-palace group with UML 
demonstrators departing the December 2 rally in Kathmandu 
(reftel), army, armed police and civil police provided 
security to UML Party Headquarters on December 3, after 
hearing about possible attacks by pro-Palace group.  The 
group chanted slogans against political parties and announced 
an attack on the UML office at around 1700 local time on 
December 3.  Police diverted the group, which dispersed 
peacefully at 2030 local time.  On December 4, the UML 
Standing Committee demanded a probe and immediate action 
against "the hooligans."  The Committee also expressed 
appreciation for the immediate steps taken by security 
personnel to prevent an attack. 
 
...Student Protests Follow 
-------------------------- 
 
6. (U) To protest the December 3 attempted attack on the UML 
headquarters, students at Amrit Science College and Sarawati 
Campus in Kathmandu (near Thamel tourist area) staged a 
traffic strike in front of the colleges on December 4.  Media 
reported that police used about 10 rounds of teargas to break 
up the protest after the All Nepal National Free Student's 
Union, the student wing of the UML, blocked traffic in front 
of the college for three hours.  Students and civil society 
members in Pokhara staged a peaceful rally on December 4 to 
protest the attempted attack on the UML headquarters.  The 
Nepal Students Union, the student wing of the Nepali Congress 
Party (NC), issued a statement in support of the UML on 
December 4 saying in part "the regime is digging its grave by 
pushing forward hired gangsters in the name of blind 
nationalists." 
 
Peaceful NC Rally in Biratnagar Calls for Peace 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
7. (U) Media reported that the previously scheduled NC mass 
meeting in Biratnagar, Nepal's second largest city, on 
December 3 was peaceful.  However, NC party members claimed 
that security personnel blocked more than 60 buses carrying 
NC supporters from Jhapa and Saptari Districts from 
participating in the rallies.  Commenting on the cease-fire 
at the rally, G.P. Koirala said that "the Maoists have 
extended their unilateral cease-fire for a month keeping in 
view the request of the seven-party alliance."  He said it 
was "very strange that the King is hesitating to take 
concrete steps to restore peace at a time when every sector, 
every individual, wants it." 
 
Comment 
------- 
8. (C)  While the King's December 2 statement was positive 
largely for what it did not contain -- a condemnation of the 
Party-Maoist alliance -- the King still must do more to seize 
the initiative.  Until he does so, the rhetoric by political 
party leaders will becoming more and more strident.  Parties 
are able to mobilize people across the country, but it is 
noticeable that they are not publicizing the number of 
participants, likely because the numbers are well below 
expectations.  Fifteen thousand people in Kathmandu out of 
2.5 million people show that the general public is still wary 
of supporting the Parties. 
 
Full Text of King's December 2 Statement 
---------------------------------------- 
 
9. (U) The full text of His Majesty's message to the nation 
upon his return after three weeks absence on December 2, 2005 
follows: 
 
Begin text. 
 
Beloved countrymen, 
We are happy to return home today after participating in the 
Thirteenth Summit of the South Asian Association for Regional 
Cooperation (SAARC) held in Dhaka, capital of the People's 
Republic of Bangladesh and the World Summit on the 
Information Society in Tunis, capital of the Republic of 
Tunisia. During our sojourn abroad, we also paid friendly 
visits to some countries of the African continent. 
 
The SAARC Summit provided us an opportunity to reiterate 
Nepal's commitment to the SAARC process and voice our views 
on matters of common interest for our region. At a time when 
the region is faced with common challenges like 
non-interference in others internal affairs, a double 
standard on terrorism, jeopardizing regional peace and 
stability, taking steps to defeat this scourge along with 
eradicating poverty and addressing the root causes of 
underdevelopment, we are confident that the Dhaka 
Declaration, which reflects the common aspirations of all the 
peoples in the region, will form a firm basis for enhanced 
cooperation amongst the nations of our region to ensure 
qualitative improvement in the living standards of our 
citizens in a secure environment. 
 
The Summit also afforded us an occasion to interact with 
other leaders of the countries of the region on matters of 
regional and mutual interests, which, we are confident, will 
contribute to the further consolidation of the cordial ties 
existing between Nepal and these countries in the coming days. 
 
Our participation in the World Summit on the Information 
Society has, we believe, contributed to bridging the digital 
divide between developing countries and the developed world, 
focusing on the opportunity and challenges faced by the 
global community in translating into reality an inclusive 
information society, ensuring information and communication 
technology for the progress of all. 
 
In Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi, we had the opportunity 
to meet all ranks of the contingent of the Royal Nepalese 
Army serving in the peace-keeping mission at the call of the 
United Nations, Organization. We were happy to learn that 
the Royal Nepalese Army, which has been involved in 
peace-keeping along with reconstruction and rehabilitation in 
Burundi as well as other parts of the world, is praised for 
its contributions. At the same time, we were also impressed 
with the sincerity and commitment of our dutiful patriotic 
soldiers. 
 
In the course of our visit, we also paid friendly visits to 
the Republic of South Africa, Tanzania and the Arab Republic 
of Egypt, where we had the opportunity to meet and exchange 
views with the leaders. We believe our visits there will open 
new avenues in enhancing relations between Nepal and these 
countries. 
 
Restoration of a lasting peace and a meaningful exercise in 
multiparty democracy is what Nepal needs and what the 
Nepalese people yearn for. As peace and security in the 
country has improved, the country is gearing up for municipal 
and general elections. Such a state of affairs is a matter of 
joy to all those who believe in democracy and any 
contribution towards strengthening this situation which will 
restore sustainable peace and enable the elected 
representatives to govern is praiseworthy. The nation's 
determination in conducting free and fair elections, which is 
the very soul of democracy, can be realized only if violence 
is renounced and efforts are made to win the hearts and minds 
of the people rather than running from pillar to post. It is 
obvious that a consensus can be achieved only if the national 
psyche of the Nepalese people, who have always remained 
independent throughout history, and patriotism is made the 
focal point. 
 
We thank Chairman of the Council of Royal Representatives our 
son His Royal Highness Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev 
and other members for discharging duties on our behalf during 
our absence. Finally, we would also like to thank our beloved 
countrymen for their sense of responsibility and discipline 
in the overall interest of the motherland. 
 
May Lord Pashupatinath bless us all! 
Jaya Nepal! 
 
End text. 
MILLARD