US embassy cable - 03KATHMANDU231

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 000231 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/NEA 
STATE ALSO PLEASE PASS USAID/DCHA/OFDA 
USAID FOR ANE/AA GORDON WEST AND JIM BEVER 
MANILA FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA 
LONDON FOR POL/REIDEL 
TREASURY FOR GENERAL COUNSEL/DAUFHAUSER AND DAS JZARATE 
TREASURY ALSO FOR OFAC/RNEWCOMB AND TASK FORCE ON TERRORIST 
FINANCING 
JUSTICE FOR OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL/DLAUFMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PTER, CASC, PGOV, NP, IN, Maoist Insurgency 
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, FEB 1-7 
 
REFERENCE:  (A) KATHAMNDU 0089 
 
            (B) KATHMANDU 0217 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1. The groundwork for peace talks was laid with the 
Government of Nepal reportedly sending a formal invitation 
to the Maoists.  The Maoists announced their five-member 
negotiating team for talks with the GON.  Human rights 
organizations want the peace talks to focus on human rights 
and creating a lasting peace in Nepal. UNICEF declared the 
truce a ray of hope for children in Nepal and criticized the 
Maoists "politicization" of the educational sector.  Narayan 
Singh Pun, Minister For Physical Planning and Works and 
government appointed negotiator, said that the priority of 
the peace talks would be humanitarian issues and announced 
plans to visit some of the districts hit hardest by the 
insurgency.  The United Kingdom announced its plans to 
continue military assistance to Nepal.  Criminal cases filed 
against top Maoists are on hold, while some districts began 
releasing suspected Maoists from prison.  Security personnel 
arrested three journalists working for a pro-Maoist 
newspaper.  An indefinite closure of educational 
institutions, set to begin on February 13, has been called 
off by the pro-Maoist student union.  Maoists killed a 
police officer and are still forcibly collecting money from 
villagers. 
 
GROUNDWORK FOR PEACE TALKS BEGINS 
--------------------------------- 
 
2.  According to local press reports, the Government of 
Nepal (GON) sent an official invitation to the Maoists for 
formal peace talks.  The press also reported that the 
Maoists acknowledged the invitation and were expected to 
accept it. 
 
3.  Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, the Maoists' number-two leader, 
will head a five-member team in peace talks with the GON. 
In addition to Bhattarai, the team consists of four other 
senior-level Maoists: military strategist Ram Bahadur Thapa 
(aka "Badal"); Dev Gurung; Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who 
participated in the 2001 negotiations; and Mitrika Prasad 
Yadav.  The Maoists issued a statement through the local 
press that there should be no suspicions about the ceasefire 
and assured wary mainstream politicians that they believed 
the role of political parties in the peace talks "cannot be 
ignored." 
 
4.  According to local press reports, Narayan Singh Pun, 
Minister For Physical Planning and Works and appointed 
government coordinator for the negotiations, has already 
held informal talks with Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai 
at an undisclosed location (According to a senior police 
official, Bhattarai left India after the ceasefire and is 
now in Nepal).  The informal meetings allegedly were held to 
establish a code of conduct and agenda for peace talks. 
 
PEACE TALKS TO ADDRESS HUMANITARIAN ISSUES 
------------------------------------------ 
 
5.  The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) appealed to 
the GON and the Maoist party to turn the ceasefire into 
lasting peace.  In separate letters to Prime Minister Chand 
and Maoist leader Pushpa Dahal (aka "Prachanda"), the NHRC 
said that the ceasefire would be meaningless if it did not 
allow the people of Nepal to resume normal lives.  NHRC also 
stressed the need for both sides to commit publicly to the 
ceasefire and to establish a code of conduct for the period 
of the ceasefire.  The NHRC offered to help draft a letter 
of understanding for both sides to sign. 
 
6.  Amnesty International (AI) issued a statement on 
February 1 appealing to both the GON and the Maoists to give 
top priority to human rights issues when peace dialogue 
begins.  AI urged both sides to "make human rights an 
integral part of the agenda," and to enact measures that 
would prevent any future killings, abductions and torture by 
either side.  AI also called on the Maoists to return all 
children recruited as soldiers to their homes. 
 
7.  Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF, said the 
ceasefire has provided a ray of hope for children in Nepal. 
Bellamy urged all sides to make schools a zone of peace and 
to put women and children at the center of the peace talks. 
Bellamy criticized the apparent trend of politicising 
schools, and said it is "unacceptable" that schools have not 
been able to provide a safe haven for children. 
 
8.  The National Women's Commission (NWC) released a study 
on February 6 detailing the sexual abuse against female 
Maoists.  The NWC study reported that the women were often 
sexually harassed and exploited by male insurgents.  Several 
of the sexual assaults resulted in pregnancies, and some 
women were later forced to give birth in caves.  The NWC 
visited several districts in the mid and far western regions 
of Nepal and found that women were often subjected to 
repeated rapes by as many as six different men.  The NWC 
said it would ask the government to investigate and treat 
the women, many of whom claimed to have been framed, as 
prisoners of conscience. 
 
9.  Narayan Singh Pun, Minister For Physical Planning and 
Works, said that the priority of the peace talks would be 
humanitarian issues.  Pun told the local press that 
thousands of people had been left in a vulnerable state 
because of the insurgency, and that he planned on visiting 
some of the worst-hit districts. 
 
UK TO CONTINUE MILITARY AID TO NEPAL 
------------------------------------ 
 
10.  The British Government welcomed the ceasefire between 
the GON and the Maoists as an "important and positive 
development." Despite the ceasefire, however, Britain 
announced that it would continue providing military 
assistance to Nepal.  The announcement follows a weeklong 
visit to Nepal by a British mission consisting of senior 
officials from the Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Defense and 
Department of International Development.  Members of the 
commission told the local press that the focus would mainly 
be on training the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA), but would also 
address Nepal's development and its civilian police 
capabilities.  Britain contributes almost fourteen million 
dollars annually in bilateral assistance to Nepal and also 
provides over four million dollars each fiscal year to the 
Global Conflict Prevention Pool, which funds short-term 
development projects. 
 
CRIMINAL CASES AGAINST MAOISTS IN LIMBO; 
PRISONERS RELEASED 
---------------------------------------- 
 
11.  On January 13 the Government of Nepal (GON) filed 
special court cases against ten senior Maoist leaders, 
including Pushpa Dahal (aka Prachanda) and Dr. Baburam 
Bhattarai, accusing them of being the "chief perpetrators of 
crimes against the state" and demanded life imprisonment for 
the Maoists (Ref A).  The status of these cases is now 
unclear with the announcement of the ceasefire.  According 
to local press reports, the GON has not withdrawn the cases, 
and the court will not dismiss them until it receives 
something in writing from the GON.  In its attempt to bring 
the Maoists to the table for peace talks, the GON had 
withdrawn the rewards offered for information leading to 
their arrests and reportedly cancelled "red corner notices" 
on them with Interpol. 
 
12.  On January 31 Minister Pun visited the Central Jail and 
the jail at Hanuman Dhoka in Kathmandu, where he met with 
imprisoned Maoists.  The GON is considering the possible 
release of information on the whereabouts of Maoists 
currently in jail.  The local press reported that Pun has 
reassured Maoist leaders that all detained Maoists will be 
released within a month.  It is estimated that there are 
currently 9,000 suspected Maoists imprisoned throughout the 
country. 
 
13.  The District Administration in southwestern Dang 
District, a Maoist stronghold, has begun releasing Maoists 
from prison.  Eight Maoists were released from Tulsipur Jail 
on orders of the government and, according to the 
superintendent of police, more would be released after 
processing is completed.  In northwestern Baglung District, 
six suspected Maoists were released from jail after being 
imprisoned for over a year under the Terrorist and 
Destructive Acts legislation.  A journalist and two teachers 
arrested under the same act remain in jail.  Four others 
serving time on suspicion of being Maoists were also 
released from Central Jail on orders of the Supreme Court. 
In southern Rautahat District, security forces released a 
secondary school teacher who had been in custody for 
fourteen months on charges of participating in Maoist 
activities. 
 
14.  The editor of Janadisha, a newspaper considered to be 
the mouthpiece of the Maoists, and two other journalists 
from the same newspaper were arrested February 1 under the 
Public Security Act.  Authorities had previously raided 
Janadisha's offices after the imposition of the state of 
emergency in November 2001 and arrested the staff. 
 
ANNISU-R WITHDRAWS CALL FOR EDUCATION STRIKE 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
15.  The All Nepal National Independent Students Union- 
Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) withdrew its call for an indefinite 
closure of schools (Ref B).  The strike was set to begin on 
February 13.  Devendra Parajuli, President of ANNISU-R, said 
he believed that the militant students' demands could be met 
through dialogue, and said the country's focus right now 
should be on "resolving the current political crisis." 
 
CEASEFIRE DOESN'T STOP VIOLENCE 
------------------------------- 
 
16.  Maoists killed a police officer in Kanchanpur District. 
His body was discovered on January 30, just a day after the 
announced ceasefire.  The officer had been abducted by the 
insurgents and held captive for almost two weeks. 
 
17.  Maoists in mid-western Arghakhanci District are still 
forcibly soliciting donations from villagers despite the 
ceasefire.  Farmers and small business owners report being 
compelled to donate money to the insurgents.  A senior 
police official claims that Maoists in Kathmandu Valley are 
forcing residents to attend political indoctrination 
meetings.  Maoist insurgents also declared a general strike 
in southern Makwanpur District on February 4, putting a halt 
to businesses, traffic and schools. 
 
18.  The Maoist Party issued a press release on February 5 
denying that it had been involved in any acts of theft or 
looting since the declaration of the ceasefire.  The 
statement follows a number of thefts and robberies allegedly 
carried out in the name of the Maoists in southern 
Nawalparasi District. 
 
MALINOWSKI